Practical Information
- Details
- Created on 17 February 2013
- Last Updated on 01 April 2013
Health
Medical Emergencies:
Büyükada has a hospital and health clinic. Each of the other islands has a clinic, and Heybeliada also has a polyclinic specializing in chest ailments. Büyükada Hospital has eight doctors, including four specialists. Heybeliada’s polyclinic has a team of medical specialists, and the other islands’ clinics are staffed by general practitioners. During the summer months, the clinics have practitioners on duty around the clock. Each island has ambulance service within the island, and an ambulance boat is available for emergency transport to the mainland.
Telephone numbers:
Büyükada State Hospital: (216) 382 62 28
Büyükada Health Clinic: (216) 382 62 10
Heybeliada Health Clinic: (216) 351 88 50
Burgazadası Health Clinic:: (216) 381 19 19
Kınalıada Health Clinic: (216) 381 40 60
Pharmacies:
There are drugstores on the four main islands: Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazadas›, and K›nal›ada. Weekday hours are 08.00-18.30 in winter and 08.00-20.00 in summer. Each island has one pharmacist on duty for emergencies at night and on Sundays and official holidays. The name of the pharmacist on duty is posted in the window of all pharmacies.
Tipping
A five to fifteen percent tip is customary for staff at hotels, restaurants, Turkish baths and hairdressers.
Post Office, Telephone and Internet Services
Post and Telephone:
Post offices can be identified by the letters PTT on a yellow background. The PTT also provides telephone, telegram, and fax services. Büyükada’s main post office, on Recep Koç Caddesi, is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. On other islands, the post office follows government office hours.
The telephone area code for the Princes’ Islands is 0216, same as the Asian side of Istanbul. The code for the European side of Istanbul is 0212.
Internet:
There are Internet cafes on Büyükada and Heybeliada. On Büyükada: near Çınar Meydanı. On Heybeliada: just off Lozan Zaferi Caddesi, at Erkal Sok. No. 1/A and Işgüzar Sok. No. 12
Newspapers, Magazines and Books
There are newspaper and magazine kiosks on the four main islands; the one on Büyükada, opposite the Yap› Kredi Bank, has some publications in English, French, and German. Also on Büyükada, a bookstore at the entrance to the ferry landing stocks books and periodicals, including many about the Princes’ Islands.
Banks
Many of the leading Turkish banks have branches on Büyükada and Heybeliada. Most of them have ATM machines.
What To Do 