The islands are green throughout the year thanks to the vegetation of evergreen shrubs and pine trees. Vegetables, fruit, wheat, barley, olives, grapes and flowers all grow well in the fertile soil of the islands, although since they became popular summer resorts most of the orchards and market gardens have been swallowed up by holiday villas. Small coves provide natural shelters for fishing boats. In Byzantine times many monasteries were established on these remote islands, and to these were exiled princes, princes and patriarchs who fell out of imperial favour, and this inspired the established English name, the Princes Islands. In Turkish they were known in the past as the Islands of Priests or Papaz Adalari, but today are just referred to as the Islands.

Burgaz Adasi is the most unspoilt of the islands today. The first steam ferry service here started up in 1846, and by the end of the century the monasteries has begun closing down as their tranquility was disturbed. The villages expanded, and rich summer dwellers built timber houses for themselves.

Today ferries leave for the Islands from Sirkeci, Kabatas and Bostanci. The half hour journey passes enjoyably, sipping a glass of tea and watching the islands come closer. Burgaz is the second stop, and as you land you toss away Istanbul's stress and noise like a coat.

Burgaz is the third largest of the nine islands, with an area of about one square kilometre. Looking eastwards is an attractive view of the tiny Kasik (Spoon) island, with the large Heybeli looming behind.

The wooden building behind the quay is the former Sinyasoglu Hotel, now a pleasant modern cafe. As on all these islands, communities of Greeks, Jews and Muslims live in harmony side by side. The famous Turkish writer Sait Faik Abasiyanik, who lived on Burgaz, has immortalised its warm, colourful life in his short stories. Following his death in 1954 his house was turned into a museum, and attractively furnished house full of memories stands a five minute walk away from the quay, just behind the Church of Haghia Johannes Prodromos.

Around the former Sinyasoglu Hotel are small, unpretentious restaurants, where you can eat fish and watch fishermen in rowing boats, young men in speed boats, sailing craft and the ferries coming and going. On the shopping street behind is a bakery which makes the most delicious salty and sweet biscuits in the world, as well as greengrocers, grocers, fishmongers and other shops. Local tradesmen will welcome you like an old acquaintance after seeing you in their shop a couple of times. Motorised vehicles are forbidden on the island, apart from those needed for public utilities, and horse drawn phaetons provide public transport.

The north road past the mosque dated 1935 takes you between attractive wooden houses to the Haghia Giorgios Monastery. It is set on a hillside covered with oleanders, wild roses, honeysuckle, wild flowers and pines, all filling the air with their fragrance, particularly after it has been raining. The monastery was established in Byzantine times, but the present building dates only from the 19th century. Monastery and church stand in a small garden whose well is famous for its sweet water.

On the far shore of the island behind the monastery is Kalpazan Kaya, the best picnic place on the island, where there is a small swimming beach. On moonlit nights in summer the young people gather here to sing and chat.

Those who enjoy walking should carry on up the hill instead of turning down towards the beach. Climbing towards Hristos Tepesi, the Hill of Christ, which is the highest spot on the island, the view becomes steadily more spectacular. The emerald green grass beneath the pine trees is sprinkled with tiny white daisies, yellow buttercups, blue vervain and purple irises, like a flower patterned carpet. At the top is a small stone house, and on top of the wall an old bell tower set on two ancient columns. When the caretaker lets you in, you see the Church of Metamorphosis in a tiny garden. This church was built in 1868 on the ruins of a 6th century Byzantine church.

Taking the road downhill on the other side takes you past the House of Sait Faik to the famous Church of Haghia Johannes Prodromos, with its large dome. At the entrance is a subterranean chamber where the priest Methodios, who led a rebellion against the Emperor Theophilos in the 9th century, was imprisoned for seven years with two murderers as his companions. According to hearsay Methodios lived on nothing but fish thrown down to him through a hole by fishermen. When one of the murderers died his body was left to rot in the cell, adding to the unpleasantness of conditions inside. Miraculously, however, Methodios survived, and when the emperor died his wife Theodora had him released and proclaimed patriarch, and ordered a church to be erected on the spot. The present church was built in 1896 and is the location of Sait Faik's story, Papaz Efendi.

Replete with fresh air and history, you find yourself back at the quay. While waiting for the ferry you can relax over a glass of tea and appreciate Necati Gulen's sentiments when he said, "People who have once lived on the island fall in love with it, like an infectious passion. Soon they feel they belong there. Lovers of this island are serene people, full of love of nature and their fellow men."

* Vera Bulgurlu is a lecturer at Marmara University.