This Time, We’re Going To The Top: Besting Buyukada

The first time I went to Buyukada, we never made it to the top.

Istanbul’s big island is really just a big hill, and at the pinnacle is the Agia Yorgi Church. When I visited the island with my family on my birthday, I wanted to climb all the way up… but the hot sun, low water reserves, and heavy bikes that needed to be pushed meant that we aborted the attempt part-way up. (Also, we were going the wrong way.)

Next time would be different, I promised myself. Next time I would go to the top. That next time came about a month later, when Istanbul had slipped from springtime to summer and my friends and I needed a break from the steamy city. Buyukada was splendid as ever—we rented our bikes and went up and down paths I hadn’t seen with my family. For whatever reason, the bikes we rented this time were really awful—we played musical chairs with the bicycles until the boys were riding all the worst ones (because Turkish men are nothing if not chivalrous). Even still, most of the bikes couldn’t shift gears without the chains falling off or some other disaster occurring. This was obviously a bit of a drag.

But it was easy to forget our frustrations when we had a picnic with a view like this. When we were full, hydrated, and rested, we set off again—this time, for the top.

Pushing the bikes uphill is unavoidable. Besides for the fact that it is VERY steep, the path is all crooked cobblestones, which makes riding extra-treacherous. Dragging my heavy, useless bike in the heat was unpleasant. The bike barely worked when I was riding it; dealing with the dead weight was torture. But I am a determined girl—I was going to make it up that goddamned hill.

And after sweat and swears and seemingly endless inclines, I DID. We explore the small Agia Yorgi Church, which was shaded and lovely. We sat around the inside perimeter and listened to the soundtrack of chanting monks and melodic hymns that was being played over hidden loudspeakers. It was an earned moment of contemplation after the long walk up. Once outside again, we laughed and photographed and took in the sweeping views. We were kings and queens on top of the world! (Or maybe we were slightly dehydrated. Whatever, it felt euphoric.) And on the way back down, we rode those junky bicycles all the way down that steep, rocky hill. Dangerous? Maybe. Awesome? DEFINITELY.

We kept riding all the way downhill to the ferry. At the bottom, we bought massive ice creams. At that point, I think we deserved it.