- Natural Horseshoe Anchorage: Deeply indented south-facing marine basin completely sheltered from northern Poyraz gales, making it the premier yacht haven in the Sea of Marmara.
- Atatürk’s 1924 Sanatorium: Established by personal presidential decree as Turkey's first modern tuberculosis medical retreat, utilizing the island's unique therapeutic pine-ozone microclimate.
- Literary Lore: The poetic haven of tragic Turkish poet Rüştü Onur (immortalized in the acclaimed film The Butterfly's Dream), who penned romantic verses along its healing shores.
- Recreation & Trails: Gentle 25-minute pine-shaded walk or electric Adabüs ride from the main harbor; excellent swimming, pebble beaches, and coastal ridge hiking.
The Natural Splendor of Pine Harbor (Çam Limanı)
If Heybeliada is considered the greenest of Istanbul's Princes' Islands, Çam Limanı (Pine Harbor) is its crowning jewel. Situated on the southern underbelly of the island, this extraordinary natural amphitheater is formed by the twin headlands of Makarios Tepesi to the west and Taş Ocağı Tepesi to the east. Dense, ancient canopies of Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia) tumble down steep sandstone slopes to meet a protected, crescent-shaped cove of crystalline emerald water.
Because the harbor opens strictly toward the south, it is naturally shielded from the prevailing northeasterly winds (Poyraz) that churn up rough swells across the Istanbul strait during summer. For centuries, Ottoman caiques, sponge-diving boats from the Aegean, and royal pleasure yachts sought refuge within its placid waters. On calm summer afternoons, dozens of white-hulled sailing yachts drop anchor here, their crews swimming in the crystal shallows while the resinous fragrance of sun-warmed pine needles drifts over the sea.
1924: Atatürk’s Vision for Modern Pulmonary Health
Perched majestically upon the wooded southern ridge overlooking Çam Limanı stands the monumental, historic complex of the Heybeliada Sanatorium (Heybeliada Sanatoryumu). In the early 1920s, following the devastation of the First World War and the War of Independence, tuberculosis was a devastating public health crisis ravaging the young Turkish Republic.
In 1924, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk personally mandated the establishment of a world-class specialized sanatorium, directing state resources to find the location with the purest air and most restorative microclimate in the country. A medical commission modeled after Swiss Alpine sanatoria in Davos chose the southern promontory of Heybeliada. Here, the unique convergence of high atmospheric ozone, dry maritime breezes filtered through vast maritime pine forests, and southern sunshine created an optimal natural sanative environment for pulmonary recovery.
Beginning with a modest 16-bed wooden pavilion, the complex expanded into a 660-bed state-of-the-art facility featuring sun-curing verandas (solaryumlar), advanced surgical theaters, surgical suites, and tranquil walking trails designed for graduated respiratory rehabilitation.
The Literary Sanctuary of Poet Rüştü Onur
The Heybeliada Sanatorium is forever linked with the bittersweet history of Turkish modern literature. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the institution treated celebrated young poets and writers afflicted with tuberculosis, most notably Rüştü Onur and Muzaffer Tayyip Uslu, whose lives were poignantly dramatized in director Yılmaz Erdoğan’s internationally acclaimed 2013 film The Butterfly's Dream (Kelebeğin Rüyası).
It was while recuperating on the sunlit balconies of the Heybeliada Sanatorium overlooking Çam Limanı that Rüştü Onur penned some of his most tender, life-affirming verses, gazing across the sapphire channel toward Büyükada and finding poetic inspiration in the quiet beauty of the island's pines and waves. His tragic death at the tender age of 22 in 1942 left an indelible literary memory etched into the stones of the sanatorium.
Explore Heybeliada by Electric Island Shuttle
Take a relaxed electric eco-shuttle tour through Heybeliada's pine-scented forests to Çam Limanı, Değirmenburnu, and the historic village center.
Preserving a Heritage Treasure for Future Generations
The sanatorium ceased medical operations in 2005 as modern antibiotic treatments rendered long-term climatic sanatoria obsolete worldwide. In recent years, the historic 200-dunam forested parcel became the focus of intense civic advocacy. Island residents, environmental conservationists, and the Turkish Medical Association mobilized successfully to oppose commercial privatization schemes, advocating for the site’s adaptive reuse as a dedicated Center for Environmental Science, Medical History Museum, and public botanical park.
Today, while the historic main sanatorium pavilions remain fenced and undergoing structural assessment, the surrounding public coastal roads and forested viewpoints are fully accessible, offering visitors an unforgettable journey into Turkey’s early Republican medical and social heritage.
How to Visit Çam Limanı: Swimming, Walking & Transit
- The Scenic Forest Walk: From the main ferry landing, follow Refah Şehitleri Caddesi past the Naval Academy wall, winding south through the pine-scented saddle valley. The gentle 2.2-kilometer walk takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes, entirely under the shade of mature Mediterranean pines.
- Electric Adabüs Route: Municipal electric minibuses depart every 20 minutes from the ferry terminal square, terminating directly at the Çam Limanı turnaround (143.95 TL on Istanbulkart).
- Swimming & Beach Facilities: The eastern curve of the bay features organized sun loungers, umbrella rentals, and changing cabins operated by local beach clubs (entry typically 250–350 TL including umbrella and deckchair). Alternatively, independent swimmers can walk along the western rocky ledges beneath the pines to find quiet pebble coves.
- Sunset Views: Çam Limanı is one of the premier spots on the island to watch the late afternoon light turn the Marmara waters from emerald to deep violet, with the silhouettes of anchored yachts swaying gently in the harbor.