THE BEST BEACH TOWNS IN TURKEY

(Content created for the British travel website wanderlustchloe.com)

From the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea to the glamorous resort playgrounds of Marmaris and Fethiye on the island-dotted Mediterranean coast, this is your guide to the best beach towns in Turkey. 

Turkey’s glittering Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines offer a wealth of holiday options: from world-class resorts to basic beach hideaways. The towns on the Turkish Riviera, such as Bodrum and Antalya buzz with daytime action and nighttime fun.  

Coastal towns in Turkey are a fascinating mix of history, adventure and colourful local culture. You can loll in luxury on a beach beside the sparkling ocean in the morning, explore ancient ruins in the afternoon, and then party till the wee hours at night.   

On the Turkish coast, you’ll find everything from ritzy resort towns with all mod cons to tiny villages with cheap digs and beaches to take your breath away. So pack your sunnies and your swimming cozzy and come along with me as I show you some of the best beach towns in Turkey. 

Ölüdeniz

This bustling resort suburb near Fethiye is famous for the blue lagoon of Ölüdeniz Tabiat Parki and the wide sandy sweep of Belceniz Beach. Overlooking the beach, Babadağ mountain’s peak is where thrill-seekers can take off in a tandem paraglider. 

While the town can seem quite expensive, there are plenty of cheap dining and entertainment options on the back streets. Summer can be really busy here but if you go in the off-season (September is the best month) you’ll find the place much less hectic. 

Alanya

If you feel like combining some history with your Turkish beach holiday, I can really recommend this town. Watched over by the battlements and spires of the medieval Alanya Castle, Alanya manages to walk the fine line between touristy hotspot and traditional Turkish town life. 

You can explore backstreet bazaars where shops selling baklava (Turkish delight) and Dolma (stuffed vine leaves) will tempt you to snack, then repair to the beach for a swim and an afternoon cocktail.

The Seljuk-era castle on the hill is now an open-air museum where you can see exhibits of ancient weapons, sultan’s clothing and everyday items of medieval Turkish life. From the battlements, you can look out across the red-tiled roofs of the town to Cleopatra Beach where the fabled Egyptian queen is said to have swum.  

Dalyan

This charming, laid-back town on the Mediterranean coast near Fethie is one of my fave Turkish beach towns. Dalyan was once a Roman health spa and the mud baths and ancient ruins near the town are fun to explore. The long curving sweep of Iztuzu Beach is perfect for swimming and you can see Caretta caretta turtles basking in the warm water here.

Adventures and history buffs can embark on a day trip up the nearby Dalyan Çaya River to see the ornate 400 BC Lycian tombs carved into the cliffs overlooking the river. And after a day of action and/or relaxation (you choose!) the town’s restaurants offer all sorts of traditional Turkish and western yummies.    

Marmaris

With its tranquil, reflective waters and colourful seafront, Marmaris must be one of the most beautiful places on the Turkish coastline. The gorgeous backdrop of mountains clad with deep green pine forests gives Marmaris the feeling of a European resort such as Monaco (well, this is the Turkish Riveriera after all!)

The cobbled streets of the Old Town are a fascinating place to wander and you can spend hours exploring the restored castle of Süleyman the Magnificent, the greatest of all the Ottoman rulers. The coves and bays of the nearby Datça Peninsula are great for day trips, especially when cruise ships are in the port and you want to escape from the town’s busyness.  

By the way, flight connections to the nearby Dalaman Airport are a handy way to reach this part of the Turkish coast. 

Bodrum

Close your eyes and imagine a perfect Turkish coastal town, with an old castle, crystal blue seas, Roman ruins and whitewashed houses. You’ve just imagined Bodrum! With accommodation options ranging from cheap “pensions” (the Turkish version of a B&B) to boutique hotels and ritzy beach resorts, you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect place to stay in Bodrum.

The ruins of the 4th century BC Greco-Roman Amphitheatre overlooking the town are a great place to get a feel for the many civilisations that have occupied Bodrum. You can take a day trip by boat out to Orak Island where the warm sea sparkle with colourful fish and rocky coves are just waiting for you to explore them. 

Alternatively, you can simply sprawl beside your hotel pool (or on the sand at Kumbahçe Sahili Beach) and wonder what the rest of the world is doing.

Ayvalik and Assos

For a change of pace, these two towns north of Izmir offer a more authentic Turkish experience. Ayvalik is a working fishing town and foodies will love the local agricultural produce: especially its olive oil. This part of the Aegean Coast is popular with local holidaymakers and you’ll also encounter visitors from the nearby Greek island of Lesvos sunning themselves on the beaches at Cunda and Alibey.

The old town dates from Byzantine times and has some superb restaurants. My fave is Iyimis Meyhane in a narrow, flower-decked lane a few streets from the main beach. You can take a day trip to Assos, just up the coast, where you’ll find brightly-painted fishing boats drawn up on the pebbly beach and lots of cool little eateries in the stone buildings along the waterfront.

Çeşme

This is the main beach resort of nearby Izmir and sits out on the end of a peninsula south of the city. There are quite a few five-star luxury beach resorts here but you can also find quaint boutique hotels and family-run pensions in the town’s quieter, flower-filled back lanes. 

You can fritter away whole afternoons going from café to café in the up-market Alaçati area, hire a scooter to explore further inland, or if you are like me, just relax on one of the town’s beaches. Try Ilica Plaji which is reputed to have the warmest waters on the Turkish coast due to the hot springs in the nearby hills. 

Kusadasi

Imagine stepping off a ferry from the Greek Islands onto the ancient shore of Ephesus, where Mark Antony and Cleopatra once hung out! Kusadasi is the closest city to the ruins of Ephesus and you can combine your Turkish beach bum lifestyle with day trips to some of Turkey’s most famous ruins.

Kusadasi itself has some of the liveliest nightlife on the coast but you can easily escape from the hubbub of the seafront promenade to the narrow and evocative streets of the Old Town’s bazaar. If you feel like a day trip to a Greek island, Samos is just a short boat ride away.   

Akyaka

Need to slow down and drop off the radar for a time? Then Akyak is the best town on the Turkish coast to head for. The small black sand beach, hemmed by towering cliffs, is almost unknown to the tourist crowds but is a favourite among locals as a retreat for the hot months of July and August.

The traditional wooden architecture is the setting for lots of cute, basic hotels and the richly-wooded hills have hiking trails to hidden beaches and secluded coves. My favourite part of travel is being able to disappear for a while, and Akyaka is one of those places where you can really escape the rat race and let time move more slowly! 

Içmeler

It’s hard to imagine a more picture-perfect beach than the long curve of sand at Içmeler. Backdropped by lush green mountains, this is one of the first beach resorts established on the Turquoise Coast. Transfers from nearby Dalaman Airport make this a popular place for package tourists so if you fancy a pint of ale and scampi and chips you are in luck.

But you can also find plenty of authentically Turkish life in the local area, especially in the smaller resort village of Turunc just along the coast. You can grab a water taxi to take you from Içmeler to Marmaris and the Greek island of Rhodes or do nothing more than just soak up the sun on Içmeler Beach…you’re on holiday after all!   

Gallipoli Peninsula

For a different Turkish beach experience, you could head to the historic town of Çanakale on the Gallipoli Peninsula. 

More famous for its WW1 history than ritzy beach resorts, the Gallipoli Peninsula also has some superb stretches of deserted coastline where you can easily escape the crowds. From Çannakale, you can take local buses to all sorts of local villages where you’ll find campsites, tiny pensions and empty beaches washed by azure Agean waters. 

Buses run regularly from Istanbul to Çanakale and you can do day trips to see the famous battlefield of Troy. Over on the Agean Coast, you can visit ANZAC Cove, Suvla Bay and the melancholy memorials and graveyards (maintained lovingly by the Turks to this day) of the fateful Gallipoli Campaign.  

Bozcaada

Turkey has surprisingly few offshore islands and Bozcaada is its prettiest. You really get the feeling that you are among the Greek Islands here, with the glittering Agean as a constant backdrop and the brightly-painted stone houses. The island has lots of hiking trails which lead through vineyards and orchards where olives, pomegranates and figs grow in colourful profusion. 

I love spending an evening sitting outside at a wooden table on Lale Street enjoying the local wine — it’s been produced here for 3,000 years — and nibbling fresh seafood or meze: the Turkish version of tapas. There are lots of cute boutique hotels in Bozcaada and it’s a popular weekend destination for hip Istanbul residents. 

Sunsets here are amazing and you can join the locals on one of the island’s secluded beaches to watch the day end over a roaring bonfire and a glass or two of vino. Perfect!

Göcek

With its palm tree-lined waterfront, moored super yachts and smart shops, Göcek likes to imagine itself as the Monaco of the Turkish Riviera. But the posh yachts and bougie boutiques are where the comparison ends. In fact, this is a pretty quiet, laid-back town with a small beach at one end and rugged hills at the other.

The intricate tracery of inlets and bays near Göcek offers amazing scuba diving, and day trips to local eco-sanctuaries will introduce you to the unique natural landscapes of this part of the Turkish coast. A special place to visit is Cleopatra Baths Bay where there are ruins of sunken hot water baths used by the Egyptian queen when she too was on holiday!

Faralya Butterfly Valley 

Of all the beaches in Turkey this has to be my favourite. Even the name is magical! Butterfly Valley is regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey and I have to agree! Backed by dramatic cliffs that you can hike up, the beach takes its name from the 100 species of butterflies that live in the forests here. A stream cascades over a waterfall into the valley from the cliffs and then ambles through scented groves of lavender-coloured chaste trees.

Butterfly Valley can be busy during the day but if you stay the night you’ll find the place wonderfully tranquil and quiet after the day trip boats depart. The waters of the cove are wonderfully warm and so calm that you can skip stones into the sunset. If you are visiting on a day trip, take a picnic to avoid paying for expensive restaurant food. 

Kalkan

This once-sleepy fishing village on the Turquoise Coast has become a haven for yachties and holidaymakers looking for a less “beachy” retreat. Rows of timber houses hung with bougainvillaea step down steeply to the waterfront from the Old Town area, and the restaurants along the promenade have an exciting buzz and ambience.

There’s a pebbly beach at the western end of the main business area and an interesting marina where flash yachts rock gently on the water beside colourful local fishing boats. Inland, the area has lots of Lycian ruins to explore and hiking trails that loop back to the coast where you can refresh yourself with traditional Turkish food, cold beverages, the delicious local apple tea, or your favourite European nibbles.    

Cirali and Olympos

Now we’re getting really wild! These two isolated beach towns are separated by a set of rugged hills that run right down to the water’s edge. In fact, if you want to go from one village to another other you either have to walk along the narrow beach under the cliffs — quite an adventure! — or drive up to the main road and back down. 

What I love most about these Turkish beach towns is their location within the Olympus Coastal National Park. The scenery here is untouched by development and most of the accommodation is of simple wooden buildings with low-key outdoor restaurants. 

This is a great place to come and free your inner 70s hippie and detune to the sound of gentle waves. Lots of locals come here for their holidays so it has a cool Turkish vibe and you’re bound to make some new friends.  

Antalya

With one of the longest beaches of all the coastal towns in Turkey, Antalya is famous for its crystal clear water and lush vegetation. The town began life as a Roman port in 133 BC and back in the day the citizens of Rome used to flock here for their summer holidays…just as people still do today.

With its backdrop of rugged (sometimes snow-capped!) ranges and oodles of lush green spaces, Antalya manages to combine the buzz and pizzazz of a resort destination without feeling too overcrowded. Nearby Antalya airport brings in tourists from the Middle East and Eastern Europe so you can guarantee an eclectic mix of visitors and food.

Check out the grey-sand Konyaalti Beach (west of town) for great cafes during the day and epic sunsets. The nearby Taurus Mountains provide a spectacular scene as you laze in the tepid water! 

Whether you’re looking to simply lie in the sun and relax, or take boat trips to hidden coves and super cool islands, Turkish beach towns will provide you with holiday delights, local culture and all sorts of history. 

Turkey is one of my favourite countries to visit for a holiday that combines incredible scenery, delicious cuisine (who doesn’t love Turkish food?), ancient ruins and, of course, a beach or two. I’d love to hear about your Turkish holiday experiences so feel free to add to my guide to the best beach towns in Turkey. Happy travels!