Beaches Near Istanbul, Turkey

Turkey's sweltering summertime heat sends the population running -- for the icy air conditioning of the city's myriad shopping malls, the sweetly temporary relief of traditional dondurma ice cream and the miles of shoreline that cleave and surround the city along its multiple waterfronts. As a time-honored summer tradition, locals and visitors jostle for space on the sand, watching water sports athletes, families and the occasional dolphin play in Istanbul's history-steeped waterways.

Public Beaches

• Though many of the villages adjacent to Istanbul along the Bosporus have small, pebbly public beaches, most locals in search of a fee-free stretch of sand end up at Caddebostan Beach in the relatively central neighborhood of Kadikoy. Expect big crowds. All summer, the water teems with kitesurfers, windsurfers, surfers and sailboats staking out their territory on the Sea of Marmara. Long lines mill in wait for showers, restrooms and refreshment kiosks, especially on weekends and during school vacations. The beach's staff lifeguards keep a firm grip on the festivities, but the hordes can be overwhelming.

Private Clubs

• The fees can be steep at private clubs, but Istanbul's residents don't seem to mind. The city's private-beach scene defines the summer social season, inviting teeny bikinis and stiff drinks in a city where criticism of both remains something of a hot topic. The largest of these are True Blue, which hosts sun-worshipping scenesters all day and presents Grammy-level performers in its shorefront nightclub; Solar Beach, which caters to an active crowd keen to kite, windsurf and jet ski; and the Golden Beach Club, which draws a posh crowd to its upscale beachfront bungalow scene.

The Princes Islands

• In many ways, time stands still on the smattering of small islands off the Istanbul coast. Horse-drawn carriages traverse the hilly streets of the Princes Islands under the looming, ivy-draped Victorian mansions that overlook the water. Each of these islands is rimmed with beaches for swimming, sunning, fishing, boating and snorkeling. Some hotels own private beaches, providing a cleaner, quieter respite from the often-crowded public options. Ferry services depart for the Princes Islands from several piers in southern Istanbul. Because the boats are large and slow, the relatively short journey takes about an hour and a half each way.

Warning

• On June 5, 2013, the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert for Turkey, prompted by violent demonstrations in many major Turkish cities, including Istanbul. In general, the State Department advises that visitors to Turkey "exercise caution and good judgment, keep a low profile and remain vigilant with regard to personal security." The State Department further advises that U.S. citizens avoid demonstrations and large gatherings but notes there have been no direct attacks on Americans.

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Places to Visit in Ankara, Turkey

Much more than the sum of its commercial, industrial and political parts, Turkey's capital city of Ankara welcomes visitors with a stately sense of Turkishness that stands in contrast to the country's beach-centric southerly coastlines and the more socially conservative eastern parts of the country. Once famous for its phonetic namesake animals -- the long-haired Angora goat, the unique Angora cat and the fluffy Angora rabbits that produce wool of the same name -- one of Ankara's greatest modern draws is now tourism, as thousands of visitors per year flock to its array of cultural and historic attractions.

Anitkabir

• The Anitkabir, the mausoleum built for Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, stands as one of the most monumental of the thousands of monuments the country counts within its borders. Two dozen lion statues stare down visitors as they approach the entrance to the mausoleum, which is composed of marble and perched high above Ankara. Colonnades and courtyards pepper the site, along with an extensive collection of Ataturk memorabilia and numerous descriptions of the reforms he put in place. Due to Ataturk's immense popularity, the mausoleum is essentially a national pilgrimage site; Turkish families and school groups frequently crowd the site during the summertime, even mid-week.

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

• A superb collection of artifacts culled from every important archeological dig in Anatolia, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations describes the region's history from the Palaeolithic era onward. The contents of the halls, housed in an exactingly restored 15th century covered market, cover each of the country's pre-Turkish civilizations: Assyrian, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, Lydian, Greek and Roman. Early birds can avoid the deluge of tour buses and school groups that descend on the museum year-round.
• Roman Baths

• Dating from the 3rd century A.D., the Roman baths at Ankara are sufficiently intact to clearly present their classical layout for history buffs to admire. Indeed, the standard dressing room, cold room, warm room and hot room are all recognizable without too much imagination coming into play. While not currently operating -- unlike those at Pamukkale -- inscriptions indicate that the baths were in continuous use for 500 years.

Steam Locomotive Museum

• Train aficionados will burn a hole in their Instagram feed at the charmingly rusting open-air Steam Locomotive Museum. This collection of vintage Asian, Eastern Bloc and European steam engines crowds the tracks to the southwest of Ankara Central Station, the city's main train station. It's accessible by a circuitous route that ducks beneath an underpass and emerges up a set of stairs just before entering the Tandogan Kapali Carsi shopping district.

Genclik Park

• Ataturk created Ankara's best outdoor space, Genclik Park, when he had city engineers convert a festering swamp into an artificial lake in the center of the city. A permanent fairground amuses families and several cozy tea gardens dot the space. (To avoid embarrassment, women traveling solo should choose tea gardens with the word "aile" -- family -- in the name.) In addition to people-watching and ample space for a game of Frisbee, Genclik Park features a cultural center, a youth community center and a convention hall, as well as dozens of kiosks and food stands. At night, lovely light shows sparkle in the waters of the central pool.

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Car Travel in Turkey

Turkish roads have improved to a significant degree in recent years, says Frommer’s, as government money funds new highways and infrastructure. Hiring a car provides the freedom to see Turkey on your own terms, but bear in mind that parking is often in short supply in such as Istanbul and Ankara, and many urban centers have begun to implement one-way systems, making navigation challenging.

Documents

• Your United State-issued driver’s license remains valid to drive in Turkey, as long as your intended stay in the country is less than one year. If you’ll be in Turkey for fewer than 90 days, you just need your U.S. license, but once you stay over that period, you should carry a notarized Turkish-language translation. After one year in Turkey, the law requires that you obtain a Turkish driver’s license. International driving permits aren’t necessary, but you can use one for up to 90 days alongside your U.S. driver’s license. Keep your passport with you when you’re on the road.

Rules of the Road

• Turkish traffic moves on the right, as in the United States and continental Europe, but passing is only on the left. Within urban areas, speed limits stand at 50 kph (31 mph), rising to 90 kph (55 mph) outside cities. On motorways, the legal limit is higher again, at 120 kph (74 mph), while motorways also have a minimum speed limit of 40 kph (24 mph). Driver and passengers should all wear seat belts, while children under 10 should never travel in the front passenger seat.
• Caution

• Drive defensively when on the roads in Turkey, advises the State Department, and expect the unexpected. Traffic accident rates are among the highest in the world: 510 fatalities per million vehicles on the roads in 2009. Local drivers cause many accidents by driving erratically, so beware of vehicles cutting across several lanes of traffic, ignoring traffic signals and road signs. Be particularly careful at night, when drivers venture out without using their headlights and low light conditions make it difficult to see obstacles in the road. Never use your cell phone while driving in Turkey; it’s illegal and you could be fined the equivalent of $40.

Accidents

• If you do have an accident while driving in Turkey, call the traffic police on 154 or the Jandarma on 156. You are not legally obliged to contact local law enforcement, but the State Department advises doing so because the forms you must complete are in Turkish and an error could mean that you are held responsible for the accident. Never move your car until the police have arrived, even to clear the road for other vehicles to pass, and don’t leave the scene of the accident. Afterward, ensure you receive a certified copy of the police report.

Considerations

• If you're planning a trip to Turkey, check the State Department's website for any recent travel warnings. Terrorist groups are active in Turkey, and sometimes specifically target United States institutions, such as the U.S. embassy, and U.S. citizens. The State Department recommends staying alert throughout your time in Turkey, but particularly in places like shops or restaurants where U.S. citizens can be found. Avoid political demonstrations and stay aware of your surroundings.

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Things to See in Kusadasi, Turkey

Like many of the towns scattered along the jaw-dropping, forested shoreline of Turkey's Turquoise Coast, Kusadasi wasn't always the hyper-touristed resort city it has now styled itself to be. It was once a sleepy, one-horse fishing town; now, the single dirt road that meandered through a smattering of wooden huts is a surging strip of nightclubs, restaurants, souvenir shops and tour operators. Cheap package-tour prices and a steady stream of docking cruise ships keep the town neck-deep in pale visitors looking to score a tan and neon-lit photos for their social pages, but the natural side of Kusadasi is where the beauty lies. The partying can wait until later.

Join the Throngs at the Beach

• The crowded shoreline surrounding the town of Kusadasi, centered on its biggest attraction -- the often-topless "Ladies' Beach" -- magnetizes the vacationers disgorged by the cruise ships. This parade of paleness flocks to a well-appointed strip of carted-in sand that acts as a soft facade over the beach's original shingle stone. Created by the city in 2001, the Kusadasi waterfront promenade also hosts innumerable foreign newlyweds on their first sunset strolls as a married couple, making for some charming people-watching. All the area beaches feature an abundance of restaurants, snack bars, tea rooms, changing rooms, ablution stations, umbrellas and lounge chairs.

Bliss Out at Dilek National Park

• The Grecian island of Samos is less than a mile out to sea from the thickly forested, mountainous shoreline of the Dilek Peninsula. Dilek National Park, also home to a Turkish military base, is a carefully protected natural preserve with a selection of pine-shaded, isolated beaches just 19 miles south of central Kusadasi. Whether you want to hike or splash around in the glassy waters, take a picnic and marvel at lovely views of the island-dappled sea.

Watching Birds -- and the Sun Go Down

• Connected to the city by a narrow causeway, the nubbin of Pigeon Island is capped by a small, ancient fortress that was used to guard against pirates when they threatened the city from points offshore. Pigeons, ducks and bunnies now live on the island in well-kept quarters, providing a point of endless interest for the small Turkish children brought to the island as a weekend treat. An excellent vantage for birdwatchers to keep an eye on seasonal avian migrations, the island is also a panoramic perch from which to take in the sunset. The island's small cafe is the best spot from which to do the latter.

Stay On After Dark

• The partying in Kusadasi is so emphasized that it can seem a bit forced -- for example, every hotel has its own throbbing discotheque -- but, for at least one night in town, it's almost obligatory to leave your earplugs on the nightstand and partake. The scene is predictably loudest and wildest at the center of town, along the narrow roads bordered by Barbaros Hayrettin Bulvari and Saglik Sokak. Some might find the prevalence of Irish pubs disconcerting, but the energetic hawkers and the madcap antics of some visitors make for lots of free entertainment.

  If you're feeling like more of a culture vulture than a party animal, sign up for the dinner folklore show at Club Caravanserail. Touristy as it is, it entertains with elaborately costumed traditional dancing and a delightfully awkward audience participation segment that could make some want to hide their eyes. The buffet-style dinner features a typically Turkish selection of small plates called "mezes" and plenty of strong black tea in teensy glass cups.

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Places to Visit Near Marmaris in Turkey

The city of Marmaris, built as a small maritime outpost by the ancient Greeks, now sprawls along the Turquoise Coast. Once a sleepy fishing town, Marmaris now spills an ever-increasing number of pastel-colored summer beach resorts between a range of hilly pine forests and a wide swath of shingle beach. A favorite sun destination in Turkey, Marmaris is conveniently located near several destinations on the country's western seaboard.

See the City's Past Lives

• Long ago, Marmaris used to be the Carian port of Physkos. Some ancient remains of the city's past life still remain, scattered around Asartepe Hill at the northern end of the city. Of more interest to non-historians is the Castle Marmaris, built by Suleyman the Magnificent. The castle was the site where the sultan prepared more than 200,000 soldiers to take Rhodes in one of the most extensive battles ever fought in the Ottoman Empire. Now, the small castle houses the archaeological exhibits of the Marmaris Museum. The castle's flower-draped garden looks out over the marina and the sea.

Shop at a Traditional Marketplace

• The town's central bazaar has been in operation since Grecian times. In modern times, the market is overwhelmingly tourist-centric, selling a deluge of export T-shirts and plastic souvenirs. For an experience that better matches your mental picture -- glass jars of Marmaris pine honey, hand-woven rugs and carpets, fragrant spices, and local herbs -- ask your concierge for walking directions to the village bazaar that's held every Friday at the old bus station building.

Make a Splash at a Water Park

• Marmaris includes multiple water parks within its city limits. One of these, Aqua Dream, includes loads of colorful water slides -- including a rafting slide and several spiraling versions -- that suit everyone from small children to adrenaline-frenzied summer university escapees. The park also features several pools, hundreds of sun loungers, a very idiosyncratically Vegas-style "show palace," a restaurant and a bar. The latter hosts regular foam parties in the summertime. Atlantis Water Park, snuggled right up against the water with its own private beach, offers multiple slides, a kiddie pool, a wave pool, miniature golf and a bowling alley as well as on-site snack bars and restaurants.

Find Zen at a Secluded Beach

• If the beaches of Marmaris itself are too crowded for your taste, you'll find slightly quieter options just outside town. The crystal-clear water at Icmeler Beach and Turunc invite swimming, and both feature ready access to loungers, pillows, food and drink. The latter beach holds the prestigious "blue flag" qualification for its high quality. You'll also find a nice beach at Gunlucek Park, a forest park reserve about 2 miles southeast of town. All of these are reachable by regularly scheduled city buses and water taxis from central Marmaris.

Tour Area Historic Sites

• If you rent a car, you'll be able to explore the extensive variety of Ottoman and Carian ruins scattered around the Marmaris region: the Ibrahim Aga Mosque, built in 1789, the ancient stone bridges of Tashan and Kemerli Kopru, and the tomb of prophet Sariana are the major destinations. Beyond those, history buffs can visit the crumbling Carian and Lycian ruins at Amos, Byabassos, Syma, Larymna, Thyssanos, Phoinix, Loryma, Kasara, Kedria Island, Euthena and Amnistos. All of these are within a three-hour drive of the town center.

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Tourism in Ankara, Turkey

Cuddled in the heart of the sweeping Anatolian landscape, Turkey's capital of Ankara -- its second-largest city, after Istanbul -- dates back to the stone age. The old city's significance extends far beyond its famously excellent museums, parklands, honey, university and even its world-renowned Angora wool. A sprawling metropolis of more than 5,000,000, the city enjoys key importance in Turkey's tourism industry: its central location makes it a nexus for Turkey's bus, train, plane and highway routes, as well as a convenient "base camp" for visits to the rest of Anatolia. Culturally, historically and amenity-rich, Ankara offers ample enticements for a few days' pause before moving on to other points of interest in the region.

Pre-Turkish Historical Tourism

• Ankara held its current site long before Kemal Ataturk declared it the seat of the Turkish Republic. To see how old the modern-looking city really is, head to the high hill that overlooks the urban sprawl. Wander through the thick concentration of historic buildings to find the world-renowned Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, uniquely housed in a caravanserai. Among other interesting exhibits, the museum preserves Hittite art and artifacts dating back as far as 7,500 years.

  After the museum, stop to drink a cool ayran at a street-side cafe in preparation for a climb up to the citadel. Known as the "Hisar" or the "kale," this ancient building allows tourists to scale its formidable walls, where city views unfold spectacularly -- and a tiny Turkish village sits hidden at the top. Ankara's Roman occupants made their mark at the base of the citadel hill, where visitors may freely stroll through the ruins of the Temple of Augustus and Rome, the Column of Julian and a Roman bath complex.

Turkish Historical Tourism

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  Ankara is deeply fond of Kemal Ataturk.

  
  

  Ankara's importance in the founding Turkish Republic can't be overstated. The seeds of the new leadership were firmly planted here in the 1920s, and the buildings still stand where the first meetings of that government were held. Now museums, the houses of the Turkish Grand National Assembly lie just downhill from Ulus Square.

  However, the most inarguably valuable Turkish monument in Ankara is the one it erected to house the earthly remains of its beloved Kemal Atuturk, the founder of the republic. Ataturk's Mausoleum, a tower-spiked complex entered via a road fringed by stately lion statuary, can't help but impress. The on-site museums chronicle Ataturk's life and the Turkish war for independence.
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Urban Tourism

• Jet-setting travelers head to the Samanpazari neighborhood. There, the streets are lined with antique shops widely acclaimed to offer better selection and more tempting deals than Istanbul's. The bulk of these are located along Atpazari Sokak Street and clustered around the Ahi Serafettin Mosque.

  To enjoy Ankara's vibrant cafe culture, book shops, white-tablecloth restaurants and galleries, take a cab ride to Kizilay, Arjantin Street and Cankaya. These popular destinations for Ankaran urbanites bring together a wide swath of the city's denizens: government workers, university students and businesspeople share tables and pots of steaming "cay" tea, Toyga soup, pilaf kapama, traditional muffins, Halep dolma and chewy, local "Beypazari bagels."

Religious Tourism

• Islamic cultural monuments abound in Ankara, and the sinuous geometry of Islamic art and architecture appears -- subtly and otherwise -- nearly everywhere in the city. The most important destinations for Islamic religious tourism are the Ahi Serafettin Mosque and its attendant tomb, as well as the Seljuk Turkish Ahi Serafettin Mosque. The latter is housed in a beautiful building, which has occupied the slope of the central citadel hill since the 1200s. It opens to the respectful, appropriately dressed public solely at prayer times.

  The Haci Bayram Mosque was built for a local Muslim mystic in the 1300s who led an important Sufi order that became his namesake: "the Bayrami." In his time, Bayram was called to advise sultans. Though the pilgrim's lodge is long ruined, modern Sufi Muslims still perform pilgrimages to the site.

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