Hugging the far northeastern rim of the Mediterranean, Turkey has more than enough beach towns lining its borders. The golden sands and ancient cities of the “Turquoise Coast” Riviera line the southwestern coast in popular spa towns like Izmir, Bodrum, and Antalya. Turkey is also home to one of the world’s most famous beaches — Patara: an 11-mile strip of shoreline carpeted in shimmering golden sand. But what few fail to realize is that the country’s capital has its own sparkling sands, and visiting them makes for an easy side-adventure off the Istanbul tourist thoroughfare.
With its impressive array of cultural highlights — like the blue-domed Hagia Sofia Grand Mosque, many-tiered Topkapi Palace, and spice markets of the Grand Bazaar — a day at Istanbul’s beaches might not seem worth your while. But if you plan for an extended enough stay with plenty of time for both, you’ll discover why vacation homes of the elite once lined Istanbul’s shores. Thanks to the city’s expansion after the ’50s, the Marmara Sea’s surprisingly pristine coastlines are now accessible to the public in residential districts. And with plenty of beaches to choose from in this bi-continental city, you could spend days exploring the happening European side, the suburban Asian side, and even the outlying towns just down the coast.
Get to know Istanbul’s best city beaches
While the beaches of today’s Istanbul might lack the flair of yesteryear, their water is unbelievably clean and makes for the perfect frame to sunrise or sunset (depending on whether you’re hanging out in Istanbul’s European or Asian side). To the east, Caddebostan Beach’s glassy aquamarine surface is surrounded by a golden necklace of sand that leads onto green spaces and the upscale Kadikoy neighborhood. To the west, Florya Gunes Beach sprawls with sun loungers and umbrellas on a perfectly manicured stretch of sand facing south. Then the Princes’ Islands, of which there are nine (only four are open to the public), accessible by ferry, have a tranquil charm akin to lesser-known Greek Isles — they’re full of sun, tropical foliage, and sand.
If you’d like to turn your beach time into more of a weekend getaway, slightly out-of-the-way beaches on the Black Sea coast have a quieter, more natural atmosphere. Uzunya Beach is set back in a peaceful, protected cove, right at the north end of the Bosphorus Straight. Solar Beach throws frequent beach parties in the summer, with live music and dancing, while Tirmata Beach has 2,500 sun loungers, a surf school, and a sit-down restaurant. And the bohemian-feeling private Burc Beach, owned by Bosphorus University, has watersports and weekend parties (at the time of this writing, there is a nominal entrance fee). No matter where you choose to dig your toes in the sand in Istanbul, be sure to bring these must-haves from the ultimate packing list for a successful beach trip.
