Turquoise Coast a.k.a Turkish Riviera

By far the best holiday destination in Turkey is it's a thousand kilometers of shoreline along the Aegean and Mediterranean seas known as Turquoise Coast or Turkish Riviera. Dotted with some of the best beach resorts in the world and well preserved archaeological points, Turquoise Coast offers many attractions for tourists such as infamous Blue Voyage (Blue Cruise),  mostly served by all wooden handcrafted motor sailing yachts called Gulet.

Turquoise Coast lies between Cesme and Alanya and many important and internationally known holiday destinations of Turkey lies on Turquoise Coast such as Alanya, Antalya, Bodrum, Çeşme, Fethiye, Kalkan, Kaş, Kemer, Kuşadası, Marmaris and Side.

Many locals prefer these locations as holiday destination in Turkey and in the summer, the region is filled with European and Russian tourists. Tourists from different countries prefer different locations. Kusadasi and Marmaris are popular holiday destinations for British tourists while Alanya and Antalya are very popular among Russians. Locals usually prefer Bodrum, Marmaris and Cesme. Although you can simply stay in a hotel in any of these cities and their beach resort towns, a popular way to holiday in these locations, is to charter a yacht as a group and cruise the coastline cove by cove. Although it may look an expensive activity, since you would not need to pay for hotel (4-5 couples can easily rent a yacht), it is not that expensive.

Blue Voyage with a Turkish Gulet is one of the best attractions
a holiday in Turkey's Turquoise Coast offers.

Çeşme
Cesme, a holiday resort in the Turkey's western-most end, is also Turkey's most prominent centers of international tourism with many hotels, marinas, clubs, restaurants, boutique hotels, family accommodation possibilities (pansiyon) and other facilities. Can be accessed through Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport.

Kuşadası
Kusadasi, a resort town just 95 km away from large metropol Izmir, caters to tourists, arriving by land, and as the port for cruise ship passengers heading to Ephesus.

Bodrum
Bodrum was once called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times. The Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, were here. The city and surrounding area is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey.

Marmaris
Beautiful coastline, friendly people, good fresh foods and delicious local wines, that could easily compete against many European vineyards. The summer is long and good weather is virtually guaranteed between May and as late as end October.[1]

Marmaris Marina

[1] - http://www.marmaris.org/

Where to stay in Cappadocia?

With its increadible  cone-shaped rock formations named fairy chimneys, cave houses, stone carved churches, Cappadocia is one of the most magical places to visit in Turkey and on planet earth. It is a place to go every season; it is beautiful when covered with snow and also beautiful in summer. It is also one of the best places to take hot air balloon and it also offers unique cave hotel experience and a lot of good food and nice Turkish wine.

Cappadocia's infamous landscape is shaped 2 million years ago by many once active volcanoes, most famous one being nearby Erciyes Mountain. These volcanoes covered the surface by 150 meter deep volcanic ashes and later wind and water patiently carved the landscape you see today.

The word "Cappadocia" is probaby derived from Khepatukha, which means "The Subjects of Hepat God" or from Persian Katpatuka which means "the land of beautiful horses". The area is a very important place inhabited almost last 4,000 years. In Roman times, early Christians escaping from persecution sought refugee here. The incredible cave churches and large underground cities from early Christians are must see.

How to go to Cappadocia? You can take a bus from Istanbul or Izmir (12 hours), Antalya (9 hours) or Ankara (5 hours) but it is better to fly to Kayseri and then rent a car or take a short bus/minibus ride to Cappadocia. The area is quite large and the sightseeing places are quite far away from each other so renting a car in Cappadocia is a very good idea to explore it well.

Let's come to the where to stay in Cappadocia question. In this post, we will not give individual hotel recommendations but introduce the most popular areas in Cappadocia to stay. But where ever you stay, we strongly reccomend you to stay in a Cappadocia cave hotel. Although some are quite primitive, cave hotel does not mean that you will live like a caveman. These are luxurious rooms with all the comfort of the regular hotel rooms in their range. But stay in a real cave room, one which is carved in rock, not in one which is in a building next to cave rooms.

Warning : Cave hotel rooms are authentic and once-in-a-lifetime experience but they are probably not suitable for people with breathing and lung related problems. They are also quite humid so if you are not well protected, you can easily get sick in one of them.

Map of Cappadocia and the location of Cappadocia.

Urgup

Urgup is the hearth and center of Cappadocia and is the most developed town in the area. With its shops, restaurants, bars and accomodation, it offers a very convenient place to stay in Cappadocia. Its night life and transportation alternatives are also best in the area. If you do not know where to stay in Cappadocia or new to the area, we suggest you to stay in Urgup. The town is also very accessible from the airport and a short distance to most places to see in Cappadocia.

In the last decade, with the increasing popularity of Cappadocia among Turkish and international tourists, almost all stone town house and cave available are converted to a type of hotel. You can find all types of accommodation in the area but most of the luxurious Cappadocia hotels are also located here. If you are in the night life, this also the place to stay.

For hotels in Urgup, with details like room rates and guest ratings, you can check Cappadocia Urgup hotels page.

Cave hotels are the most authentic places to stay in Cappadocia but not all rooms in cave hotels are not in caves. Photo - Elkep Evi

Goreme

Some of the best Fairy Chimney formations are in Goreme and it is as famous as Urgup. Goreme is a small town and can easily be explored on foot. So if you are looking for some action, you cannot find in this small town. There are around 200 hotels and motels here and in fact Goreme now looks like a place composed of only hotels, restaurants, small shops and travel agencies.

Goreme also offers a lot of nice cave hotel but there are also other types of accommodation here. Historic town houses are also quite nice places to stay.

Given its size, you would expect Goreme to be a calm town but unfortunately it is not. If you are looking for a calm place to stay in Cappadocia, you would need to head to Cavusin (belongs to Avanos), 4 km to Goreme.

For a list of hotels in Goreme, you can check Cappadocia Goreme hotels page.

Uchisar

Uchisar is the highest point in Cappadocia and is famous with its castle and the incredible Cappadocia view from here. Uchisar is also famous with its nice restaurants and local food.

For a list of hotels in Uchisar, you can check Cappadocia Uchisar hotels page.

Avanos

Avanos is not as amous as Urgup, Goreme and Uchisar but is a calm place and has some nice food and hotels. Here is less tourist oriented compared to other towns. For hotels here, take a look at Cappadocia Avanos hotels.

Swissotel Resort Bodrum Beach

With its 5 kilometers of sandy beaches, waterfront restaurants and bars, Turgutreis town is a very popular holiday destination just 20 kilometers away from Bodrum. Named after Ottoman Admiral Turgut Reis who was born here in 1485 is also quite near to Greek islands of Kos and Kalimnos and is one of the important seaside resorts on Turquoise Coast of Turkey.

Turgutreis has some nice hotels especially on the waterfront. Swissotel Resort Bodrum Beach is one of the best hotels in the town. The 2-storey hotel with 66 rooms and suites offers spacious rooms. There are large villas and duplex terraces in front which house 60 serviced apartments that are 120-240 m2 in size. The bars and restaurants are created as places of entertainment where the ambiance is formal or casual and dishes are prepared with the finest local produce. With indoor & outdoor pools and Purovel Spa & Sport facilities, Swissotel Resort Bodrum Beach provides you with a wide variety of sport and leisure opportunities.

The hotel features 66 guest rooms, as well as 72 residences. At each Swissôtel, a wide selection of cleverly conceived accommodation choices are offered – the common denominator is that each bedroom provides all the services and conveniences needed for travellers to make business away from home a seamless experience. From the Swiss Advantage rooms to the luxurious suites and apartments, Swissotel  can provide the appropriate accommodation for all guests. Swissôtel properties have an imaginative modern design, state of-the-art technology, exclusive amenities and timeless elegance.

Swissotel Resort Bodrum Beach

A variety of restaurants and bars make sure that business travellers and leisure guests enjoy their time at Swissôtel Resort, Bodrum Beach. Dining at award-winning Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts exceeds your expectations time and time again. The bars, restaurants and meeting spaces are created to be places of entertainment, where the ambience is formal or casual and dishes are prepared with the finest local produce, served to perfection every day. Whichever special occasion you may be celebrating, we will ensure that every detail is attended to.

Ultra-modern meeting and conference space provide the flexibility to accommodate delegates and different sized events. When it comes to your conference, experienced organizers and state-of-the-art technical facilities help make every day run smoothly.

Pürovel is a distinctive group of deluxe spa and fitness facilities located within Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts worldwide. Catering for both the discerning business traveller and local clients, Pürovel provides the Alpine-inspired solution to healthy living within a stylish and contemporary environment.

Lake Abant Natural Park

One of the best getaway destination from Istanbul for a short break is Lake Abant Nature Park.  The lake and densly forested surroundings offer great natural beauty and is easy accessed by car.

Abant has two major hotels right next to the lake: Buyuk Abant and Taksim International Abant Palace. Buyuk Abant Hotel offers fantastic lake view from its rooms facing the lake and is especially a great place to stay when the lake is frozen and it is snowing. 45 of its 197 rooms offer lake view and they are quite in demand and more expensive than forest viewing rooms. Both Buyuk Abant Hotel and Taksim International Abant Palace offer indoor swimming pool which is a great place to swim in hot water while enjoying the snowy lake view.

If you plan to stay in Buyuk Abant Hotel try to book delux or lake view rooms on or above 3rd floor to get a clear view of the lake (lower level rooms have trees between lake view and them). This hotel is also very famous with its restaurant.

The room prices in these two Abant hotels are quite dependent on the season and the days of the weeks you are staying. Expect to pay double the weekday price during weekends. And book online where you usually find better prices than directly booking with the hotel. You can check the room prices in these hotels here: Buyuk abant Hotel and Abant Palace.

To enjoy Lake Abant, you do not need to stay right next to the lake. The 21 km road going to the lake from main Istanbul-Ankara motorway has many hotels and motels catering to all budgets. Actually, you can even go to Abant without staying there. There are many daily Abant tours from Istanbul.

If you have visited Abant before in winter/summer, try to visit it in summer/winter because it is quite a different experience in all four seasons. It is best to visit Abant during winter and it is probably one of the most romantic places in Turkey to visit.

Lake Abant Natural Park in winter. Every season offers different and fantastic natural beauty but it is still best to visit Abant in winter.

How to get to Lake Abant?

If you have your own transportation you can easyly access Lake Abant by car through a 21 km road leaving from the İstanbul-Ankara motorway O-4 E80 or the highway D.100 at the level of Mount Bolu. Lake Abant is three hours’ drive from Istanbul and Ankara.

Shopping in Istanbul: Istanbul's Shopping Mall Belt

Many tourists think and directed to Istanbul’s old city (Sultanahmet) and its historic bazaars like Grand Bazaar for shopping in Istanbul. These places are great (mostly in price sometimes in quality) to buy some classic souvenirs to bring from Turkey but Istanbul offers much more to international visitors in terms of modern shopping experience. If you are looking for branded international and Turkish products and air conditioned shopping malls, you need to head to what we can call Istanbul shopping center belt, a chain of modern shopping malls located on the Istanbul Metro Line from Taksim to ITU Ayazaga.

City’s Nisantasi, Istanbul
Nisantasi, Turkey’s most expensive shopping street in terms of lease prices, itself can be thought as a large open air shopping mall with the stores of world famous brands, popular cafés, pubs, restaurants and night clubs. Walking distance away from Osmanbey Station of Istanbul Metro, City’s Nisantasi offers brands like Versace Jeans, Jean’s Paul Gauitier, Class Roberto Cavalli, Trussardi, Baldinini, Cerutti, Pal Zileri, Pura Lopez, Point Zero and Cache Cache.

Istanbul Cevahir Shopping Mall

Completed in 2005, Istanbul Cevahir Shopping Center is the largest shopping mall in Europe and the 6th largest shopping mall in the world. Highly famous among Middle Eastern tourists (the shopping mall is quite heavily marketed there and it has already built a strong word of mouth reputation), it offers many attractions and shopping opportunities to all international tourists. The mall has its own Tax Free Services where you can claim your VAT refund immediately after shopping.

You can reach Cevahir Shopping Mall very easily from the Şişli Station of the Istanbul Metro (there is a direct link from the station to the mall) and find many brands like Adidas, Bata, Benetton, BSB, Converse, Debenhams, Divarese, Dockers, Dorothy Perkins, Esprit, Evans, Fornarina, Gloria Jean’s, Guess World, Jack&Jones, Kappa, La Senza, Levi’s, Lotto, Massimo Dutti, Miss Selfridge, Mothercare, Nine West, Peacocks, Reebok, River Island, Topshop, Top Man, Vero Moda, and Zara. Other than food outlets like Burger King, Mc Donalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and many local chains, the mall has a large stage for shows and other events, 12 cinemas, a private theatre, a cinema for children, a bowling hall; a small roller coaster; and a small amusement park with several other entertainment facilities.

Istanbul Cevahir Shopping Mall

Kanyon Shopping Mall
Kanyon (meaning canyon in Turkish) is a unique multi-purpose complex in Istanbul’s upscale neighborhood and business district Levent which is constructed as a dramatic architectural “canyon”. In summer, the shopping mall is open air and you can find many shops offering

Kanyon Shopping Mall is more upscale compared to more famous Cevahir Shopping Mall and can easily be reached from Levent Station of the Istanbul Metro (there is a direct link from the station to the mall). Mothercare, Natalys, TeknoSa, Sony, Apple, Mandarina Duck, Accesorize, Paşabahçe, Harvey Nichols, Vakko, Bally, Network, Tiffany&Co, Georg Jensen, Machka, Max Mara are some of the 160 stores you can find in this shopping mall. There is also a cinema and several dining options popular with both locals and foreigners. The mall is infact a multi-purpose complex and has a 30-floor office tower and a 22-floor residential block with 179 residential apartments.

Since the location is perfect to access metro and two of Istanbul’s most upscale shopping malls, you may want to stay here. There is a luxury hotel right on the other side of the road, The Edition Istanbul.

Metrocity Shopping Mall
Opened in 2003, MetroCity in 1.Levent is another upscale shopping mall in an upscale neighbourhood of Levent. The mall has direct underground connection from Levent Metro Station and other than shopping mall section, the compound has 27 floor office building and two 31 storey residence buildings.

Metrocity Shopping Mall has 140 international and Turkish brands, a very large restaurant and cafe level and an MMM Migros supermarket.

Istinye Park
The northern-most of the shopping malls of the Istanbul’s shopping belt is another upscale shopping center (more upscale than Kanyon) called Istinye Park. This Istanbul shopping mall is unique with its enclosed and open air sections where the open air section offers street side shopping. The park offers a cinema with IMAX 3D screen, Hillside Sports and Leisure Club and Funtime, the kids’ entertainment center is around 1,500 sqm as well as many famous international and Turkish brands like Armani, Benetton, Beymen, Boyner, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Enzo Angiolini, Ermenegildo Zegna, GAP, Louis Vuitton, Levi’s, Lee Cooper, LC Waikiki, Marks & Spencer, Nike, Pierre Cardin and Ralph Lauren.

Istanbul Istinye Park Shopping Mall

Where to stay in Alanya?

Alanya is one of the most beautiful and popular tourist destination in Turkey. Located at the end of Pamphylia, Alanya is famous with its white sandy beaches, clear waters, ancient Roman ruins, watersports and giant luxury, all-inclusive resorts dotting the long coastline.

Alanya is a favorite vacation destination for many Turks as well as Europeans and Russians. The city and nearby coastline is filled with German, Scandinavian and Russian tourist during high seasion of June - August months. The large resorts with almost everything are marketed in cheap, all-inclusive holiday packages where a resort stay plus flight tickets from Europe can cost as low as 400 Euros.

We will answer the question of the title (where to stay in Alanya?) by providing information about the neighbourhoods. You can have two major types of hotels in Alanya to choose from : large hotels and resorts outside Alanya and concentrated around nearby towns like Konakli, Avsallar and Okurcalar or hotels in Alanya city. Alanya has a fantastic beach to the west of the historical peninsular (housing Alanya Citadel) named Cleopatra Beach (Kleopatra Plaji) and recently, boutique hotels converted from town-houses are also increasingly becoming popular alternatives to big resorts.

Alanya City Center- Cleopatra Beach, Saray District and Alanya Old Town (Historic Peninsular)

Lying from the Alanya Castle to the west on the waterfront of Alanya city center, Cleopatra Beach is one of the most beautiful and popular beach in Alanya. With its white sandy beaches and clear waters, Cleaopatra Beach carries Blue Flag. The beach is named after the infamous Egyptian Queen because it is believed that she was once using it as a place to swim when Alanya was given as a gift to her.

The hotels near the beach, especially in the Saray District behind it offers an excellent location from where you can both access a fantastic Mediterranean Beach as well as the colorful center of Alanya. This location is for those who want to be away from noisy, large resorts (couples indeed) and near Alanya shopping centers and Alanya night life.

For hotels near Cleopatra Beach, hotel prices and details like customer reviews, you can check Alanya Cleaopatra Beach hotels or Alanya Saray hotels pages.

Another popular location in Alanya is the historical peninsular which also houses the Alanya Citadel. Although this place is a little of the Alanya center, it is still near the center and offers fantastic views of Mediterranean Sea. In the past few years, this location is getting popular among couples as a romantic holiday destination in Alanya, similar to Antalya's Old Town (Antalya Kaleici). The demand is met by a supply of boutique hotels converted from historic town houses.

For hotels in Alanya old town, you can check Alanya Tophane hotels page.

Map of Alanya. The best places to stay in central Alanya are near Cleopatra Beach (to the west of
peninsular here) or Alanya old town (on the historic peninsular).

Konaklı, Avsallar and Okurcalar
The coastline of Alanya to the direction of Side and Antalya houses many seaside hotels and resorts. Some of these resorts are quite big with large and luxurious facilities. There are three towns in the region around which the hotels are clustered : Konakli, Avsallar and Okurcalar (in the order of their distance from Alanya). Families will love the resorts here with facilities and activities catering to both adults and children. From these towns, Alanya is still quite near.

Konakli is probably the most popular town near Alanya. Just 12 kilometers to the west of Alanya center, Konakli is a cluster of 4 and 5-star hotels and the area is almost entirely invaded by Russian tourists during summers. There is also a significant European expat community here, permanently staying or using the place as a summer house location.

22 kilometers to the west of Alanya Center is Avsallar, another popular tourism village in Alanya. Huge Alanya resorts are clustered here and usually used by Germana and Russian tourists as a holiday destination. The small town here has a quite long history. Avsallar probably takes it name from a Turkic clan who came and built the village here. Originaly the town was to the north of the current location but that town was destroyed by a far in 19th century.

The coastline to the west of Alanya is dotted by luxury, all inclusive resorts.
(Photo : Granada Luxury Resort in Okurcalar)

Okurcalar is a little far away from Alanya (30 kilometers or 30 minutes by bus) but is still quite popular. Although there are many resorts on the coastline now, the sea is still beautiful and there is still a green pine tree forest behind the shoreline. Other than a small town center and beautiful hotels, the place also has a large aquapark.

For resorts and hotels in Alanya's Konakli, Avsallar and Okurcalar villages, you can check Alanya Konakli hotels, Avsallar hotels and Okurcalar hotels pages. 

Where to stay in Cappadocia?

With its alien landscape dotted with “fairy chimneys”, Cappadocia is once-in-a-life-time experience offering a lot to its visitors. Shaped by ancient volcanoes, water and wind, this central Anatolian location has a very long history and other than the landscape, it offers a lot of history.

Cappadocia is one of the most popular tourist locations in Turkey. But it is a little remote if you want to visit it from other popular locations like Istanbul, Antalya, Turqoise Coast or Izmir. It takes a 12 hours bus ride from Istanbul to Cappadocia and 9 hours bus ride from Antalya to Cappadocia. A better option is taking a plane a plane to Cappadocia. There are flights from Istanbul to Cappadocia and you can transfer in Istanbul from other cities.

Let’s try to answer where to stay in Cappadocia question. Wherever you stay in Cappadocia, the most authentic accommodation in the region is to stay in a Cappadocia cave hotel. Not all rooms in cave hotels are in caves and “cave room” does not mean a primitive accommodation if you choose your hotel right. Choose the hotel carefully because cave rooms can be very humid and sometimes cold if the hotel does not have technology to make them comfortable. It is also not advisable to stay in a cave hotel if you have respiratory problems.

Urgup (Ürgüp)

Ürgüp is the hearth of Cappadocia and is the most developed town in the popular tourist area. Cappadocia night life usually means Urgup night life and the town offers many facilities for tourists. Besides this, most of the best hotels in Cappadocia are also in Urgup and it is the best connected town to the attractions in Cappadocia.

In the last few years, it became very popular to convert stone houses and caves to hotels and this created an excessive supply of hotels in Ürgüp. So, it is not difficult to find a cheap hotel in Urgup or a very reasonable price for high end hotels. Most luxury Cappadocia hotels are also here.

If you are new in Cappadocia, want to taste the Cappadocia night life and looking for a luxury Cappadocia hotel, Ürgüp is the best place to stay in Cappadocia. Staying here will put you right next to night life, many restaurants, bars and attractions in the region.

For hotels in Ürgüp and details like hotel room prices, customer reviews and more, you can check Cappadocia Ürgüp hotels page.

Göreme

Göreme is famous with its “Fairy Chimneys” and must-see churches, many of them carved in stone. This small town with 200 hotels, hostels and motels is the second most popular place in Cappadocia to stay after Ürgüp.

Unlike Ürgüp, Göreme does not have a colorful night life.  Still, the town is quite a noisy place especially in the evening. If you are really looking for a calm place in Cappadocia, try Çavuşin Town.

For hotels in Göreme and details like hotel room prices, customer reviews and more, you can check Cappadocia Göreme hotels page.

Goreme, Cappadocia

Uçhisar

Uçhisar is the highest point in Cappadocia and offers a very good view of Cappadocia. The town is increasingly getting popular among visitors and you can find a quite wide range of accommodation here.  The food here is also quite famous.

For hotels in Uçhisar and details like hotel room prices, customer reviews and more, you can check Cappadocia Uçhisar hotels page.

Where to stay in Bodrum?

Bodrum, one of the most popular holiday resort in Turkish Riviera, offers fantastic beaches, unique yatching and cruising experience (see blue voyage a.k.a blue cruise), plenty of ancient ruins to discover, beautiful bays and coves, very colorful night life with bars, restaurants and night clubs and if you are sailing a very nice Marina. The promonade and the man-made but beautiful beach is quite a nice place for evening walks and the city indeed offers two different parts: an eastern half which is a typical mediterrenian resort and the western half mainly catering to marina.

Although you can swim and sunbath in the beach in Bodrum center (this is a man-made beach but quite nice), the nicest beaches of Bodrum are outside and a little far from Bodrum. So when people talk about Bodrum, they also talk about these nearby seaside towns and beaches but these are not districts in Bodrum but rather separate towns. Ortakent (20 minutes drive or bus trip to Bodrum), Yalıkavak (35 minutes), Gümüşlük (35 minutes) and Bağla (25 minutes) are some of the most known beaches. Most people staying in Bodrum prefer nearby beaches of Gümbet and Bardakçı.

Bodrum night life is the second most colorful in Turkey after Istanbul. Bodrum Bar strip (Bodrum Barlar Sokagi) runs parallel to the sea and offers many bars, night clubs, restaurants and cafes. For many Turks as well as foreigners, Bodrum holiday is something similar to an Ibiza holiday: sleep, sunbath and swim lazily all the day in a nearby beach and store energy for the night. Dine and start drinking in the evening. Then starting from 10:00 PM bar hop, dance and party until the next morning.

If you are in Bodrum for the night life, it is better you stay in Bodrum’s pretty city center. You can find all types of accomodation in and around Bodrum catering to all tastes and budgets. But usually Bodrum center and surrounding districts offer small hotels, motels and hostels. If you are looking for a typical luxurious Turkish beachfront resort, you will need to stay outside Bodrum. Here we will cover some of the places you can stay in and around Bodrum.

Bodrum Castle and Bodrum Marina

Bodrum City Center

Bodrum city center seems like a typical Mediterranean resort at the beginning. A nice beach and promenade and bars, restaurants and night clubs behind. But this is also ancient Halicarnassus of Caria where  Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World once stood. Although ancient city disappeared in time, you can still find remnants of the old in Bodrum.

The western side of Bodrum has a large marina and yacht club. The seaside here caters mostly to boats and their guests. The eastern side has a nice promonade (fantastic in the evening to take a nice walk) and the beach between the Castle and Halicarnassus is great for swimming. But if you decide to stay in Bodrum, visit Bitez and Gumbet for swimming. The natural beaches and the sea is just fantastic in these two small towns.

If you want to be near the “action” in Bodrum, right next to Bodrum night life, you should stay in Bodrum city, as near to sea as possible. For hotels in Bodrum with their prices and guest reviews, you can check Bodrum hotels page.

Gumbet and Bitez

Gumbet is just 3 kilometers away from Bodrum center and has a very nice beach drawing a gentle arc in a small bay. This 1 km long beach is great for swimming, sunbathing and water sports. This place was once a sleepy fishing village but now is a mini Bodrum with its own share of hotels, resorts, bars, restaurants and night clubs. Especially popular among British tourists.

Bitez is 4 kilometes to the west of Bodrum and is almost a part of Bodrum now thanks to the fast construction effort. Bitez offers blue flag beaches and you can find some of the best hotels and resorts of Bodrum in this small town.

Both Bitez and Gumbet are very close to Bodrum center and can be considered a part of city center. Still they keep their small town atmosphere a little. If you would like to stay in these places, take a look at Bodrum Gumbet hotels and Bodrum Bitez hotels pages for more details.

Turgutreis

Turgutreis is 20 kilometers away from Bodrum and indeed it is a separate resort on its own. Named after a 16th century Ottoman Admiral, Turgut Reis offers 5 kilometers of sandy beaches, beachfront restaurants and bars as well as a nice Mediterranean town center. The saturday market here is very famous and draws thousands from nearby towns and Bodrum. Turgutreis offers 5-star luxurious hotels and resorts right next to a developed town center. Its winds also makes it a magnet for wind surfers.

For hotels in Turgutreis, refer to Turgutreis hotels page.

Bodrum map and nearby towns

Yalikavak, Torba, Gumusluk

Yalikavak is one of the most beautiful towns near Bodrum city (25 minutes drive) and is famous for its 29 kilometer long coast and clear sea. It is so popular that it is the fastest growing town of the peninsula. A gentle wind is always blowing here so it is quite “cool” in Yalikavak and you can find quality hotels here.

Torba is a small resort town between Bodrum and Guvercinlik and just 5 kilometers away from Bodrum. Torba beaches and sea is famous but this small place does not offer a lot of things to do. From Torba you can take a boat to Didim, Milet and Priene.

Gumusluk is for those who would like to be away from Bodrum’s hustle and bustle.

Turkey has the third best beaches worldwide

The Blue Flag Awards are certificates of quality which are given to beaches based on the cleanliness and beauty of the sand as well as the bathing quality of the sea (i.e. no waste) flow. Other factors include the environmental management of the area as well as coastal protection.

Judges last month awarded beaches in Turkey a total of 387 Blue Flag awards, ranking the country among the top three who applied. Only Greece with 408 Blue Flags and Spain with 571 scored higher. France (where the awards originally started) was just behind Turkey with 379 Blue Flags while Portugal was next with 298.

Oceanwide Properties MD Suleyman Akbay said: "We are delighted, but not surprised, to hear of Turkey ranking so highly in the beautiful beach awards. Anyone who comes here is always amazed at how clear and clean the water is while many of the beaches are so secluded they are almost pristine. Certainly if it's miles and miles of white sand you're looking for then Turkey is the place to come.
"Fethiye and Kalkan in particular have always been popular with Turkey property investors looking to secure a holiday home in the area, and this news of even more highly praised beaches can only widen their appeal I'd have thought."

Turkey has always enjoyed a highly rated presence in the Blue Flag Awards table. The ranking takes into account European nations as well as South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil,
Canada and the Caribbean. This year, a further eight Turkish beaches, in the Mugla region, were awarded the distinction. Beaches in areas such as Kalkan, Fethiye and other Mediterranean coastal towns and villages have already had a beach bill of health for a number of years now.

Antalya meanwhile boasts 197 Blue Flag beaches - the highest number for a Turkish province - in addition to six marinas with the award. The latter were introduced in recent years.

The Blue Flag awards have been in existence since 1985 and are currently promoted by the European Commission.

Meanwhile, Oceanwide Properties has been marketing and selling properties in the Mediterranean coastal resorts of Turkey since 2005. They are particularly active in the Fethiye, Side and Antalya areas. The company have also recently moved into the increasingly popular Istanbul. UK property investors meanwhile can call into the company's London office for convenience and to make an initial appointment.