The Best Beach Towns in Turkey to Live

If you are looking at beach towns in Turkey to live in, congratulations on choosing a wonderful country. Altogether, just over 7000 kilometres of the Turkish coast are home to plenty of coastal towns, with beautiful beaches that make ideal places to set up home. Given Turkey's bountiful historical timeline covering many civilisations, many beach towns are home to ancient ruins to add extra ambience to your new home.

Get ready for many choices of famous beach destinations. Turkey sits adjacent to the Mediterranean coast, black sea, Aegean and Marmara Seas, and many blue flag beaches. You will find what you want: turquoise waters, historical sites, outdoor activities, boat trips, or just sun, sea and sand lifestyles. To help you decide, we have listed the most popular destinations with sandy beaches to which wannabe expats in Turkey head.

Beautiful Beach Towns in Turkey to live

1: Stunning beaches and Views in Antalya City

Technically, Antalya, sitting next to Turquoise waters, isn't a town but a coastal city. Yet, it still gives off relaxed vibes and has two of Turkey's best sandy beaches and daily boat trips during summer. As the largest city on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, Antalya is the top beach tourist destination, but also attract city break fans. The city wins admiration mainly because of two famous beaches, Lara and Konyaalti.

Lara, nicknamed the Las Vegas of Turkey, has many themed hotels. At the same time, residential Konyaalti has received much investment from the local council to make it an ideal waterside district. Naturally, being a coastal city, residents have everything, including seaside restaurants, lively nighttime scenes, boat excursions, tourist attractions and beautiful Mediterranean water. (Why is Antalya so popular?)

2: Streets of Alanya Town

If Antalya is too large, but you like the lure of the Mediterranean coast, try Alanya, the town centre at the eastern tip. With several options of neighbourhoods, the centre is famed for the castle ruins, boat tours, and over time, has received much investment to make it a major tourist and expat destination.

Alanya is famed for the blue flag Cleopatra beach with amazing coast views, and a long promenade lined with waterfront restaurants is the perfect place to enjoy ice-cold beers on those hot summer afternoons. For places with fewer buildings and less lively nightlife scenes, there are other Mediterranean coastal places on the outskirts, like Mahmutlar. Alanya also lures nature enthusiasts because the region opens up to places of natural beauty like Koprulu Canyon. (Why foreigners like living in Alanya.)

3: Dalyan - Iztuzu beach and Mud Baths

The former fishing town of Dalyan, a delightful Mediterranean coast location, is a double whammy. Residents enjoy the water of Iztuzu Beach, but they also enjoy the riverside Dalyan delta. Nothing is better than sitting in the riverside restaurants facing ancient tomb ruins while feasting on traditional Turkish food. While the above two destinations offer modern urban living, the narrow streets and small buildings of Dalyan have more rural village vibes.

It is an incredibly family-friendly destination, and during summer, many people travel from other parts to enjoy boat trips up the Dalyan Delta to hot springs and mud baths and to the famed destination of Iztuzu Beach. Dalyan, famed for the ancient ruins of Kaunos, has low-key nightlife scenes and is a lesser-talked location, yet still offers much to anyone looking to live in Turkey. Dalyan is exceptionally close to Dalaman airport, and ideal for anyone looking for short airport transfers. (Area guide to Dalyan – Turkey.)

4: Calis Beach on the Turquoise Coast

For waterfront locations, the seaside resort of Calis comes up trumps and having received much infrastructure investment, the town is an ideal location on Turkey's Turquoise coast. Known as having a stunning beach and panoramic views, enjoy an array of water sports activities on crystal-clear waters, and originally built to cope with an overspill of tourism from Fethiye city centre, to tap into more amenities, catch the water taxi across the blue waters.

Rather than vibrant nightlife scenes, Calis offers more family-friendly sit-down bars, and heading out of the resort, you have the backing Taurus mountains on your doorstep. Many people buy villas in Calis with swimming pools and enjoy short seaside walks in the morning.

5: Altinkum and Golden Sands

Heading across Turkey's Aegean coast, Altinkum was once a firm favourite of British expats. However, in recent years, more nationalities have moved in to enjoy the panoramic views and golden sands, which the name translates to. There are three main sandy beaches, all with the typical waterfront restaurants and beach bars, and for more choices, head out to outskirt districts like Mavisehir and Akbuk.

There is much property in Altinkum, which has kept prices reasonable, and the local council does an excellent job of keeping the streets clean. Once a small village, Altinkum is now a town hosting international and Turkish tourists visiting the famed pagan Temple of Apollo and the nearby historic sites of Miletus and Priene. (Area guide to Altinkum – Turkey.)

6: The Holiday Resort of Kusadasi

The popular destination of Kusadasi receives fame as a cruise ship port, bringing people on day trips to see the nearby ancient city ruins of Ephesus. However, it is also home to Ladies Beach, a neighbourhood that seems to exist in another world. Granted, you can sense touristic vibes on the promenade, but narrow streets behind it offer quieter living, a world away from the port city centre.

Alongside cruise ships and the ancient city of Ephesus, Kusadasi port is near Sirince village with traditional Turkish restaurants and Pamuk beach that stretches as far as the eye can see. There are decent nightlife scenes on Bar Street, and Kusadasi Port sits near Dilek National Park, which nature lovers adore, and is near Sevgi Beach, a popular location with Turkish tourists. Although Kusadasi has moved with the times, look closely; you can still find the cultural heritage alongside a wide range of properties for sale.

7: Alacati Seaside Resort

When looking at beautiful towns, you can't get any more spectacular than Alacati on the Aegean Turkish coast, which domestic tourists love. Sitting next to Cesme, Alacati has more boutique village atmospheres than town vibes but offers other unique aspects. Traditional buildings of whitewash stone with blue shutters give an insight into ancient Greek cultural heritage, and the famous beach is Turkey's number one windsurfing spot.

Boutique hotels, bars, and fish restaurants make the town the ideal place to indulge in the finer side of life, and it sits next to Cesme, which also has an upmarket reputation. Alacati has come a long way since ancient times as a fishing town, yet it ticks all the boxes for charm and upmarket living. To explore further afield from your base in Alacati, hot springs are nearby, and Izmir, one of Turkey's coastal cities known for modern trends and excellent nightlife. (About Alacati in Izmir.)

8: Gumbet for Water Front Activities

The popular resort of Gumbet, on Turkey's Bodrum peninsula, automatically opens the door to many blue flag beaches. The lovely town beach earns fame for water sports and boat rides that depart every morning to sail around the coastline. Nightlife entertainment options also gear up for families, which makes this a great place to own a holiday home.

Although it is a smaller coastal retreat of Bodrum, the city centre, a short bus ride away, offers a broader range of amenities and charter boats to sail the tremendous Turkish Riviera. Expect excellent seafood restaurants, boat rides, and amenities. Although it isn't a quiet location in summer, daily life slows down during winter.

9: Yalikavak for Stylish Living

If budget isn't a problem, consider the popular resort of Yalikavak on the Bodrum peninsula, a small fishing village turned jet-setting destination. Sitting around a central street, the coastal resort earns fame for large, lifestyle hotel complexes with private beaches and the ultimate in luxury living. Otherwise, stylish villas boast the latest architecture, and when you're not using your infinity pool, head to upmarket beach clubs.

For simplicity, the sand beach in town delivers. The significant aspect of Yalikavak is residents have the best all around. The marina has several amenities for those who like sailing. Turkish restaurants in wooden buildings in the old part of town deliver glimpses of bygone days. Once a small coastal village, Yalikavak is now a prestigious blue flag area in Aegean, Turkey, and a bustling port for large, mega yachts sailing between Greece and Turkey. (Yalikavak area guide.)

10: Ortakent on the Bodrum Peninsula

Ortakent is an excellent location for seaside living on the Turkish coast. Yet, it more or less stays off the international grid. A favourite with Turkish tourists, the village/town will suit those who want more Turkish vibes rather than upscale, international living. Once two villages joined together, the town was called Ortakent Yahsi, and alongside the centre public beach, Ortakent is close to Camel Beach.

Don't expect a lively nightlife scene, but for your travels, Ortakent is ideal because the name means middle town, which translates to the peninsula location. There are many day trip options for nature lovers should you have a car and want to hit the open road. Forget the high-rise buildings in Ortakent because villa living is the trend. (Learn more about Ortakent in Bodrum.)

11: Belek on the Mediterranean coast

Now, this is where property owners tap into every activity they could want on the turquoise coast. Mediterranean Belek offers a long, sandy town centre beach, yet rather than being known for travel, it earns fame as Turkey's golfing capital. Having once hosted the G20 summit and significant international golf championships, you would think the fame would put property prices up, yet they remain surprisingly affordable, and uniformed buildings keep neat appearances.

As well as being ideal for beach holidays, the popular resort is close to nature spots and day trips to places like Aspendos, an ancient city. More known for the large, all-inclusive hotels rather than boutique hotels, the population of this coastal retreat swells in summer yet maintains quieter paces during winter. (Why live in Belek?)

12: Fethiye Town as a Base for Excellent Beaches

Fethiye's town centre is more known for its marina, boat tours, and fish market rather than beaches; however, this former fishing town is still worth considering for good reasons. It is the perfect base for fifty famous and quiet beaches along the coastline. Some can only be reached by boat ride, others like Solvaye by water taxi, and others by bus or simple strolls. Fethiye's town centre is also close to Oludeniz Blue Flag Beach, one of Turkey's most photographed places and home to the Blue Lagoon.

While properties are hard to come by in Oludeniz, many people buy villas in the nearby villages of Hisaronu or Ovacik. For good reasons, Fethiye, one of Turkey's more popular coastal cities, offers everything on your doorstep, but explore the outskirts. From ancient sites and boat rides to lesser-known places like Faralya and Kabak Beach, nature enthusiasts feel at home here. (All about Fethiye in Turkey.)

But What About the Black Sea Region of Turkey?

You may notice all places to live listed above are on Turkey's Mediterranean or Aegean coasts. This is because that is where all the best beaches are. The black sea region wins admiration for the hamsi fish, Turkish restaurants, hot springs, and plateau tourism, where locals head into the mountains. There are beaches in specific waterfront locations, but the quality isn't the same. Additionally, the north of Turkey has climate zones and lower temperatures that are different from the rest of Turkey.

Many Arab tourists buy holiday homes in places like Trabzon town centre for the culture. Still, if the sun, sea and sand are what you want, the Aegean and Mediterranean are better. Additionally, some people might wonder about Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey. Still, the beach locations are mainly at the Bosphorus entrance near the black sea or in places like the Princes Islands.

Use Our Services to Find Beach Town Property

Whether you want an ideal holiday home or somewhere to live permanently, our services will come in handy. Our local experts have immense knowledge of the best beach towns in Turkey to live in and answer all your questions. Just email them here, or call us today and chat with an agent. You might like to see our portfolio of lovely homes in many areas of Turkey. From villas with private pools to apartments with amazing views, just fill in the enquiry form to learn more. Alternatively, see our blog to know more about Turkey, which could be your future home.