Where are Best Places in Turkey to buy a Holiday Home?

Whether it be for a Turkish real estate investment, summer base, or rental income, deciding where are the best places in Turkey for holiday homes is easy thanks to the wide choice on offer. The country ranks as one of the top ten most popular holiday destinations in the world, and this figure will climb higher as the government aims to promote its stunning towns, villages, and cities even more.

Although Istanbul is the most popular tourist destination, every year, masses of foreigners buy holiday homes along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Collectively, they contribute highly to the tourism trade and include many coastal holiday resorts with loads to brag about.

Holiday homes in these areas range from your budget studio apartments to luxury villas sitting just metres away from the beach. Some feature rooftop terraces for evening dining, while others boast of private pools and landscaped gardens. The choice is massive, so let’s look at the coastal resorts with masses of holiday homes to choose from.

7 of the Best Places in Turkey for Holiday Homes

1: Alanya: A Holiday Place Growing in Popularity

Alanya at the foot of the Taurus mountain range fronts the Mediterranean Sea and is a destination growing in popularity not only with holidaymakers but also Alanya property buyers. The red tower and castle reflect its Byzantine and Ottoman history, but many other landmarks are just natural beauties like the long, sandy Cleopatra beach. Getting there is easy via Antalya and Gazipasa Airport, while holidaymakers will find a large range of bars, restaurants, and shops to entertain their every whim.

Alanya is a firm favourite of British, German, Scandinavian, and Russian holidaymakers although, in recent years, it has also attracted Middle Eastern tourists. Three hundred days of sunshine a year makes this an ideal place to buy a holiday home, compared with other places like Istanbul, which experiences lower temperatures thanks to its geographical position. Things to do in Alanya include scuba diving, Jeep safari and quad bike rental, horse riding, daily boat trips, adventure sports, water sports, local exploration, and much more.

2: Konyaalti Beach District in Antalya

Sitting within Antalya city centre, Konyaalti is a lot more than an urban landscape. It is home to one of Turkey’s best, Blue Flag beaches, and the local council has modernised and upgraded infrastructure to encourage repeat tourism. Konyaalti has been going strong since the 1990s, and much hype surrounds the future marina project for the area.

Developed as spill over from the main city centre, its close location means holidaymakers have the best of both worlds because within walking distance is the best shopping and nightlife scene in Mediterranean Turkey. Let’s not forget world-class and fine dining restaurants, although if you want budget and traditional, you’ll find that as well. One bonus of buying a holiday home in Konyaalti is that even those Turkey’s tourism season runs from May to October, life in Konyaalti carries on all year round, just on a smaller scale.

3: Kalkan: High-End Luxury Holiday Homes

Sitting 90 minutes from Dalaman airport, Kalkan is Turkey’s high-end luxury villa destination. Nestled around a small bay, the elevated landscape gives off stunning Mediterranean Sea views from every angle, and architects have taken advantage of this. Designing villas so that all rooms wake up to that stunning view, front-facing terraces and infinity pools add to the atmosphere. Although Kalkan has come a long way since its fishing village era, it keeps a selective atmosphere, and a lack of land to build on ensures it will maintain its small-scale size. Property buyers have six neighbourhoods to choose from including the old town and its authentic stone houses, although these rarely come on the market.

Kalamar, the beach club district is a favourite of summer homeowners, while Kiziltas on the opposite side of the D400 highway presents the most affordable prices per square metre in the resort. Ortaalan, the new part of Kalkan is also the hub with a large selection of bars, restaurants, and shops, while anyone with a budget of six digits or more should head to the Kisla and Komurluk neighbourhoods. If you haven’t been to Kalkan yet, we recommended a visit because the resort seamlessly blends traditional with modern to form one of the most exclusive districts on the Turkish Riviera.

4: Amazing Sunsets in Calis Beach

Calis Beach in Turkey’s Fethiye region is more than a summer holiday home destination because many foreigners also live there, giving testament as to its addictive vibes. Its name translated means work, but this is very different from the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere that when combined with the Mediterranean weather makes an ideal holiday destination. Built as an overspill from Fethiye main town, much of daily life centres around the beachfront and promenade.

One big reason home buyers choose Calis, and the Fethiye region is its close distance to Dalaman airport and its high frequency of international flights. Ample amounts of shops, bars, and restaurants within Calis means you never go without but should you want a broad choice or a change of scenery, Fethiye main centre is just 5 kilometres away and accessible by bus or car. Last, it would be criminal to not mention Calis’s amazing sunsets. They are the perfect picture-postcard scene.

5: Ovacik: An Affordable Place in Turkey

Also belonging to the Fethiye region, Ovacik was born as an overspill from nearby Oludeniz that couldn’t cope with the huge influx of tourism. It’s now grown to become a resort in its own right, and a large number of Brits own holiday homes or live there all year round. Sitting near Babadag mountain, residents have easy access to some most stunning scenery in Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, including the famous Blue Lagoon and certain parts of the Lycian way trekking trail. The huge advantage of Ovacik is the constant breezes which goes a long way in elevating hot summer temperatures.

Combined with nearby Hisaronu, homeowners have a large selection of shops, bars, and restaurants, but much the same as Calis beach, easy access to Fethiye town opens a broader choice. One of the biggest lures about Ovacik for property buyers is that it offers some of the best prices per square metre on the southern coast, hence attracts budget and first-time buyers without even trying. The real estate portfolio also has a sizeable selection of apartments and villas of all sizes.

6: Trendy in Yalikavak

If you want a trendy, modern, and stylish with a splash of glitz, choose Yalikavak. For many years, it was just a small fishing village, and then popular holiday resort but when the Mega Yacht Palmarina opened its doors, it becomes one of the hottest spots on the international sailing scene. Influences have trickled over into the real estate market, and now homes are often compared to those in Hollywood hills. However the old part of town keeps its time-honoured culture and reflects a more traditional way of life.

Such is Yalikavak’s growth; the town has everything on your doorstep but with mass diversity, such as fine dining gourmet restaurants or budget, food-to-go establishments. Shop in trendy boutique stores selling the latest in Turkish and international fashion to visit the weekly market for traditional Turkish items. Go trendy in the marina or enjoy Turkish style dining in the harbour. Last, thanks to its geographical location, Yalikavak is another destination sporting one of Turkey’s best sunset views.

7: Bodrum Town: Heart of Turkey’s Aegean Coast

Let’s not forget Bodrum main town, another destination offering trendy living but also the heart of Aegean Turkey’s history. This is where the sailing scene, also known as the Turkish riviera and its blue voyage cruises all began. Bodrum’s reputation for sailing the seas is one of excellence and expertise. However, its hedonistic lifestyle also attracts many Turkish holidaymakers and retirees that adore the area. Bodrum town offers everything from art, culture, modern living, traditions, and carefree lifestyle. It is also just 40 minutes’ drive from the main airport and well connected to the rest of Turkey, so getting there is easy.

An extensive property portfolio ranges from budget studio apartments to large luxury millionaire villas, therefore accommodating many buyers. To prove Bodrum’s reputation, look at the long list of elite business executives and celebrities that have visited the area. They range from Hollywood stars including Tom Hanks to supermodels like Kate Moss to Saudi princes and their vast entourages. Bodrum town is last on our list of best places in Turkey for holiday homes but don’t underestimate its vitality.

Also of Interest

First-time buyers in Turkey will find our guide on buying a home useful. Including asked questions and answers, the process, legalities, need to know and helpful hints, tips and advice, it is an excellent real estate resource to have.