With more than 50 different beaches for various purposes, whether running, swimming, partying, family style, or a private one, Istanbul beaches will satisfy your urge to get yourself floated.
Here are the best beaches in Istanbul!
1. Florya Beach: Great Sunny Union
One of the best places to enjoy sunny weather and the smooth wind rushing on your skin while you are swimming, taking a sunbath, or drinking a cocktail.
Florya Beach with the consent of many is the best beach in Istanbul, where the quality of water and the seaside facilities are almost good enough for everyone. Located on the European side, in the Bakirkoy neighborhood, you are touching the Marmara Sea, the smaller sea located in the southern area.
Due to its geographical position, it’s much warmer than the beaches in the northern area, in the Black Sea. There is no drinking and food entering allowed, but you may find whatever you are looking for, from the cocktail bars to Clubs, Food stores, and restaurants.
In addition, the shower and bathroom are clean and available for everyone. There is an entry fee, from 50 to 150, depending on your purpose of living in Istanbul.
Location: Şenlikköy, Florya Sahil Parkı, 34153 Bakırköy/İstanbul
2. Altinkum Beach: Istanbul’s Palm Beach
A quieter place in Istanbul if you seeking to ease your tension and still have the sound of the sea waves stimulating your ears. This beach is located on the edge of the European side of Istanbul, you can see the Asian shore with your naked eyes.
It is said to have a colder sea temperature compared to the Southern beaches, you can feel the atmosphere of the Bosphorus strait, with an outstanding view of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge at your left angle.
There are some facilities such as safeguards, Bots to see the magnificent sight, the restaurant, and other stuff, but the pathway to the beach is bumpy and narrow, which makes it a bit hard to reach.
However, the peace you receive here is incomparable with other beaches, at least with many. The swimming space, the width of the beach and the distance you are allowed to swim are not that far. It is considered one of the places to just relax, and if that is your purpose, Altinkum Beach is yours.
Location: Garipçe, 34450 Sarıyer/İstanbul
3. Tarihi Haylayf Beach: Free Ride
One of the best beaches in Istanbul, if you are not in the mood of paying the entry fee. Based on the northern bank of the Marmara Sea, it is not far from the Küçükçekmece Lake on Istanbul’s western side. Here you can feel relaxed, walk in an almost quiet place, not crowded batch, without paying anything at all.
The sea is clean and accessible for swimming, and if you come here anytime, except during the hot season, you can get what you are seeking. Due to being pinned in the Bakirkoy neighborhood, you can find whatever you need, from swimming suits to food and beverages to buy. Occasionally you can find the umbrella and beachside beds.
Location: Basınköy, Menekşe Cd., 34290 Bakırköy/İstanbul
4. West Istanbul Marina Beach: Luxurious Facilities
Of course, it’s not a place to enjoy the beach and have a great fresh sea experience. This place is mostly known for its luxurious cafés, restaurants, and bars, where you can feel the cleanliness and enjoy a great view of the sea.
It is mostly the parking lot of expensive yachts and behind you are the West Marina villas, with a great design and unavoidable view.
You should have a car to reach here, not because of the distance, but rather the entrance pathway that got the most inclination degree ever. The downside, where the fun begins, it’s great to take photoshoots and have a smooth walk or drink, or smoke Shisha.
Location: Marmara, 34524 Beylikdüzü/İstanbul
5. Riva Halk Beach: Anatolian Gem
No rivalry amongst the beaches exists in the Anatolian (Asian side) of Istanbul. Riva Halk beach is a great place to dance, swim, drink, and have seafood.
With the consent of the European and Russian tourists, is their best experience in Istanbul. The beach is not that vast, but good enough, and clean enough to tinkle the craving for diving in.
Pay attention to the location as it’s in the far Northern East of Istanbul, near the green area below the Black Sea. It’s perhaps much colder than the Southern beaches, but relatively better. There is no public transportation available to reach the area, and you should choose between Uber or taking a rented car.
Here have many advantages over other beaches. One of them is the quality of the pure and wild environment, where the trees and plants surround the area.
Location: Riva, 34829 Beykoz/İstanbul
6. Kablo Blue Beach & Camping: A Virgin View
From here you can read about the beaches in the Prince Islands, and the diamonds of Istanbul. The Kablo Blue Beach & Camping is a small and quiet place, with friendly islanders who greet you there. It has one of the best views in Istanbul, staring at the far northwest, the Anatolian Istanbul, at the eastern view, the Burgazadası.
This is another island under the umbrella of Prince Island, and the sea itself is pure blue and green. Behind the beach, there is a cliffing area, with pretty wildlife including jungles and birds.
Without exaggeration, it’s one of the best areas to cool off the city tension. There is a hard journey though, to reach there, but you can bet on it that in the end, the pleasure is worthwhile.
It has an occasional party going on there, and the beach facilities such as sun bed and umbrella are available. The area is less developed though, which is understandable based on the accessibility.
Location: Heybeliada, Alp Görüngen Yolu, 34973 Adalar/İstanbul
7. Aqua Green Beach Heybeliada: From Jungle To The Sea
Located in Heybeliada, on the Northwestern side of the Island, it’s enriched with facilities in diverse, from clean showers and bathing rooms to sun beds, umbrellas, the bar, and cafes, to the marine amusement park, a small one though.
The area requires you to go with two different boats, and the ferry takes around one hour and a half. One of the personal best in Istanbul as everything is paradise-like, the sea is really transparent, and the stuff is amazing and professional. Basically, takes one day of your vacation time, which brings sorrow if you do not visit here in summer.
Not far from it, there is a professional swimming sports facility, the Heybeliada Su Sporlari Kulubu, which highly suggest you take a look at it.
To reach it, you can take the boat ferry in Bostancı (Ş.Hatları) and after an hour or so, you will arrive at the island. It takes just 10 minutes of walking, you can find the beach on your north-western side.
Location: Heybeliada, 34973 Adalar/İstanbul
8. Madam Marta Koyu: French Chilling
In case you really want to run away from any noises and stress, literally take a natural relaxing pill. This is the place I suggest you strongly be. It is in a deserted area, where nature is still taking the upper hand, and human is just a guest here.
Burgazada island, where this beach is located, is the third largest island and is way less crowded, developed and of course, a great place for wildlife adventuring.
As less human contact is there, marine life is found so easily, and please watch out for the jellyfish, their sting might be harmful. To get there, you can simply take the ferry from the Bostancı (Ş.Hatları) harbor in Anatolia side and get there. You are advised to bring sandals because it’s not a sandy beach.
Location: Burgasada, 34975 Adalar/İstanbul
9. Kumsal Aila Beach: Family Pavilion
Büyükada, as its name refers to the Big Island is the biggest among other islands on Prince Island. It has a great location, and easy accessibility and the place is full of life, from hotels to markets and plenty of restaurants. The Kumsal Aila Beach is one of the private beaches in this place which is located on the northeastern side of the island, not very far from the harbor.
It has an expensive entering fee, with no sand beach at all, but rather a highly prestigious lounge to chill out, have your drink, and enjoy the sea view. The entrance is $10and the food and beverages are high, mainly due to the uniqueness of the location.
You might feel the breeze from Southern Istanbul here, and on the horizon, the city lights are vivid, especially when you arrive in the evening. The last ferry leaves at 8 PM so check everything in advance, otherwise, you have to spend the night on the island, and I believe it’s the best decision that I have gotten.
The tourists that came here gave it a good star because of the quality of the sunbed and the maintenance here. I can be agreed enough. It’s really true.
Location: Büyükada-maden, Çöp İskelesi Sk No:64, 34970 Adalar/İstanbul
10. Prenses Koyu: A Bit Of Silence
One of the highly rated places in Büyükada, with a set of hotel rooms and resorts. It is in fact a complex resort with all you need, from restaurant to beach and side facilities such as sun beds, umbrellas, and lifeguards, flavored with a great view of other islands in the Prince Island complex, and a sea view that could not be ignored at all.
The hotel rooms start from $100 to above, but the quality is really high. You can reach the Island by sea ferry at a really cheap price, and the entrance fee to the beach is something around $10.
I personally suggest you try it and spend the night here because of the environment and the pretty houses that the islanders took great care of them all. The pathway from any aspect is relaxing and it’s the best option for jogging around.
Location: Kamelya Sokak No:14 Büyükada, 34970
11. Bıyık Beach: The Rocky Beach
It’s mainly a hotel and resort than a beach, as it does not have sand and even the underwater is full of stones and rocks, because of the nature of the island. The water here is great clean, look like you can see everything under it. A very quiet place to spend the whole day and preferably, staying the night here.
The area is covered with tiny rocks, round and sharp, and the place is literally a quiet and deserted place, without the city noise and the light pollution.
I can assure you this is one of the free beaches that are worth paying to enter. Look out to the jellyfish and the marine sea. Some sharks have been observed here, but are not a serious threat to anyone.
Location: Büyükada-nizam, 34970 Adalar/İstanbul
12. Viranbağ Beach: Pure as a Remote Island
In this location, on the Southern side of the Büyükada island, you will find another beach and resort area, Viranbağ beach. An artificial seaside was constructed to welcome tourists and peace seekers.
The place has a great view, without no distractions to let you enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the Marmara Sea. The place gets a good reputation for the quality of services, the entrance fee, and the facilities such as sunbeds, showers, drinks at an expensive rate, traditional foods, fresh weather, and a smooth breeze that blows from the south.
Not a sandy beach, as it said before, it allows you to have brief swimming in its aquarium-like sea and then take a rest and enjoy. The quietness and pleasure of observing a unique in its own get you what you need.
Location: Büyükada-nizam, 34970 Adalar/İstanbul
13. Sedef Adası Beach: The Rabbit Island
Adalar (Islands of Istanbul) could be considered the smallest one on prince island. It has a couple of views, but is less crowded and developed due to the geographical location.
The Sedef Adası Beach is a well-known artificial beach pointed on the Western side of the Island. Because of being the only beach on this island, it gets all the attention to the purity of the water, and the services it gets, but no sands. The swimming area is limited because of the sea streams and the danger of getting drowned in the sea.
The place is made out of cement, but the environment is great to experience. The basis of underwater is made out of rock, and it made it really clean.
Location: Büyükada-maden, Adalar, 34970 Adalar/İstanbul
14. Burç Beach: Black breeze
As I said before, Istanbul has plenty of beaches, and each one is known for one particular thing. The Burç Beach is great for surfing and glider lovers. Located on the Black Sea shores, it offers you plenty of facilities, from DJs, coffee shops, restaurants, windy weather, a clean environment with warmer water, and tidy sands. Same as most of the private beaches in Istanbul, you should pay for entrance, and you are not allowed to bring food or beverages inside.
But the Burç Beach management let you carry your pet as long as you treat it by yourself and do not let it make the beach dirty. It’s also prohibited to feed your pet there, so keep that in mind when you decide to bring it here.
One of the things that got up and down feedback was the credit card you receive after the entrance. With the card, you can buy food and beverages, and pay for the sea games such as gliders. It has to be charged from time to time. In general, Burç Beach is a great place for everyone to have a good time.
Location: Gümüşdere, Sarıtepe Kampüsü, 34470 Sarıyer/İstanbul
15. Bamboo Beach / Kilyos: Swimming With Pets
Another beach and swimming resort is located in the Kilyos area, and it’s pet-friendly same as the Burç Beach. The location is in the Northern area of Istanbul, and the beach is part of the Black Sea shores. It is known for its windy weather because of its geographical features.
Somehow it was pointed out as the best swimming area in the Kilyos neighborhood, but the swimming is limited to a short distance because of the strict rules implemented by the ministry of health. This area has dangerous sea waves, and their dragging power can change the location of a swimmer in the blink of an eye.
Unlike most of the beaches described in this blog, it is allowed to bring your food and beverages, which is an advantage point. The entrance fee is around $5 for adults on weekends and $3 on weekdays. The facilities such as showers or sub beds are not as luxurious as you expect but it does the job. The area is really crowded in hot seasons, and it’s declared as the appropriate place for family.
Location: Kumköy, Tatlısu Cd., 34450 Sarıyer/İstanbul
16. Baykush Beach: The Motel
When driving to the west side of the Bamboo beach, you will find the Baykush beach. It is a great place in total. The mean is that you are not going to pay around $10 or more to just enter, just by $5 you can enjoy the beach and have a great time here. The lifeguards are said to be professional, and they really are. There are plenty of facilities from football to volleyball. Their maintenance is acceptable, and the food or drinks are in good condition, not too expensive, and delicious.
There is a motel room available not far from the beach, and the price starts from $50 to above. You may also do camping, but swimming is not allowed after 6 PM here. With public transportation, it takes up to 2 hours to reach here, but with your own car, it’s less than that. The parking lot is just $2.
Location: Gümüşdere, Sarı Çiçek Sk., 34450 Sarıyer/İstanbul
Final Talk
Undoubtedly, Istanbul is an international metropolitan and a place for everyone, for any possible purpose to get what they seek. From business purposes to research, study, and tourism, of course, Istanbul got an unlimited potential to satisfy your need. A city that never dies, same as New York. Seems that the port cities are the best because the sea makes the people tougher and that toughness leads to progress when the infrastructure is provided.