Popular Towns and Cities in Turkey
Full of history and culture Turkey is where East meets West.
As a self sufficient food producing country Turkey is also blessed with its own
array of beautiful resorts, traditional dishes, hospitable people and glorious weather.
If you are thinking of buying a property in Turkey then check out some of the more
popular places to live in Turkey below.
Aydin
Aydin is a province of Turkey, and it is located in southwestern Anatolia, more specifically
in the Ege Bölgesi (Aegean Region). The center or the capital of the province
is the city of Aydin with a population of approx. 150,000 (2000). In ancient and
classical periods, the area of Aydin Province comprised part of Caria. Aydin Province
contains numerous important archeological sites, including the ancient Carian cities
of Alinda and Alabanda.
Kusadasi is a popular resort town on the Aegean coast of Turkey, near the
ancient city of Ephesus some 90 km south of Izmir and a short distance across from
the Greek island of Samos. Property in Kusadasi
is both popular with locals and tourists keen to get a foot hold on the emerging
property market in Kusadasi.
Extremely popular as a tourist destination, both for its many beaches, and as the
port for cruise ship passengers heading to Ephesus. Kusadasi has a residential population
of 50,000 which rises to over half a million during the summer months due to local
and foreign tourists.
Kusadasi was a minor port overshadowed by Ephesus until Ephesus' harbor silted up.
It was known as New Ephesus, Scala Nuova, and Kush-Adasi at
the beginning of the 20th century. The name comes from 'kus' (bird) and 'ada' (island).
Just next to the old harbor is a small island that has a rock with the shape of
a bird's head (as seen from the sea).
Near to Kusadasi, there is a national park full of beautiful beaches just 1 km before
the town of Guzelcamli. Also, several aqua-parks are located near the town: the
largest are Aqua Fantasy and Aqua Land.
Didim
Didim is a small town on the western Aegean coast of Turkey.
Didim is the name of the district but it also includes a number of small towns
including Altinkum, Yenihisar, Mavisehir and Akbuk.
A popular holiday resort with long sandy beaches, watersports, hotels, a weekly
market, a waterpark and the historic Temple of Apollo at Didyma.
The town is located on one end of Gulluk
Korfez, a bay that is also home to Akbuk,
Gulluk, Torba, Turkbuku and Yalikavak
on the Bodrum
Peninsula, and spans Aydin and
Mugla provinces. Didim is neighbour to
Bafa Lake, a national park; the Buyuk Menderes River (historically called the "Maeander",
from which the word "meander" derives), and Miletos and Priene, historic cities.
About 15 years ago, people from large cities around Turkey
such as Istanbul, Ankara, and
Izmir first came to Didim and started to build their own summer houses,
holiday homes, apartments, and villas. Property values are still rising dramatically
as foreign buyers follow the lead. Didim
has its own microclimate and benefits from hundreds of days of sun a year and warm
winters, allowing residents to enjoy the famous beach even in January. Didim is
much closer to ancient towns and natural wonders than most of the holiday resorts
of Turkey.
Altinkum is a popular resort town in Turkey. Located on the Aegean Sea, the
name "Altinkum" translates to "golden sand" and features three main beaches. Altinkum
is popular with British tourists and many are buying property
in Altinkum with a vengeance. Although many Turkish people visit during
the holiday season the resort is quickly becoming a favourite with holidaymakers
buying apartments in Altinkum.
There is a wealth of bars and restaurants offering a range of Turkish and British
food. The beach- side restaruants tend to cater mostly for British Tourists however,
if you venture further afield to Didim, you will find a great selection of great
value authentic Turkish restaurants.
The Temple of Apollo is only a short 10 minute journey from the resort centre. The
resort offers a balance between a quiet beach holiday with a lively nightlife and
the beaches are beautiful and very safe for children and families due to the shallow
waters.
Altinkum is 1 hour 30 minutes transfer from Bodrum Airport and 1 hour 45 minutes
from Izmir Airport.
There are ferries to Bodrum from Altinkum Didim daily in the summer time. Altinkum's
marina is currently under construction.
Mugla Province
Mugla is a province in southwestern Turkey, along the Aegean Sea. Its seat Mugla,
is about 20 km. inland, but some of Turkey's largest holiday resorts such as
Bodrum, Marmaris and
Fethiye can be found on the coastline of the province, which is the
longest among Provinces of Turkey, even without taking the
numerous many small islands into account. The province also boasts a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in Letoon near Fethiye.
The economy of Mugla relies mainly on tourism for the coastline and agriculture,
forestry and marble quarries for the inland. The province is the second centre of
the marble industry in Turkey after Afyonkarahisar in terms of
quantity, variety and quality. One of the rare industrial installations of the province
is the SEKA paper mill in Dalaman. There are two airports in Dalaman and Milas-Bodrum,
serving international flights and catering to the tourism industry.
Property sales in the Mugla Province
have steadily increased over the previous years with people buying
apartments in Bodrum, villas and apartments
in Fethiye and holiday property in Marmaris.
Marmaris is an important port city and a tourist destination on the Mediterranean
coast, located in southwest Turkey, in the Mugla Province.
Marmaris' main source of income for the city is tourism. As opposed to Bodrum, Alacati
or similar Turkish coastal towns, its traditional architectural tissue has been
less vividly preserved due to a construction boom of the 1980s, but Marmaris still
retains its charm due to the exceptional natural beauty of its location. The district's
population is estimated to reach 300,000–400,000 people during the tourism
season.
A major centre for sailing, possessing two major and several smaller marinas Marmaris
is a popular wintering location for hundreds of cruising boaters. There are regular
ferry services to the Greek island of Rhodes, and large cruise ships call at the
port. See our full range of property for sale
in Marmaris
Dalaman is a district, as well as the central town of that district, situated
in on the southwestern coast of Turkey, in the Mugla Province. Dalaman is known
for its international airport (Dalaman International Airport) which serves as a
gateway to the tourists who visit this part of Turkey every year, heading especially
to seaside resorts to the west and east of Dalaman such as Marmaris, Fethiye, Koycegiz,
Dalyan, Olu deniz and Hisaronu.
The Bodrum Peninsula - dramatic coastal route linking the popular resorts
of Bodrum, Gumbet and Bitez the scenery along the bodrum peninsula is absolutely
breathtaking. Small Turkish villages dotted in the hillsides line the coastal road
as you wind round from resort to resort.
Bodrum is a vibrant and bustling cosmopolitan resort with cafes stretching
along its waterfront. Exquisite restaurants overlook the imposing harbour with views
of expensive yachts and the Greek island of Kos in the distance. A resort with great
nightlife Bodrum has its fair share of trendy bars and nightclubs so you will never
be lost for things to do if you choose to buy an apartment
or villa for rent in Bodrum. If you're looking for nice beaches then you'll
need to head off towards Gumbet.
Gumbet - quieter than its more cosmopolitan neighbour Bodrum, Gumbet has
a lovely sand and shingle beach which curves around its shallow bay. An ideal place
to live if you are looking to rent an apartment or villa
in Gumbet but want to be near a more vibrant town like Bodrum only 10 minutes
away
Bitez - a quaint and welcoming Turkish village surrounded by pretty groves
of fruit trees and boasts a gently sloping beach ideal for children. A favorite
haunt of both, water sports enthusiasts and those in pursuit of calm and tranquillity
in an unspoiled setting. View our properties for rent in
Bitez. For a livelier evening Bodrum is only a 15-minute drive away.
For a full selection of the properties in Turkey that we feature please feel free
to visit any of the links.