Turkish baths, bazaars and blue flag beaches are just a handful of the things that make Turkey a great destination for your next beach holiday. Spread across eight countries and two continents, the diverse Eastern nation is a mix of sights, sounds and cultural customs, making it the perfect destination for those looking for more sun, sea and sand on their next beach holiday.
From avant-garde Istanbul, home to the Hagia Sophia, often named one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, to the ancient city of Perge, the beauty of Turkey is that you can tailor your trip to suit your preferences. You can even use the country as a base to explore the surrounding areas, including Oludeniz, where you can swim in the famous Blue Lagoon. Tourists rave about Gumbet, Marmara and Antalya, where you can relax on holiday. Sailing tours include the beautiful coastline of the Turkish Riviera, with more than 400 miles of white-sand beaches, near the small resorts of Lara and Belek.
Turkey is one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world, but it lags far behind other countries in sailing and yachting tourism. Although places like Spain, Portugal and France were building yachts and yacht clubs in the 1940s, the industry did not take off in Turkey until the 1990s. The country thus missed a golden opportunity to become a leader in the yachting world. Considering that the country has over 7000 kilometers of coastline in the north, south and west, and is surrounded by four seas including the Aegean, Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Sea, this missed opportunity is quite surprising.
Today, Turkey is focused on creating modern ports and marinas as part of its 2023 tourism plan, which focuses on areas including skiing, golf and sailing. The good news is that there is a major market for real estate investors to invest in for the long term.
In August 2017, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the final licenses and certificates for the Antalya Bogakaya Marina project, which will cover 357 square miles, accommodate up to 500 yachts, and have a variety of amenities based on health, leisure, hobbies, banking, and business. It is expected to greatly boost tourism, providing up to 10 jobs, and expand the Antalya market to an international audience.
Antalya is one of the largest marinas in the country. Antalya real estate in the Konyaalti Beach area, where the marina is located, is on the rise. The city used to sell for mid-priced properties, but the new marina has dramatically increased the prices of homes, including holiday rentals, as international sailors and mega yachts flock to buy homes in the coastal resort.
Well-developed marinas on the Mediterranean coast include Antalya Old Town, Kas, Fethiye, Gocek, Marmaris and Mersin. Heading north to the Black Sea coast, the marinas of Samsun, Sinop are less well known, but are worth keeping an eye on for future developments as many areas are now being transformed by urban and tourist sectors. Overall, this Aegean coast and Istanbul's Marmara coastline contain some of the largest and best marinas in Turkey.
Bodrum was the first resort for the concept of leisure sailing, and Istanbul has always been a hub for transport between East and West. Some of the most respected marinas and yacht clubs include Palmarina in Yalikavak, Setur in Cesme, Atakoy in Istanbul and Yalova, which is also an area for real estate investment.
Anyone looking for an exclusive sailing holiday in Turkey will find themselves in another world. The country has a tradition of providing first-class hospitality, which is very important in the service sector. Many modern tourists love sailing, buying yachts and heading to Turkey. Potential buyers who want to use the already proven sailing communities should take a look at Gocek. It is one of the few well-known popular resorts that is well known in the world of sailing in Turkey. A great example of how Gocek suits the sailing community are the three-bedroom villas with a private mooring on the coast. Small boats come right to the front door of the villa, an added benefit of its close proximity to the marina and the city center.
Yalikavak on the Aegean coast is still considered a popular holiday destination for many foreign tourists. In 2016, several villas were built here by the famous architect Emre Aralot to add more features and amenities to meet the needs and desires of its middle-class clients. The resort includes award-winning restaurants, as well as shops, gyms and spas, organizing quality leisure for all vacationers. The villas of the famous Turkish architect are a great example of how designers are attracting prominent and renowned designers to build homes suitable for the sailing community. Overlooking the marina, the mansions include the latest home technology. The most significant advantage is that all the amenities for a comfortable holiday are located here.
Finally, Fethiye is another sailing destination with an established yachting community. Budget travelers can also look forward to affordable vacations here with rental properties near the marina in the form of apartments. The Karagozler area, which is the center of the city, is considered a great place to take advantage of Fethiye’s year-round sailing opportunities. Fethiye’s seaside villas have graced the pages of many posters and design magazines with their modern architecture and decor influenced by Greek and African trends. Fethiye perfectly highlights the marina and yachting scene in Turkey with its private berth.
