Turkey's Best Blue Flag Beaches

Turkey is raising the bar for blue flags a little higher every year. With more than 450 blue flag beaches, Turkey ranks third behind Spain and Greece, the two most important European countries in this regard. Blue flag beaches are basically recognized as an official reference for cleanliness and safety. These beaches or bays are truly nature and environmentally friendly.

These beaches play a major role in both protecting the ecological balance and creating favorable conditions for swimming. Let's take a look at 10 different plans that meet the important criteria for the blue flag.

Kaputas Beach, Antalya

Antalya, which stands out as Turkey's pride in tourism, is also the leader in blue flag beaches. Let's start our list with Kaputaş Beach, one of the most beautiful blue flag beaches in Antalya. This beach, which is as interesting as its name, is located at the exit of Kaputaş Canyon. For this reason, some sources also refer to it as "Canyon Mouth Beach". Since it is a public beach, you can rent umbrellas and sun loungers at Kaputaş Beach, where the entrance is free of charge. There are also areas to meet your needs such as showers and toilets. When you come to the beach, which is connected to Kaş district by land, 187 steps will be waiting for you. You can also easily reach the beach by daily boat tours.

Ilica Beach, Izmir

Çeşme, which has managed to become a serious competitor to Antalya and Muğla with its attack in recent years; Although it is usually highlighted with Alaçatı, Ilıca is one of the oldest and most popular beaches here. Located very close to the center of Çeşme, Ilıca Beach is approximately 90 km from Izmir. You can easily reach Ilıca by minibuses departing from Fahrettin Altay. Ilıca Beach is literally reminiscent of the Maldives with its appearance. At the same time, the region, where many world-famous hotels are located, offers a rich alternative in terms of eating and drinking places. The proximity of the beach and shopping places makes this beach a little more special. Entrance to Ilıca Beach, which you will come across right after Alaçatı, is free of charge. The showers installed at short intervals give holiday lovers a breath of fresh air.

Butterfly Valley, Fethiye

Here we come to the most interesting and special beach of this list. Butterfly Valley is located in the Fethiye district of Muğla. The region, which deserves to be on the list of blue flag beaches, always manages to get full marks from local and foreign visitors. The fact that more than 350 butterfly species live here has made the name Butterfly Valley. Butterfly Valley, which resembles dreams, fascinates those who see it. The region was declared a 1st degree natural protected area in 1995. The fact that it is closed to construction is the most important reason for its beauty today. This unique place where butterflies cover the whole sky is also very close to many villages. You can get here by road or by boat.

Sarımsaklı Beach, Balıkesir

Sarımsaklı Beach, which is one of the most popular beaches not only in Balıkesir but also in the whole of Turkey, is identified with Ayvalık. This blue flag beach, which is frequented by vacationers, got its name from its yellow sand. Around the beach, which stretches for 8 km in total, there are places for your needs. Sarımsaklı Beach is located in the town of Küçükköy. It also has a sunbathing terrace with a width of 100 meters. It is possible to come across places where world cuisines and local flavors are served along the beach. In general, it is an ideal and safe place for families with children. It is free to enter the public beach.

Cirali Beach, Antalya

Çıralı Beach is located between the Olympos coast and Yanartaş. The presence of the Olympos Yanartas has led to the choice of such a name for the beach. The natural gas fire that burns non-stop attracts the attention of visitors. It is also a breeding point for caretta carettas, which are in danger of extinction. For this reason, the region has been declared a protected area. You will have to pay a symbolic fee to enter the beach located in Kemer district. It has managed to become the center of attention not only with its beach but also with the places to visit around it. Çıralı has a total length of 3.2 km. There is a distance of approximately 80 km between the beach and Antalya city center.

Patara Beach, Antalya

Patara, another popular beach of Antalya, has a total length of 18 km. Located between two important regions such as Kalkan and Kaş, Patara is also a habitat for sea turtles. The beach attracts attention with its beautiful and fine sands in the first place. Patara Beach, which is shown among the 15 best beaches in Turkey, literally has world standards. The fact that the ancient city of Patara is also close to the beach gives you the chance to witness the cultural heritage. It is known that some desert scenes in Yeşilçam were shot here. The entrance fee of the beach is determined as 100 TL. You can reach here by minibuses from regions such as Fethiye or Kaş.

Cesme Altinkum Beach, Izmir

Çeşme Altinkum Beach is a blue flag beach that more than lives up to its name. Located within a 10-minute walk from the center, the beach is 500 meters in total. In this respect, it stands out as a very small and cute beach compared to other beaches. Since it is not deep in general, it is a region preferred primarily by non-swimmers. 

Phaselis, Antalya

Phaselis, one of the most popular beaches in the Mediterranean Region, is only 15 minutes away from Kemer. You can reach the region with a 40-minute car ride from Antalya center. You can also take the minibuses departing from Kemer or Tekirova. The beach, which is extremely close to Tahtalı Dam, is also neighboring the ancient city of the same name. The sea is generally waveless. The entrance to Phaselis, which has a calm atmosphere, is paid. There are three harbors in total in the area where the ancient beach is located.

Bitez Beach, Muğla

Bitez, which is the subject of songs, is located within the borders of Muğla. Since it is a public beach, entrance is free. Bitez Beach, which deserves to be crowned with a blue flag, is located 8 km away from Bodrum. It is also extremely close to the city center. Its total length is around 200 meters and its width is 10 meters. The fact that it is a place suitable for water sports makes it even more interesting. In order to come to the beach, you should prefer the minibuses departing from the center of Muğla.

Gumusluk Public Beach, Mugla

You can enter Gümüşlük, one of the most popular beaches of Bodrum, for free. Despite this, you will not encounter crowds that will overwhelm you here. The most important reason for this is that it is windy and generally wavy. Gümüşlük beach, which has a peaceful atmosphere, is 23 km away from the center of Bodrum. The beach length in Gümüşlük, which is famous for its fish restaurants as well as the sea, is around 120 meters. The beach, which attracts attention with its view of Rabbit Island, is extremely well maintained. You can use the showers and changing cabins free of charge. The minibuses departing from Bodrum center can reach the region in about half an hour.