What are the blue flag beaches in Turkey? How many are there and where are they located? These are the main questions that this post aims to answer. And the truth is that there is much to say about it, since Turkey is one of the leading countries in this section, demonstrating that it is a world power in sun and beach tourism.
Turkey, on the Podium of the Blue Flags
577. That is the number of blue flag beaches in Turkey for the year 2025. A magical number that is difficult to beat, which takes the country to third place worldwide, only surpassed by two other major tourist powers in the Mediterranean basin: Greece with 623 and Spain, which once again is at the top of the ranking, with 644.
These data, by the way, only refer to the beaches, which the Foundation for Environmental Education recognizes for the quality of their waters, the variety of their services, and waste management, among other aspects. But this institution also certifies the quality of marinas and tourist boats. If we also take these last two sections into account, in Turkey there are 625 recognitions in total.
Where are the Blue Flags in Turkey
To check the name and exact location of each of the blue flag beaches in Turkey, you can visit the interactive map on the website of the Foundation for Environmental Education. In this post, we limit ourselves to mentioning the regions with the main concentrations of beaches of this type.
Of course, the Turquoise Coast has the highest number of recognitions. This vast coastline, which extends through areas of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, from approximately Çesme to Alanya, is full of blue flag beaches. Special mention should be made of the cities of Bodrum, Kusadasi, Marmaris, and Antalya, with such a large concentration that its entire coastline can be considered a blue flag.
At the end of the eastern Mediterranean coast, on the other hand, the number of blue flags is lower: the easternmost ones are located in the province of Mersin. The same occurs on the northern coast of the Aegean, with the area of Ayvalik and its natural park being the areas with the greatest presence of this type of recognition. And also in the Dardanelles Strait and in the Sea of Marmara, with some distinctions south of Çanakkale but not in other emblematic points such as the Prince Islands.
In fact, the blue flag beaches closest to Istanbul are located in the Black Sea, specifically in Arnavutköy. Although this inland sea does not have a density of recognitions like those mentioned above, there are some cities that have strongly committed to this guarantee of quality, as can be seen in Samsun and its surroundings.
On the other hand, the presence of a blue flag in the interior of Anatolia is striking, specifically in Lake Van: here is the Mollakasım public beach, in the municipality of Tusba. And the same occurs with the two beaches located in the small Lake Iznik, near Bursa.
In all these cases, whether they are beaches of the Aegean, the Mediterranean, the Marmara, the Black Sea, or any inland lake, the blue flag is a guarantee of quality, so dedicating time to a swim in the waters of said beach will be well spent. You can contact us to also organize a stay in these sun and beach destinations, as our tours usually integrate them into the route, and we can adapt it to your liking.
