Russian bay on the Mediterranean coast. Turkish beach resorts. Arrival in Marseille

If you define the word bay, then you get something like: “a body of water surrounded by land, having a calmer state than in the open sea. The bay is a good anchorage for ships during bad weather.” Bays are most often the most beautiful sights in the countries where they are located. Your attention is the top 12 most beautiful bays in the world!

1. Wineglass Bay, Tasmania, Australia

4. Bay of Islands, New Zealand

8. Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has thousands of limestone karsts and islands of various sizes and shapes.

9. Marigot Bay, Saint Lucia

Marigot is located on the west coast of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, 3.75 miles (6 km) southwest of Castries, a short distance from the marine Lucian National Reserve. The bay is surrounded by forested hills on three sides. The bay is a historical landmark, being the site of many battles between the French and British fleets.

10. Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

It is located between the Andaman Sea, Phuket Island and the mainland of the Malay Peninsula from southern Thailand. Since 1981, a large part of the bay has become the Phang Ngi National Park. Phang Nga is a small bay that includes 42 islands. There are 88 bird species, including the Malaysian Plover, 82 fish species, 18 reptile species, 3 amphibian species and 17 mammal species.

11. Hanalei Bay, Hawaii, USA

Hanalei is the largest bay on the north coast of Hawaii. The bay consists of almost two miles (3 km) of beach surrounded by mountains. Many visitors to this bay consider it to be the most beautiful beach in Hawaii.

12 Villefrance Bay, France

This is the most beautiful bay in France. Villefrance is one of the deepest natural harbors of any port in the Mediterranean and provides a safe location for large ships, reaching depths of 95 m (320 ft).

Total 94 photos

This material about the journey in the vicinity of the Lycian Mira will be the final one. We visited with you the ancient Lycian city of the World, and impressive. The final chord in this delightful journey was the mysterious island of Kekova and its sunken ancient rock cities. The largest and most impressive city of the island of Kekova in terms of its impact on the traveler is the ancient Dolichiste. There is very little information about this city. It is only known that it was built in the 5th century BC. and was destroyed in the 2nd century AD. strong earthquake and subsequently partially sank into the depths of the sea ... Further under the cut are numerous photos of Dolichiste through the prism of the Steps of Time, other flooded cities, the breathtaking azure of the Mediterranean Sea and my impressions of a sea voyage deep into the Time and Spaces of History. I must say that it was this trip that turned out to be the strongest impression for me of all the places visited in ancient Lycia that day.

To fully immerse yourself in the historical context, you should first understand where this island of Kekova is located and what is its original connection with the large ancient Lycian city of the World. You can't do without a map. Since in my first post about the Church of St. Nicholas I already laid out maps of ancient Lycia and the location of Mira on the Mediterranean coast, let's take a closer look at the position of the island of Kekova and ancient Mira on a satellite map. in red numbers 1 - marked the historical center of the Lycian city of Myra with the church of St. Nicholas, 2 - Lycian rock tombs and a Greco-Roman amphitheater in the foothills, 3 - the ancient port of Andriake, 4 - Kekova island, 5 - the ancient rock city of Dolichiste, 6 - the village of Kalekoy (the ancient city of Simena), 7 - the village of Uchayz (the ancient cities of Aperlai and Teimussy). Now it will be clearer to us all the historical vicissitudes that took place in this area, which I will briefly describe
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Google map

And, since we are a little distracted by the technical details, I’ll immediately say that this story will differ from the previous ones in that I tried to post as many photos of the sunken Dolichiste as possible, because, just sailing past these mysterious shores and examining each photo in detail, perspective and getting used to every detail of the coast of the island, you can intuitively get involved in its deep historical context and hear the exciting story that Dolichiste himself can tell us ...)

Lycian city of Mira ( 1,2 ) was located in a valley about 5 km. from the coast. The seaport of Mira in ancient times was the port of Andriake ( 4 ). Until the 2nd century AD. the port was very large, and its harbor stretched towards Mira for another 1.5-2 km to the east. After the strongest earthquake in these places in the II century AD. The Kekova peninsula sank significantly into the sea and became islands, while Andriake Bay, on the contrary, rose, became shallow and lost its key importance as once a major city port of Mira. Numerous ancient and Roman warehouses built near the harbor turned out to be far from the sea and, apparently, were partially destroyed by this earthquake and gradually abandoned due to the inconvenience of using them.

Quite quickly we ended up in the once ancient port of Andriaka. Now there are many pleasure tourist boats-yachts, including waiting and casual customers ...)
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And finally, our sea voyage began...
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We are leaving the bay of ancient Andriake... ahead of us is the mysterious island of Kekova.
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Soon, before us, like the ghosts of the past, the island of Kekova and the exciting shores of these ancient places appear.
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Pleasure yachts come across, it is on this that we are now with you ...
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The history of these places is long and very ancient. Kekova Bay has long been considered the best in this part of the Mediterranean. Pirates lived here, and later small ancient cities appeared. The inhabitants were mainly engaged in the production of olive oil and the cultivation of fruits. Here, somewhere, there were ancient quarries. The local stone was well processed and ideally suited for construction.
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In itself, a walk in the Mediterranean is already an event. The sea air, saturated with freshness and romance, the bright southern sun and the breathtaking beauty and color of the Mediterranean water, caused enthusiastic exclamations of all those present on the yacht...
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Here is a separate photo of this water, but it still cannot convey this wonderful deep and transparent turquoise-lapis lazuli color of this Mediterranean sea water.
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We are approaching the island of Kekova, it is to the left ...
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This is the northern part of the island of Kekova. The light was uncomfortable, backlit, so there is some haze in the photo ...
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As these mysterious shores approached, the tourists on the yacht gradually calmed down, everyone began to embrace an involuntary inexorable feeling of Discovery and the approach of Revelation ... Here, a little further, is the ancient sunken city of Delikhiste. In these places there was, as I already mentioned, a very convenient harbor. The largest city was just Dolihiste.
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The appearance of Delikhiste happened unexpectedly, solemnly and even theatrically. The traces of a long-standing human presence began to silently and weightily appear ...
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The ancient structures of Delikhiste appeared like unsteady figures of ghosts from the underworld...
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The yacht glided easily along the emerald surface of the coastal Delikhiste, there was a rustling silence on the ship, the faces of all travelers were concentrated and collected ... yourself in these first moments in a special and characteristic way ...
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Dolichiste appeared before me in all its striking eternal beauty... In fact, it is a rocky city. Its appearance dates back to the 5th century BC, but its archaic building structures suggest that it existed here for a very long time, possibly in the 5th century BC. it was just resettled...
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And here are the black goats, a little to the right, against the background of the processed rock.
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The ruins of Dolichiste slowly floated by...
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Stone steps carved into the rocks that once descended to the sea...
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Traces of ancient buildings...
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Portals of the ancient city...
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Gradually, these pictures of the past, miraculously preserved here, began to penetrate into my being. It's hard to convey, but when you float looking at the remains of the once large and noisy city, look after look, gradually, Dolichiste filled me with its unique charm. The city came to life, and as if it began to whisper something about itself to me, responding to the call to reveal its long and sad history and my soul, troubled for centuries...
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The city began to speak, solemnly, but with a slight sadness, about its past triumph, about the life that once seethed and filled it, its battles, victories, defeats, the work of ordinary people, their joys and sorrows, and about the eternal peace of being in oblivion ...
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Here in this place were the highest and largest buildings of Dolichiste.
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Stepped rock structures with masonry, most likely, were two- and three-story.
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For some reason, just looking at this photo, the word "Troy" involuntarily appeared in my mind ...
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A bright trace left by the roof, which disappeared in a thousand-year history, at home ...
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We are sailing to the ancient port of Dolichiste...
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Under the clear sea water, flooded embankments, numerous buildings of the Dolichiste harbor begin to be guessed ...
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My reflections and immersion into the depths of history were interrupted by the unexpected appearance of an oncoming pleasure yacht...
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By the way, this is a view of the opposite shore of Kekova Bay, since we digress)
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The ancient harbor was approaching...
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It was this photo that I made a capital one and called "Steps of Time"...
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The water is very clear. In silence under the water, the ancient ship pier of Dolichiste slowly appeared ...
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A mesmerizing sight!...
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Here it is in all its glory...
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Observation windows were arranged on the yat to view the bottom, but I did not manage to remove amphorae or something similar, although something was guessed in the depths. But still, it's wonderful!...
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The harbor of Dolichiste is small, spacious and comfortable. The clear water makes it easy to peer into the flooded depths...
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Somewhere here was the Dolichiste shipyard.
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A yellow poster installed on the shore informs that the territory of the island of Kekova is protected and it is forbidden for ships to land on the shore.
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So we examined the flooded ancient city of Dolichiste. After its harbor, the lifeless rocks of Kekova go further... The yacht began to turn to the right, 180 degrees...
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Before us is the ancient harbor of Kekova. As you remember, there were four ancient cities here... there, on the right, behind the hills, on the mainland, in a cozy harbor, is the modern settlement of Uchayz, where the cities of Aperlai and Teimussa once flourished. There is also a lot of interesting things, but we were not taken there, unfortunately ...)
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Directly opposite Dolihiste are the flooded ruins of the ancient city of Simena, modern Kiliköy.
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Here, the flooded buildings resemble Dolichiste, which we have already seen.
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According to some reports, these are the remains of ancient baths.
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And in this bay is the famous Lycian sarcophagus, located in the sea ...
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Paradise is everywhere on the Mediterranean Sea. The sun shines 360 days a year, the gardens are fragrant, and the sea beckons with turquoise waters...
But still, the world fame of Cannes, Nice, Monaco and St. Tropez played a cruel joke on him. These days, these are certainly good resorts on the Mediterranean, but by no means the best. There's just too much of everything for them to still be unique. The palm today belongs to the former fishing villages, which have become a mecca for those who know a lot about relaxation. We have selected 9 of the best resorts in the Mediterranean and 1 in the Adriatic where you should spend your vacation at least once in your life.
To get the most out of a luxury Mediterranean holiday, at least rent a car, or better charter a yacht and go on a trip.

Portofino, Italy

Portofino, one of the most beautiful places in the world, the golden child of the Italian Riviera, spoiled by the attention of all celebrities, from Brigitte Bardot in the 60s to Berlusconi today. This city has long and for a long time become one of the best coastal cities on the planet, thanks to its exceptional location and incredible beauty. Gulf of Portofino looks so amazing that it has been recreated in amusement parks Disney in Tokyo, Universal in Orlando And Hibiscus Coast in New Zealand. As they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery, but none of the copies come close in charm, style and magnificence to the real Portofino.

How to get there:nearest airport to Portofino is located 37 kilometers, in Genoa, where can rent a car and drive along scenic roads. How to get from Genoa to Portofino by train: first to the station Santa Margherita Ligure Portofino(From the railway station Piazza Principe in Genoa to the destination 40 minutes. Fare € 3.40), then drive 5 km by taxi or bus directly to Portofino. There is no railway station in the town itself.
You can also get from Genoa on boats company's green line Golfo Paradiso departing from the Old Port (Porto Antico and Nervi). In the summer, ships depart at 9.00 (in June - on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, as well as on holidays, in July and August - all days of the week except Monday) and 14.00. From September 1 to September 16, boats depart only at 14.00 (all days of the week except Monday), and from 17 to 30 September ships run only on weekends. From October navigation stops until April 1 (weekends only until June 1st). The cost of the trip is from € 10 one way.
But, seriously, it is most appropriate to arrive in respectable Portofino on your own yacht.

Positano, Italy

The lack of sandy beaches on the Amalfi Coast, which other resort towns have, is fully redeemed by picturesque views of the coastal cliffs. The city has many luxurious hotels and restaurants where you can enjoy a cocktail (or four) on the terraces with amazing views of the coast.

How to get there:nearest airport to Positano is in Naples, 60 kilometers from paradise. The best way to get to Positano is by rental car. If you do not drive a car, then there are two ways: by sea and by land, but both with transfers in Sorrento.
By sea: From Naples 5 times a day (from 9.00 to 17.15) heading off Ferry Alilauro in Sorrento. Travel time 45 minutes, ticket price € 13.30. By land: by train to Sorrento from Naples can be reached within an hour. Flights depart every 30 minutes. The first train leaves at 6.09, the last at 21.39. The cost of the trip is € 4.10. You can also get from Naples airport via Sorrento to Positano by bus SITA.

Where to live: The luxury of the hotel is perfectly combined with the beauty of the Amalfi Coast. The hotel is built into a rocky ledge that rises above the sea, and the elevator from the hall lowers guests directly to a private beach, where it is likely to meet a modern-day Porfirio Rubirosa courting another millionaire.

Taormina, Italy

Situated on the east coast of Sicily, Taormina is often referred to as the epitome of a southern Italian seaside town. Home to a multitude of poets and artists, and just as many rakes and dudes, Taormina is a slice of the creative life that the region has been known for over the past 60 years.

How to get there: by train or bus. Travel time is no more than an hour. The cost of the trip is €3.95, one way.

Port Grimaud, France

Conceived in the 1960s as "Provencal Venice" architect François Sperry, Port Grimaud took canals and islands from the Italian prototype, but designed them in a much more exotic form. Located half way between Saint Tropez and Frejus, Port Grimaud has become a favorite among some of the wealthiest yacht owners. In fact, many of the city's 4,000 residents own small boats, usually parked right under their windows, so that the owner can use the yacht whenever he wants.

How to get there: on your own yacht - the easiest and most convenient way. Method two: by car from Marseille or Nice. In the first case, you will have to drive about 150 kilometers, in the second - 100. The road will take about two hours.
By public transport from Marseille airport (platform number 4, company LER) in Port Grimaud from June 29 to September 1 can be reached by shuttle (4 days a week: 2 flights on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, 1 flight on Sunday. Fare € 24.20). For the rest of the year, you will have to travel from Marseille first by train to Saint-Raphael (trains depart every hour from 5.29 to 20.01, travel time 1 hour 40 minutes. The cost of the trip is from 25 euros), then transfer to Saint Tropez and from there 7 kilometers by taxi or bus to Port Grimaud. Therefore, either

Abruzzo, Italy

Despite the fact that the Abruzzo region is located on the shores of the Adriatic, and not the Mediterranean, its cities and villages are imbued with the spirit of the Mediterranean, plus 21 ski resorts in the local mountains make this place equally attractive in winter and summer, which is really a rarity. Traveling around Abruzzo, be sure to visit its capital, L'Aquila, and dine at the classic Ernesto restaurant (Piazza Palazzo, 22). The institution deserves to be recommended to friends; the brick walls of the building are reminiscent of the heyday of Rome in the 1950s and the Bonvians rushing east from the capital to Abruzzo.

The bay is a great place to retreat by yourself. But they can be, as well as a serene corner, and an excellent parking lot for vacationers on a yacht. The most beautiful bays are in the Mediterranean Sea. They have a bewitching beauty that fills with calmness, inspires and adds strength for new exploits.

Bay of Cala Violina

A wonderful place with clean fine sand, clear blue-turquoise sea. The area is considered part of the Scarlino Nature Reserve. The bay is located in the small town of Italy-Maremma. Because of the fine sand, the beach of the bay is very popular with vacationers with small children. There are two ways to sleep on the bay: through the village of Puntone by bike and through the 158 freeway.

White Bay of Camerote

The bay is considered the most beautiful bay in the Mediterranean. It is located in Camerot, Italy. It is believed that this is an earthly paradise. For the sake of dazzling beauty, it is worth putting aside all your affairs. Fabulous scenery, crystal clear water. The bay got its name because of the white color of the sand and stones. In 2013, the bay received a victory in the competition “The most beautiful is you”.

Apulia

The bay is located between the best resorts in Italy - Mattinata and Viesta. It is considered part of the Gargano National Park. The name comes from the fragrant flowers of the orange tree. If some bays have a mixed purpose, then Puglia is created only for enjoying holidays in harmony with nature. This is an orange bay with high cliffs that protect from the daily hustle and bustle. She is the symbol of all beauty in Puglia.

Sicily

This is the red northwestern slope of the island of Favignana. This is a popular bay in the Mediterranean. It is surrounded by rocks that run low to the water. The water here is an unusual blue color. There are many flat rocks on the coast. You can get to the bay on a yacht by sea.

Sardinia

Small spiked bay in Santa Teresa Gallura The smallest bay in the Mediterranean. Despite its size, it offers picturesque views. It is surrounded by high cliffs. This bay is adored by tourists who are engaged in outdoor activities. The rocks here are extraordinary. They took a rounded shape. To get to the beach, follow the Capo lighthouse.

Bay Goloritze

In 1993, the bay received its name "natural monument", and in 1995 - "national monument of Italy". It is located near Sardinia. This is one of the best bays in the Mediterranean. Attracts visitors with perfectly polished rocks by nature. Lovers of ancient architecture are attracted here by a rock arch called Punta Goloritze. This is what it is worth visiting Goloritze Bay in the first place. For the sake of the rocks of the bay, climbers from all over the world come here.

Bay of Villefrance

Charming bay in France. It is the largest harbor of any port in the Mediterranean. An ideal place to moor boats. Yachtsmen love to relax here on their luxury yachts. They believe that there is no safer place to relax on a yacht. The bay is also suitable for large ships. The water depth reaches 95 meters.

The most popular resorts in Turkey stretch along the shores of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. Izmir, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye are on the Aegean Sea. Kemer, Antalya, Belek, Side and Alanya - on the Mediterranean. The shores of the Marmara Sea in the west of the country and the Black Sea in the north are no less picturesque, but not so popular with the mass beach tourist.

The beaches of the Aegean Sea are dominated by pebbles. On the Mediterranean Sea you can find beaches of all kinds: these are the sandy beaches of Belek and Side, and the rocky bays of Kemer and Antalya.

Almost a hundred beaches in Turkey have been awarded Blue Flags.

Most four- and five-star hotels have their own beaches and take care of maintaining cleanliness and order. But there are also three- and even two-star hotels with their own beaches and with free sunbeds and umbrellas (only in this case, these are usually the simplest designs). Some expensive hotels deliberately inflate prices for using their beaches in order to scare away tourists from outside. In order to use a section of the beach owned by bars or restaurants, you need to make an order there (for example, buy a drink). In this case, you will not have to pay for a sunbed and an umbrella.

Beach visits

All Turkish coasts are theoretically free for everyone to access, although expensive hotels usually severely restrict outsiders from entering their beaches. However, this does not in the least prevent local residents from penetrating the most protected shores, but for a European who is not familiar with local realities, it will not be easy to get to a "foreign" beach. The entire beach infrastructure for hotel guests is usually free, otherwise the entire list of services and prices must be published in the price list. Therefore, in no case is it recommended to pay money to various "caretakers" for an umbrella or deck chair, unless this is stipulated in the contract or the "seller" cannot issue a ticket to pay for the service.

Most Turkish coasts cannot boast of perfect cleanliness, although beach complexes monitor this parameter very well. At the same time, debris raised by the storm, jellyfish, algae and silt are quite common even on good beaches, and the seabed is rarely cleaned regularly. On the south coast, there are emissions of various resins and oils that enter the water from passing ships. The ubiquitous olive oil is excellent for removing such substances from the skin - it is both more effective and safer than organic solvents.

You should pay attention to the time. On many beaches, swimming after sunset is strictly prohibited. And the reason for this is not at all the voluntarism of the hotel owners, but elementary safety requirements - the currents along many Turkish coasts are quite serious, and it is extremely difficult to look for a bather who has been swept into the sea in the dark. However, many beaches in the bays are completely safe for night swimming, and a lot depends on the rules of a particular hotel. Somewhere on the shore, lifeguards or representatives of the hotel security service are on duty, who simply monitor the swimmers, not particularly disturbing them, somewhere they turn on special lights and put up booms, and somewhere they just arrange a lot of entertainment on the shore to distract from the Moon sailing ideas. In addition, many first-class hotels clean the beaches from the garbage accumulated during the day at night, and the water near the coast at this time is not clean.

Aegean beaches

Kusadasi

Pigal beach is located on the road to Kusadasi. This is a new, not so long ago equipped beach with a wide range of water sports and entertainment. Around it is a recreation complex with swimming pools, tennis courts, gyms and snack bars. Payment for goods and services in the complex is made with special beads, which must be purchased in advance at the reception or in kiosks by the pool. But on the beach itself, these beads are not accepted.

City beach - in the center of the city, stretches for a huge distance along the sea. Sunbeds and umbrellas are provided for a fee (about $0.5), the coast is rocky.

To get to the women's beach, you need 10 minutes to go by bus. It is a sandy beach with a large selection of water activities, eateries and restaurants.

"Long Beach" is located 6 km from the center of the resort and stretches for almost 30 km. On its coast there are 4-5 * hotels, many cafes and restaurants, as well as the best collection of water-swimming equipment and water activities. "Long Beach" is the most popular in the resort.

Bodrum

South of Kusadasi is Bodrum, the most party resort in Turkey, the capital of nightlife throughout the country. Bodrum is the best place for fans of surfing and other water sports. It is also suitable for diving enthusiasts.

Marmaris

On the peninsula southeast of Bodrum, Marmaris is located - one of the best seaside resorts in the country, rightfully considered the most "European" in Turkey. Located in a bay with three islands, full of secluded deserted bays, on the border of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

Marmaris has many kilometers of beaches and clear turquoise water. The city beach, accentuated by a double line of palm trees and a narrow walking path, stretches across the bay from the harbor to Icmeler. Sunbeds and umbrellas on the city beach are paid, unless the hotel has a special agreement and does not include their use in the price.

Fethiye

The beaches are large pebbles, in Hill Side Beach there is loose sand, but at the entrance to the sea there are still pebbles. Club Hotel Letoonia is located on the peninsula and the beach there is a platform.

The second part of Fethiye is Olu Deniz Bay, which has about 50 hotels. There are sandy, not very wide beaches, none of them belong to a particular hotel - all are municipal. Entrance to the beaches is free, sun loungers and umbrellas - for a fee (about $ 1 per set). From the edge of the bay, where hotels are already running out, a wide sandy spit goes into the sea, creating a bay closed from winds and currents, where you can swim even in winter. This wide sandy peninsular beach is called Cleopatra's Beach or Turtle Island (turtles do often graze on the spit). It’s worth coming here even from Hill Side Beach - it’s so beautiful here (all the more so - they carry from all hotels for free, and the ride takes a few minutes). The beach is municipal, sunbeds and umbrellas are paid.

Mediterranean beaches

Kemer

The resort is located on the coastal strip between the sea and the mountains. The mountains protect from the winds, and the sea guarantees high humidity and moderates the climate. Kemer has wide pebble beaches. Some hotels have sandy beaches, but at the entrance to the sea - all the same, pebbles. The swimming season lasts from May to October.

In the city of Kemer itself, there are two beaches - one urban, pebbly with a huge variety of water sports and yacht excursions, and the other - sand and pebble Moonlight Beach, on which citrus trees provide cool shade.

Antalya

Antalya, the main resort of Turkey, is located 12 km from the airport. There is a well-developed network of modern hotels, many restaurants, coffee houses in the national style, all kinds of entertainment centers and discos, countless shops, water amusement parks.

In Antalya itself there are sandy beaches. They are not very popular: nevertheless, Antalya is more of an urban resort than a beach one.

Belek

Belek is located between Antalya and Side. This is one of the few resorts on the Turkish Riviera that does not belong to any historical city.

Belek has many kilometers of wide sandy beaches. The swimming season lasts from May to October. Almost the entire coastal zone is marked with the Blue Flag. We can say that Belek itself consists, first of all, of a wide beach stretching for 20 km, covered with coarse and fine sand.

Side

Side is a small town on a peninsula, 75 km north of Antalya, one of the busiest resorts in southern Turkey. Excellent sandy beaches are located to the west of Side, but there are a lot of hotels there. The beaches in the east are always less crowded, and therefore much more pleasant.

Alanya

The beaches in Alanya are narrow, with yellowish sand. The swimming season lasts from late April to mid-November. The horseshoe-shaped coast is dissected by rocky capes protruding into the sea into cozy bays, whose gently sloping beaches are especially good for families with children.