The sands of time meet sandy shores in Turkey where the coastline boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the world – including 352 that meet the stringent Blue Flag criteria for environmental education and management, water quality, safety and services. Picture yourself at one of these sun-kissed seascapes.

Often mentioned as one of the top five beaches in the world, Ölüdeniz is cocooned by a steep ridge of mountains where paragliders leap from the peaks down into Kelebek Vadisi (Butterfly Valley), known for its annual hatching of the rare tiger butterfly.

Marmaris is one of Turkey’s most popular summer destinations, with towering mountains framing beautiful bays and offshore islands.

The longest beach in the Mediterranean, Patara Beach boasts a sandy shoreline extending more than 11 miles with mountains at each end and sand dunes along its length.

Olympos Beach is known for its treehouse-style accommodations and its three-mile sweep of beach lined by fir trees and surrounded by a mountains, including the 8,000-foot peak of Mt. Olympos.

On the road between Kalkan and Kas, the beach at Kaputas spreads out at the base of a gorge where fresh water mixes with the turquoise sea at a place that can only be accessed by descending 200 steps down the cliff face. From there, beachgoers can swim to the sea caves of Güvercin Mağarası and Mavi Mağara, and waterside rocks that act as natural diving boards into the tranquil sea.

You may also like:

Turkey: Playground of the Gods

Turkey: Wherever the Wind Blows