Cities Near Istanbul: Let’s Explore!

If you love Istanbul but don’t want to settle there, other cities near Istanbul can be a good alternative for you. Istanbul is the most densely populated and most popular city in Turkey. It has approximately 15 million and 850 thousand population which is almost the triple of the second most crowded city Ankara with a population of 5 million 750 thousand. Although Istanbul has all the activities, social opportunities and the most fun places in Turkey, it can be a little overwhelming. To enjoy Istanbul to the fullest, cities near Istanbul can be what you are looking for.

With its huge crowd, Istanbul is no doubt a metropolitan city and because of that the opportunities are endless. There are thousands of events happening in a month in Istanbul ranging from small scale self-improvement classes to professional concerts. Also, Istanbul is the business hub of Turkey containing almost every major company, industry and much more in Turkey. It is a constantly developing and growing city that never sleeps so all of it can be exhausting from time to time. If you want to escape from it but can’t, get away for long, you can check out the cities near Istanbul.

Kocaeli

Kocaeli is the closest city near Istanbul which is located on the east. It is also the 4^th most developed city in Turkey after Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. It was recorded that the city has about 2 million population. Located around Black Sea, İzmit Strait, Marmara Sea and Istanbul Kocaeli is famous for its industry and commerce. The city greatly benefited from being close to Istanbul and thanks to the easy transportation methods and became one of the fastest developed cities in Turkey. Kocaeli has a warm weather in most places with exceptions on the harsher weathers seen on the mountainous regions.

Being the closest city near Istanbul, it is also the easiest city to travel to Istanbul and from. There is a highway named Highway 5 which connects the two cities and Osman Gazi Bridge spanning the Gulf of İzmit at its narrowest point as a part of this highway. Marmaray intercontinental commuter rail line also reaches Gebze in Kocaeli from Istanbul. There are also municipality and private busses that travel in fixed frequent intervals.

Tekirdağ

Tekirdağ is another neighbor of Istanbul located on the Thrace region of Turkey. It is on the northwest of and European side of Turkey and a part of Marmara. It is between the Black Sea and Marmara Sea. It is one of the most historic places in Turkey which has historic places and artifacts found dating back to the Paleolithic age. Throughout the history, it was inhabited by countless empires and nations starting from Thracians and including Macedonians, Persians, Rome and Byzantine. Tekirdağ is a historical and cultural powerhouse of Turkey with its vast and ancient history.

Tekirdağ has one of the best soils in Turkey which provides most of the sunflower and wheat production. Along with farming, the husbandry also has a significant importance in the region as well. Being located on the European side of Turkey, industrial and commercial businesses are plenty. In 2016 it was ranked 4^th in Turkey as the “Ideal city to do business and live in” after İzmir. It is one of the best and most developed cities near Istanbul.

Sakarya

Sakarya is located on the Marmara Region of Turkey along the coast of Black Sea neighboring Kocaeli. It is known for Sakarya River which is the third longest river in Turkey. Significant hazelnut and corn are raised and farmed in this city. Along with farming, the industry development has gained speed in recent years. In history, the city is known to be home for Hittites, Phrygians and Lydians. Being swapped from nation to nation throughout the history, its value is proven. Sakarya has a rainy weather and a lush vegetation including forests. The railway lines pass through Sakarya from Istanbul to Ankara. With this railway, distance between Sakarya and Istanbul is 141 km while Ankara is 436 km. There are also highways which are connecting to Istanbul namely TEM and Highway 7. If you want to be surrounded by nature, Sakarya is the best choice among cities near Istanbul.

Kırklareli

It is a historic place which was discovered to be sunken after the Ice Age shows the first signs of life in neolithic period. Located in Thrace region, it is on the Marmara Region on the most northwest corner of Turkey. Throughout history, it was habited by variety of nations including Byzantines. Neighboring Bulgaria, Kırklareli is also a border region. Due to its location and proximity to Istanbul and Europe it has a rapid developing industry. The industry includes production of food and drinks, textile, chemicals and non-metallic minerals. Besides these, there are also businesses on dairy, husbandry, dye, alcohol, farming and much more. The distance between Kırklareli and Istanbul is around 200 km and can be travelled in 2 and a half hours. If you like history and nature Kırklareli can be a getaway from Istanbul.

Yalova

Yalova is located just south of Istanbul on the coast of Marmara Sea. It is the smallest city in Turkey due to its size but with a continuous coast of 105 km. Being a small city, Yalova can be a breath of fresh air from the city chaos. The advantage of Yalova is that it is one of the closest cities near Istanbul and its relatively cheap prices. You can travel to Istanbul by ferry or by bus. It takes about one hour to travel between Yalova and Istanbul by ferry. If you want to travel by land, you can go to Anatolian side in about an hour with an approximately 70 km distance or to the European side in 1 hour and a half with approximately 100 km distance.

Besides these cities we mentioned, there are also cities like Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Bursa, Bolu and Eskişehir which are a little bit farther. If you want to explore the cities near Istanbul, you can comfortably do so since Istanbul has a travel option to anywhere you can imagine.

Take a look at the real estate in Istanbul with high income potential and the right to obtain Turkish citizenship.