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Türkiye's Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has opened 15 public beaches for free use along the Aegean, Mediterranean and Marmara coasts over the past two years as part of a project applying zero-waste principles to public beach access, the ministry said.
The "Public Beach Project," led by Minister Murat Kurum, aims to guarantee free public access to the coastline while extending zero-waste practices to beaches nationwide, according to a ministry statement.
The project is carried out by the General Directorate for the Protection of Natural Assets in cooperation with the Coastal Management and Environmental Protection Company, a joint venture of the Turkish Environmental Protection Foundation.
Last year, eight beaches were redeveloped with environmentally friendly infrastructure: Iztuzu and Sarigerme in Ortaca, near Mugla on Türkiye's southwestern Aegean coast; Akbuk in Mentese, also in Mugla province; Kizkumu in Marmaris; Bitez Haciahmetler in Bodrum; and Calis, Belcekiz and Karaot in Fethiye.
This year, six more beaches were opened to free public use: Gocek in Fethiye; Altinkum and Pamuk Ovasi in Cesme, near Izmir on the Aegean coast; Kumdenizi in Urla, also near Izmir; Sarimsakli in Ayvalik, Balikesir province, on the northern Aegean coast; Gaziomer in Enez, Edirne province, near Türkiye's border with Greece; and Kisalar in Manavgat, near Antalya on the Mediterranean coast.
The beaches span 24,682 square meters across five provinces and are expected to serve an average of 636,000 visitors a year, according to the ministry.
A total of 784 umbrellas have been set up across the beaches, where umbrellas, shade structures, showers and toilets are provided free of charge.
Visitors may bring their own food and drinks, while ministry-run kiosks on site offer items at controlled prices.
The beaches also include waste-sorting bins as part of Türkiye's Zero Waste Project, along with beach volleyball courts.
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