Istanbul is also more likely to disappoint beach lovers. The Turkish city of contrasts is located on the shores of the Bosphorus Bay (İstanbul Boğazı), which barely warms up to +20°C during the warm months of summer. It is impossible to swim in the Bosphorus not only because of the temperature, but also for safety reasons – up to 90 tons of oil products and industrial pollutants are annually thrown into the navigable strait, its waters are full of Black Sea jellyfish and algae.

True, if you are still determined to arrange a beach day for yourself, 40 minutes from Istanbul’s Kadikoy pier are the popular Princes’ Islands of the Marmara Sea. You can get to them by ferry for 15 Turkish liras one way.