Kilyos, the Closest Beach to the City

Knowing you can have your feet on Black Sea sand within an hour of Taksim saves summer days. Kilyos — officially Kumköy — is Istanbul's beach town, with a long sandy shore just west of the point where the Bosphorus opens into the Black Sea. Compared with the calm, crowded Marmara shores, the sea here is a real sea: wavy, cold and clean. Getting there: İETT bus 151 from Hacıosman, the last stop on the M2 metro, reaches Kilyos in 40 minutes; on summer weekends services increase but leave full. By car via Sarıyer or the Northern Marmara motorway; beach car parks charge and fill by noon. To be on the sand at 9, leave at 7:30. The day: The shore divides in two: the municipal public beach to the west, private beach clubs stretching east. The public beach has cheap loungers and showers and a lifeguard; the clubs charge a day fee that includes loungers, parasols and music, and need weekend reservations. Whichever you choose, the rule is the same: swim only in the lifeguarded zone marked by yellow-green flags. Black Sea currents are serious, especially on windy days, and a red flag means no swimming. In the afternoon walk to the rocks at the eastern end; from there you see the Rumeli lighthouse at the mouth of the strait and ships waiting offshore. The town itself is small: a few streets, kiosks and summer guesthouses. Food: Beach club restaurants are expensive; the town's eateries offer grilled fish and köfte at fairer prices. Corn and stuffed mussels sold on the sand are the classic summer lunch. Bring your own water and fruit. Return: Long queues form at the bus stop between 6 and 7 p.m.; either wait for sunset and leave after 8 or go at 5. Getting off in Sarıyer for a fish dinner is the best way to stretch the day. Practical notes: Kilyos is windy; parasols fly easily, so prefer a shade tent or a club umbrella. The water is a few degrees colder than the Marmara. Early September, when crowds thin and the water is still warm, is the best time. Most beaches close in October; in winter the sand is empty but has a stormy beauty for walks.