Istanbul's Ormanlı village offers quick escape from city

Located in Istanbul's Çatalca district, the village of Ormanlı has become a popular spot for Istanbulites who want to spend their weekend in touch with nature, in particular the sea.

Located 35 kilometers away from Çatalca, Ormanlı has gained recent popularity thanks to its clean sea and beach. To reach the village, which is on the western shore of Terkos Lake, you first have to find Kestanelik by using the newly constructed Saray Road.

After taking a short ride down the road, while taking in the scenery, you can reach the beach that is five kilometers away from the village. Hosting the two-kilometer beach, the area also offers paragliding opportunities on windy days. Paragliders create an extra layer of scenery above the beach in the summer.

Nature walks, bird watching, cycling tours and hand line fishing are the other activities offered to visitors at Ormanlı.

A popular spot for fishermen thanks to its fish diversity, Terkos Lake is also home to a migratory bird population. Hence, the village also has bird observation towers for bird watchers.