Turkish TV series tourism

Turkish TV series (Turkish: Türk dizileri) are the leading cultural export of Turkey. Beginning from the 2010s, they have become the primary reason to visit the country for many fans.

Most internationally acclaimed Turkish series are melodramatic soap operas, portraying family issues or romance between rich boy and poor girl (or vice versa), although some are based on (more or less) true historical personalities or belong to altogether different genres, such as crime fiction.

Understand

The earliest TV series production in Turkey dates back to 1974. In the 1990s, with the exponential increase of the TV channels in the country, the domestic production soared accordingly, although many Turks were tuning into dubbed US and Latin American shows. In the first decade of the 21st century, some of the Turkish series started to achieve international fame, however, it wasn't until the 2010s they started to take the watchers abroad by storm. The Turkish series are particularly popular in the Balkans, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, likely due to the common cultural traits one way or another, but many have succeeded in winning hearts and minds of viewers elsewhere globally, making the country the fastest growing TV series exporter and the second highest only behind the US. In many countries, the local remakes of the Turkish shows have been aired.

The explosive sudden popularity of Turkish drama has not been without controversy though: in the more conservative Islamic countries, the free love relations and drinking featured in the series were seen as a malice to the society by the religious authorities, while in the Balkans, the series were viewed more in light of promoting old school family values, but blamed for equally promoting a reemerging Turkish influence. Even the Turkish president had a comment on the historical accuracy of a certain series.

Locations

Most filming locations are in Istanbul or its immediate vicinity.

The below list only includes locations featured in the productions with a certain level of international following. The locations are divided by the original titles and are ordered chronogically according to the original release dates. Keep in mind that many are residential and not open to public, so expect not much else than viewing from the outside.

While spoilers are kept to a minimum below, some are inevitably included in the descriptions.

Yabancı Damat

The Foreign Groom was originally released between 2004 and 2007. Except for a 1986 production exported to the then-existing Soviet Union, this was the first Turkish series aired on foreign channels.

• Bodrum. Where the protagonists met.
• Gaziantep. Nazlı's hometown was the main setting.
• The show also featured some of the Greek islands, most notably Symi.

Gümüş

Originally broadcast 2005–2007, Noor has been particularly successful in the Arab world, and was the first one to massively initiate the "Turkish drama tourism".

• Edip Efendi Yalısı, 41.07418°, 29.05604°. This yalı (historic waterside mansions along the Bosphorus) was the main setting. It's on a promontory and best viewed from a Bosphorus boat tour. The building was also one of the settings of Paramparça, see below.

Ihlamurlar Altında

Under the Linden was originally aired between 2005 and 2007.

• Polonezköy. Ömer and Filiz lived here.
• Gazi Mahallesi. The scenes taking place in the slums were filmed in this district, rough and highly politicized in real life.
• Tekstilkent, 41.0686°, 28.8647°. The office and factory scenes were taken here.

Sıla

Sila was originally aired between 2006 and 2008 and got a large following in the Arab world, the Balkans, and South America.

• Mardin tribe manor, 37.41763°, 41.37636°. Boran's mansion of exquisite stone architecture on a hillside overlooking the town is now a government-run guesthouse.

Binbir Gece

One Thousand and One Nights was originally released between 2006 and 2009, and became an instant hit in South America, Russia, and the Balkans.

• Hekimbaşı Yalısı, 41.09047°, 29.06631°. The yalı with its characteristic red paint under the FSM Bridge was one of the settings. Unfortunately it was largely destroyed in 2018 by a ship crashing into it during the passage of the Bosphorus, and awaits reconstruction.
• Afif Paşa Yalısı, 41.11472°, 29.06296°. The early 20th century white yalı where Şehrazat and Onur moved in after getting married.

Dudaktan Kalbe

From the Lips to the Heart was originally aired 2007–2009.

• Şükrü's house, 40.87077°, 29.13412°. The pink mansion was one of the main settings. It serves as a boutique hotel.
• The show also featured other locations on Büyükada, the primary of the Princes' Islands.

Asi

Asi was originally broadcast between 2007 and 2009.

• Kozcuoğlu Farm, 36.2274°, 36.6084°. The main setting is a 1940s-built manor. It was previously featured in numerous films and other productions, and in 2021, there was a proposal to convert it to a cinema museum.

Aşk-ı Memnu

Originally broadcast between 2008 and 2010, the Forbidden Love is among the most widely watched Turkish drama series.

• Ziyagil Mansion, 41.1653°, 29.0529°. Where most of the action took place. Now a museum dedicated to Vehbi Koç (1901–1996), a Turkish entrepreneur and the owner of the building.
• Behlül's retreat, 41.2215°, 29.2963°. The country cottage where Behlül entertained his special guests, including Bihter. The 1855 stone building overlooking the Black Sea is serving as an exclusive hotel with a private beach.

Ezel

Ezel was originally released between 2009 and 2011, and became one of the most successful Turkish series internationally.

• Balat. The historic quarter was featured heavily in the series, as the home of Ezel.
• Ramiz's office. An 18th century inn housing various shops and businesses in Istanbul's busy central bazaar area.
• Molla Aşkı Teras Cafe, 41.03381°, 28.94311°. An open-air cafe overlooking the Golden Horn featured in the show.
• Ulucanlar Prison. The prison scenes were taken here. The actual institution was established in 1925, and converted to a museum in 2011.

Hanımın Çiftliği

Lady's Farm was originally aired 2009–2011 and has been broadcast in the Arab world and the Balkans.

• Muzaffer's manor was a white villa purpose-built for the filming of the series. After the filming ended, it was handed over to the landowner. In 2014, it was arsoned for unknown reasons and got heavily damaged. In 2016, its pictures, with the fire damage shoddily repaired, appeared in the news again, this time on the occasion of a police raid due to moonshine production inside. It is not disclosed whether the building survives to this day, but in 2018 a new purpose-built manor was constructed at (almost) the same site, as a set for Bir Zamanlar Çukurova (see below), which has a similar plot and is made by the same director.

Fatmagül'ün Suçu Ne?

What's Fatmagül's Fault? (often internationally known as Fatmagul) was released between 2010 and 2012 and featured locations in Istanbul and on the Aegean.

• Ildır. Fatmagül's village where the story began.
• Göksu, 41.0794°, 29.0751°. Fatmagül and the family later moved to this neighbourhood in Istanbul, to a shack by the river bearing the same name with the hood. The actual owner of the house was somewhat disgruntled by the exploding number of visitors during the height of the series' fame in Turkey.
• Fatmagül's restaurant, 41.07718°, 29.07816°. A family-run restaurant in real life, but is temporarily closed as of Apr 2022.
• Çengelköy, 41.0507°, 29.0538°. Fatmagül later moved in to Lawyer Kadir's house in this historic neighbourhood.

Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki

Time Goes By was shot 2010–2013 in Istanbul.

• The Akarsu family house, 41.02316°, 28.95839°. Where Ali the Captain lived with his family. The street is lined by Ottoman-style wooden rowhouses, with renovated façades prior to the filming.
• {{listing | name=Cemile's house | directions=Akçakent Sk 6, Anadolufeneri; 40 km north of the city centre on the Asian Side | lat=41.21351 | long=29.15637 | wikidata= | content=After Ali's paramour Caroline decided to move in with him, Cemile along with her mother-in-law and all the kids were evicted and had to take shelter in Ali's perennially unfinished secondary house in an extremely remote location. The building is now a well-maintained hotel with a restaurant. }}

Behzat Ç. Bir Ankara Polisiyesi

Behzat Ç. An Ankara Dedective Story originally ran for four seasons between 2010 and 2019.

It was filmed in a variety of locations in Ankara, including:

• Behzat's hangout, 39.91016°, 32.86185°. Where Behzat and his team regularly patronized is a traditional tavern in real life.
• The Cage, 39.8879°, 32.8564°. An abandoned greenhouse in the botanical park.
• Kurtuluş Park, 39.9267°, 32.8637°. A frequent setting in the first season, where Behzat shot and injured a murderer.
• The show also featured a couple of Ankara's pavyons, infamous shady nightclubs predominantly patronized by males, and where any newcomer is almost certain to be extremely overcharged.

Adını Feriha Koydum

Feriha was originally broadcast 2011–2012.

• Feriha's house, 41.07987°, 29.03689°. The block where Feriha's father worked as the attendant.
• Feriha's restaurant, 41.10307°, 29.06692°. Where Feriha worked is a fine dining restaurant on the Bosphorus in real life.

Kuzey Güney

North South was originally aired between 2011 and 2013.

• Tekinoğlu Bakery, 41.02366°, 29.01182°. The family bakery. The building is office space in real life.
• The Tekinoğlu family house, 41.02342°, 29.01180°. Although the family lived upstairs from the bakery in the plot, actual filming took place within this building.

Muhteşem Yüzyıl

The Magnificent Century (often internationally aired under titles bearing variations of Suleiman or Hurrem) was originally released 2011–2014. If any Turkish series can be argued to have a cult following, it is probably this one.

It was taken in a set, which emulated the following real life locations:

• Topkapı Palace. The seat of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th to the 19th century, including the reign of Suleiman.
• Ibrahim Pasha Palace. The residence of Suleiman's childhood friend, brother-in-law, and grand vizier. The building now serves as the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art.

Medcezir

A teen drama originally aired between 2013 and 2015, Tide reached beyond the traditional markets of Turkish series, such as the Baltics.

• Selim's house, 40.81409°, 29.27235°. The white villa in the fictional upscale suburb of Altınkoy ("golden cove").
• {{listing | name=Mustafa Kemal Mahallesi | directions=Ataşehir, Istanbul; 9 km km northeast of Kadıköy | lat=41.0025 | long=29.0958 | wikidata= | content=The district was depicted as the fictional slum of Tozludere ("dusty creek"), where Yaman lived. }}
• {{listing | name=Altınbaş University | directions=Peyami Safa Cd, Mahmutbey, Bağcılar, Istanbul; 17 km km northwest of the city centre | lat=41.05770 | long=28.82063 | wikidata=Q2756518 | content=The university scenes were taken here, depicted in the plot as Asım Şekip Kaya University. }}

Kara Para Aşk

Black Money Love was originally released 2014–2015, and had international acclaim globally.

• Bebek villa, 41.08023°, 29.05206°. The main setting.
• {{listing | name=Gölyazı | directions=38 km west of Bursa | lat= | long= | wikidata=Q19576831 | content=The lake island village featured in the final episode. }}

Paramparça

Broken Pieces was originally released 2014–2017.

• Tarlabaşı, 41.03602°, 28.97720°. The neighbourhood where Gülseren lived, equally rough in real life.
• The Gürpınar family mansion is the yalı where Cihan lived with his family. It was also featured in Gümüş, see above for more details.

Diriliş Ertuğrul

The original airing of Ertugrul was between 2014 and 2019. It has a particularly dedicated following in the Islamic world.

• Riva. The series were filmed in a set in this village north of Istanbul.

See also Söğüt, the actual location where real-world Ertuğrul lived most of his life.

Anne

Mother was originally broadcoast in 2016 and 2017.

• Bandırma. The first few episodes featured this city, as well as shots from the nearby village of Edincik 📍, 11 km west.
• Beykoz set, 41.1406°, 29.0780°. The later episodes, after the protagonists moved to Istanbul, were taken in a set converted from an early 19th century shoe factory.

Bir Zamanlar Çukurova

Bitter Lands was released in 2018 and, as of Apr 2022, is in its fourth season.

• Aladağ Manor, 36.7980°, 35.2075°. The main setting is a purpose-built elaborate villa.
• Hatip's house, 37.4459°, 35.8150°. The 1890s Ottoman mansion is a boutique hotel with a restaurant.
• Varda Viaduct. The open-air cafe where Fekeli and Hünkar met has a backdrop of this 1912-built railway viaduct over a ravine in the Taurus Mountains.
• {{listing | name=Kozan Castle | directions=Kozan, 75 km northeast of Adana | lat= | long= | wikidata=Q28136435 | content=Another scenic place where Fekeli and Hünkar had a coffee together. }}
• Toprakkale Railway Station, 37.0668°, 36.1456°. The scenes taking place in Adana station in the plot were shot here, built in the 1910s.

Sadakatsiz

Unfaithful was originally aired between 2020 and 2022.

• Tekirdağ. Despite the plot taking place in this city, only the first few episodes were actually shot here. However, aerial shots of the city's seaside park and harbour were frequently shown in the intervals.
• Zekeriyaköy. Most filming of the interior scenes was done in this upscale suburb north of Istanbul.
• Ali's school, 41.1538°, 29.1223°. The school where Ali and Demir attended.

Stay safe

Once the filming is completed, many of the shooting locations are reinstated to their primary function: residential. Attempting to enter (even if only into the gardens), lingering around for too long or aggressively taking a bazillion photos will not be much appreciated, to say the least, by the occupants or the security staff, especially when accompanied by cautions to the contrary. If so, look for better ways to view the locations while confining yourself to a completely legal standpoint, such as a boat tour for the places along the Bosphorus — where this is often the only way due to high fences and hedgerows blocking the view from the streetside.

Having said that, if the shooting is in process, some productions are known to be particularly welcoming to the visitors, although it is by no means certain that you will be allowed in.

Some of the locations, particularly those portrayed as the domicile of less well-to-do, are in rough areas. Always avoid visiting alone or at night — it is best to content with a quick taxi ride across.

Go next

• Yeşilçam St, 41.0349°, 28.9797°. A side alley off Istiklal St, this was where most of the offices of Turkish film industry were located. As such, it metonymically lent its name to all Turkish productions (in a similar fashion to Hollywood in referral to the American movie industry), particularly those predating the 1980s, and therefore arousing nostalgic feelings among many Turks.