Explore The Best Of Turkey’s Rural Tourism: Akyaka, Barbaros, Kale Üçağız, And Anıtlı Named Among Unwto’s Best Villages For 2025

Published on October 20, 2025

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced its latest database of Best Tourism Villages 2025, and 4 picturesque villages from Turkey person made nan cut. These villages guidelines retired for their committedness to preserving cultural heritage, promoting environmental sustainability, and supporting local economical growth. This nickname highlights nan rising value of agrarian tourism and sustainable recreation successful Turkey, wherever earthy beauty, humanities significance, and community-driven initiatives blend seamlessly. The Turkish villages selected for this grant correspond divers regions, from nan serene coasts of nan Mediterranean to nan historical heartlands of nan east.

A Look astatine nan Recognized Villages

The 4 Turkish villages selected for nan Best Tourism Villages 2025 are Akyaka successful Muğla, Barbaros successful Izmir, Kale Üçağız successful Antalya, and Anıtlı successful Mardin. Each colony offers a unsocial experience, reflecting Turkey’s rich | taste diverseness and earthy beauty.

1. Akyaka
   Nestled on nan confederate coast, Akyaka has agelong been a celebrated retreat for quality lovers. This charming colony stands retired for its eco-friendly architecture that blends accepted Ottoman styles pinch modern greenish designs. Surrounded by lush landscapes and clear waters, Akyaka is cleanable for those seeking a serene getaway. Its committedness to sustainability and environmental preservation adds to its allure, making it a exemplary for really tourism tin thrive while respecting nature.
2. Barbaros
   Located successful Izmir, Barbaros is simply a colony known for its committedness to section craftsmanship and traditions. The village’s rich | taste practice is celebrated done its handcrafted goods, traditional cuisine, and vibrant organization spirit. Here, visitors tin acquisition a unsocial blend of history, culture, and earthy beauty, arsenic good arsenic nan warmth of section hospitality. It represents nan cleanable equilibrium of agrarian tourism and community-driven growth.
3. Kale Üçağız
   The tranquil coastal colony of Kale Üçağız lies successful Antalya, overlooking nan turquoise waters of nan Mediterranean. Built atop nan ancient Lycian colony of Theimussa, nan colony offers a rich | tapestry of archaeological remains. This operation of history and natural beauty makes Kale Üçağız a hidden gem for tourists. The village’s serene ambiance and preserved ruins make it an perfect location for some history enthusiasts and quality lovers.
4. Anıtlı
   Located successful nan southeastern portion of Turkey, Anıtlı successful Mardin has a heavy humanities significance. The village’s multi-faith heritage and ancient ruins supply visitors pinch a unsocial glimpse into nan divers cultures that person shaped this region. From its ancient chromatic houses to its ineffable sites, Anıtlı tells a communicative of coexistence and taste exchange. This colony highlights really practice tourism tin thrust section economic development while maintaining respect for its rich | past.

A Focus connected Sustainable and Community-Based Tourism

The Best Tourism Villages inaugural by nan UNWTO celebrates agrarian destinations that excel successful preserving their cultural legacy while promoting sustainability. Out of complete 270 submissions from crossed nan world, 52 villages from 29 countries were selected. The initiative, now successful its 5th year, recognizes villages that lend to sustainable improvement by fostering local engagement and promoting environmental care.

The villages included successful nan Upgrade Programme will besides use from further support and resources aimed astatine helping them meet nan criteria for early editions of nan awards. This ensures that tourism tin stay a unit for bully successful agrarian areas, creating lasting benefits for some communities and visitors.

Tourism’s Impact connected Turkey’s Rural Areas

In Turkey, tourism has go much than conscionable an economical activity; it is simply a measurement of preserving section culture and ensuring that early generations tin use from nan nation’s rich | heritage. The nickname of these villages aligns pinch nan country’s efforts to beforehand rural tourism arsenic a sustainable replacement to wide tourism, which often places a strain connected celebrated municipality destinations.

By highlighting nan achievements of these villages, nan UNWTO is not only celebrating their beauty and characteristic but besides showcasing their expertise to sustainably manage tourism while empowering local communities. The inclusion of these villages connected nan world shape brings international attention to nan imaginable for agrarian areas to thrive successful nan tourism assemblage without compromising their values aliases environment.

Travel Tips for Visiting nan Best Turkish Villages

For travelers looking to sojourn nan Best Tourism Villages successful Turkey, present are immoderate recreation tips:

• Akyaka: Visit nan Azmak River for a serene vessel thrust and research nan village’s eco-friendly lodges. Don’t miss retired connected tasting caller section seafood and trying accepted Turkish coffee.
• Barbaros: Take a guided tour to study astir nan section craftsmanship. Be judge to extremity by nan village’s markets to acquisition unsocial handmade products and bask authentic Turkish dishes.
• Kale Üçağız: Explore nan ruins of Theimussa, and see taking a vessel travel to adjacent Kekova Island, celebrated for its submerged ancient city. For a quiet retreat, opt for a cottage stay pinch a position of nan coast.
• Anıtlı: Discover nan ancient chromatic houses and research nan adjacent ruins. Make judge to sojourn nan section markets for accepted handicrafts and location specialties.

Turkey’s Growing Reputation successful Sustainable Tourism

Turkey’s action of 4 villages arsenic Best Tourism Villages is portion of a broader inclination wherever sustainable and community-based tourism is becoming a priority. The authorities has been focusing connected preserving nan country’s natural landscapes and cultural diversity, while simultaneously ensuring that section communities use economically from tourism. This nickname shows that Turkey is progressively seen arsenic a leader successful integrating tourism pinch conservation efforts.

Final Thoughts connected Turkey’s Tourism Evolution

With its unsocial operation of cultural heritage, natural beauty, and sustainable tourism practices, Turkey is mounting an illustration for really agrarian areas tin thrive done thoughtful, community-based tourism. These 4 villages, each pinch its ain charm and character, service arsenic reminders that tourism tin beryllium an basal instrumentality for preserving section traditions while offering travelers unforgettable experiences.