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.


 * The show also featured some of the Greek islands, most notably.
 * The show also featured some of the Greek islands, most notably.
 * The show also featured some of the Greek islands, most notably.

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".



Ihlamurlar Altında
Under the Linden was originally aired between 2005 and 2007.



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



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.



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


 * The show also featured other locations on Büyükada, the primary of the Princes' Islands.
 * The show also featured other locations on Büyükada, the primary of the Princes' Islands.

Asi
Asi was originally broadcast between 2007 and 2009.



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



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



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.



Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki
Time Goes By was shot 2010–2013 in Istanbul.



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:


 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.



Kuzey Güney
North South was originally aired between 2011 and 2013.



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:



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



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



Paramparça
Broken Pieces was originally released 2014–2017.


 * The Gürpınar family mansion is the yalı where Cihan lived with his family. It was also featured in Gümüş, see above for more details.
 * 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.



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

Anne
Mother was originally broadcoast in 2016 and 2017.



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



Sadakatsiz
Unfaithful was originally aired between 2020 and 2022.



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.