On your next holiday in Turkey, you can get closer to your favorite characters from Turkish TV series. We share information about where you can recreate memorable shots and feel like the main characters for a while. For example, imagine that you are watching the complicated relationship of Serkan Bolat with Eda Yildiz or find a cafe from the series “Black Love”. And if you want more than just walking, you can epically jump off the bridge, like in “Vetreny”, getting an adrenaline rush. Travel and enjoy a unique experience, because our life is no less interesting than a movie.
Istanbul: “Knock on my door”
The creators of the series generously give gifts to fans, providing the exact addresses of most of the places shown in the film. For example, you can easily find Serkan’s house located in the business center of Istanbul, on Iyiniyet Sk street. at number 5, as well as Eda’s house on Direkli Sk. 28. Art Life company office is located at Mashattan Sitesi, Anka Sk.
Fans of the series will probably want to visit Aunt Eda’s flower shop, which turns out to be not just a cinematic decor, but quite real. This cozy shop is located in one of Istanbul’s districts on the Asian side of the city. To get there, take the ferry to the Kuzguncuk stop and then walk to number 132 on Icadiye Cd.
Riva: “Early Bird”
In the series, many scenes depicting the romantic relationship between Sanem and Can were filmed in Istanbul. Viewers will be able to recognize famous tourist attractions such as the Maiden Tower and the Galata Bridge. The couple in love walked along the Karakoy pier and Fenebrahce Park, and also enjoyed lunch at the Mihrabat Korusu restaurant (address Mihrabat Cad. No: 50) in Mihrabat Park.
However, some scenes were filmed in the small resort town of Riva, located on the Black Sea coast, about 40 kilometers from Istanbul. The beautiful scenery of this village is popular among directors, and TV series such as Ertugrul Resurrected and Foundation: Osman were also filmed here. For convenience, it is best to get to Riva by car; the journey from Istanbul will take about an hour. But you can also use public transport, bus No. 137 from the Beykoz district.
Bosphorus: “Black Love”
The filming of the main part of the series, one of the first to win the hearts of Russian viewers, took place in Istanbul. Many locations will be familiar to you without additional help. For example, the Sultan Mehmed Fatih suspension bridge over the Bosphorus, which was captured in many frames of the series “Black Love”. Nearby is Istanbul State University, where many scenes were also filmed.
The Otantik cafe, where Kemal and Nihan spent their romantic dates, is open to everyone who wants to enjoy a cup of coffee or a snack. It is located near the Galata Tower at Camekan Sk. No:4 and open from 14:00 to 22:00.
Topkapi Palace: “The Magnificent Century”
Many scenes from “The Magnificent Century” were filmed on specially created sound stages, but the scenery reproduces the famous Topkapi Palace complex, one of Istanbul’s greatest attractions, in every smallest detail.
So, the question arises: why was it so difficult to film in the palace itself? It’s simple: the complex currently functions as a museum, closing it regularly would be too costly and difficult. However, for fans of the series this is good news: they can easily stroll through the halls that they saw in their favorite film (it is worth noting that these halls themselves testified to real events associated with Sultan Suleiman and Hurrem). The Topkapi Palace Museum is open daily except Tuesdays from 9:00 to 19:00 (open until 16:00 in winter).
Midyat: “Windy”
To create the atmosphere of the series about the complex relationship between Reyyan Shadoglu and Miran Aslanbey, the ancient city of Midyat, located in southeastern Turkey, was chosen. A four-hour plane ride from Istanbul will take you to this amazing location.
Upon arrival, don’t miss the Umut Konagi mansion, which served as a filming backdrop. You will recognize it immediately, because this is where, according to the plot, the Shadoglu family lived. The main scenes were filmed directly inside the mansion, and the wedding of the main characters took place in its courtyard. It is interesting to note that the same mansion was used in the early 2000s for the filming of another Turkish series called “Sila. Returning home.”
If you want to capture a spectacular shot against the background of the beautiful ancient bridge where Reyyan and Miran throw themselves into the water in the finale of the third season, you will have to travel more than 100 kilometers from Midyat to the province of Diyarbakir. This bridge, known as Malabadi, was built in the 7th century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Edigöller Park: “Shattered”
The series takes place in Istanbul, but to create one of the most impressive scenes in episode 42 of the first season, where Gulseren proposes to Cansu, the audience, along with the characters, are transported to Yedigöller National Park, also known as the Seven lakes This beautiful corner of nature is located in the Black Sea region, 42 km north of the city of Bolu. To get to the park, you can rent a car and follow the Yeniçağa Road.
As the name implies, the park includes seven small lakes with waterfalls, surrounded by forest where deer and wolves live. Yedigöller attracts not only tourists, locals often come here to have a picnic, take a walk, enjoy the views or even hunt for the fish that the lakes are rich in.
If you wish, you can even stay for a few days in one of the guest houses or bungalows located inside the park. It is especially magnificent here in the autumn, when the trees transform and turn into various shades of green, red, orange and yellow. It is this wonderful time of year that is captured in the series.
