Uskumruköy
A residential neighbourhood north of Belgrad Forest, Uskumruköy offers a quiet escape with easy access to Istanbul's favourite forest recreation spots.
Uskumruköy sits just north of Belgrad Forest, one of the most popular green escapes for Istanbulites. It’s a residential neighbourhood with a population around 9,900, and it feels more like a village than a city suburb. The air is noticeably cleaner than in central Istanbul, and you’ll see more joggers and cyclists than traffic jams on weekday mornings. The real draw is the forest itself. From Uskumruköy, you can walk or drive straight into the woods, where picnic tables and barbecue spots fill up fast on weekends. Locals come here to grill, hike, or just sit under the trees. It’s not a polished tourist destination—it’s a working neighbourhood where people live, so you’ll find a bakery, a market, and a few simple tea gardens rather than souvenir shops. If you’re driving towards the Black Sea coast at Kilyos, you’ll pass through Uskumruköy. It makes a good stop before or after the beach, especially in spring and autumn when the forest is at its best. Just don’t expect a quiet road on Sunday afternoons—everyone is heading back to the city.
“To inhale clean forest air and eat a simple köy kahvaltısı before hitting the Belgrad Forest trails.”
Go early on a Sunday morning to snag a fresh simit from the bakery and claim a good picnic spot; by afternoon the road back from Kilyos turns into a parking lot.
Village streets are narrow and uneven; wheelchairs may struggle, but the main road is paved.
Good to know
- Is Uskumruköy free to visit?
- Free. Black Sea side village inland from Kilyos — weekend escape roads
- How long should you spend at Uskumruköy?
- ~1h
- When is the best time to visit Uskumruköy?
- Morning
- Is Uskumruköy wheelchair accessible?
- Village streets are narrow and uneven; wheelchairs may struggle, but the main road is paved.
