What happened
Residents of Antalya are increasingly moving from the coast to settlements in the Taurus Mountains during summer, as rising heat makes urban life harder. According to research reported by İklim Haber, this is no longer limited to the traditional seasonal use of highland areas. Some people are extending their stays and others are moving there permanently.
Researchers from Sakarya University and Bahçeşehir University compared Antalya’s coastal districts with highland settlements including Geyikbayırı, Üçoluk and Feslikan. They interviewed 29 people in and around these villages.
The study used Physiological Equivalent Temperature, which incorporates humidity, wind and solar radiation as well as air temperature. It found summer perceived temperatures of 35–41°C on the coast, with some locations exceeding the threshold for extreme heat stress. In the highlands, perceived temperatures were generally about 20–23°C.
Satellite analysis also identified a clear expansion of built-up areas around Geyikbayırı, Üçoluk and Feslikan over the past decade. Areas once mainly associated with farming and livestock are increasingly being used for summer homes. Demand for highland housing rose after the pandemic, and interviewees reported higher land and house prices.
Why it matters
The movement illustrates a local form of climate-related mobility in Türkiye: residents can respond to heat by relocating within the same province rather than leaving the region entirely. For Antalya’s local authorities and service providers, the change shifts demand for water, roads, healthcare and other public services towards small upland settlements.
Those services were not designed for the growing population. Further residential construction may also intensify planning and infrastructure pressures in highland areas. The research indicates that both coastal and upland areas will continue to warm, although the highlands are expected to remain cooler than the coast.
What's next
The findings point to a need for planning that accounts for longer seasonal stays and possible permanent settlement in the highlands. The study’s comparison suggests that heat adaptation in Antalya will increasingly involve both reducing exposure on the coast and managing population growth in cooler mountain communities.
