Kartal is one the suburban areas of Istanbul, close to the Gulf of Izmit on the Anatolian side, neighboring to Pendik and Maltepe along the shore. It was a fishing village called Kartalimen during the Byzantine period and it became a district of the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century. The village slowly transformed into an industrial area in the 20th century by the introduction of the Haydarpaşa-Gebze train line. Therefore, it is a highly populated province, despite being far from the city center. The factories and the production facilities were moved to the inland areas in the recent years, opening space for cultural centers, cafes, restaurants and luxury apartments.

The long coastline of Kartal is home to green parks, modern building complexes and various activity centers. The municipality also opened a public beach for swimming and sailing. There are two important weekly public markets organized by the locals. Women’s handcrafts market is open for four days of the week and the ecological market is set up every Sunday. Several social projects are supported by the municipality, from health services to the education of children and special services for people with disabilities. 

Dragos is located on the Dragos hill with a gorgeous view of the Prince’s Islands. It was once a summer retreat area, before transforming into an upscale residential area with several luxury properties and hotels. It is a protected zone; therefore there are still plenty of green areas for peaceful nature escapes. Aydos Forest, located in the highest hill of Istanbul, is a perfect place to escape the city and get some fresh air near a small lake.

Kartal is at the intersection point of many important highways going to Anatolia. There are also ferries to Prince’s Islands and to Yalova, an excellent short escape from Istanbul, with thermal baths and splendid nature. The connection between Marmaray and the Kadıköy-Kartal metro line has led to a dramatic increase in the market value of the province and made it very attractive for the Turkish real estate industry. Both the coastline and the inland areas are preferred for property investment in Istanbul, thanks to a big urban transformation project and the rise of luxury investment.