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Original poster

What's turkey like for a holiday?

54 replies

lil328 · 03/03/2025 20:21

Me, husband and two daughters are hoping to go on holiday in May, because of half term it's fairly expensive, we have found some in turkey cheaper, what's it like?

OP posts:
bonkersplonkers · 03/03/2025 20:22

I'm interested too! Holidays have gone so expensive haven't they.

Laiste · 03/03/2025 20:50

Turkey was my least favourite holiday.

The history was interesting but the local men were more lewd than anywhere else i've been (Egypt, Tunisia, Cyprus ect).

Shouting out and looking at your chest, whistling and pinching ect

ivegotthisyeah · 03/03/2025 20:51

There is another current thread on Turkey 🇹🇷
We love it

Spirallingdownwards · 03/03/2025 20:51

Fag- but depends where. Istanbul and Cappadocia were great.

Another time we went on a beach trip to Anatalya and the hotels and food were amazing especially for the price.

90swildchild · 03/03/2025 20:54

Worst holiday I've ever been on. Very very leery men in my experience. I'd never go back! Went to Marmaris.

stanleypops66 · 03/03/2025 20:55

I love it. Dalyan is stunning.

loveawineloveacrisp · 03/03/2025 21:07

Love Antalya. No leery men in my experience (3 separate holidays in 5 star hotels). Don't know about other parts of Turkey.

ConnieHeart · 03/03/2025 21:10

One of my favourite holidays ever. We stayed at Barut B Suites in Side

Titasaducksarse · 03/03/2025 21:11

Had a great holiday to Olu Deniz in 2009. Keep meaning to return to Turkey.

Theimpossiblegirl · 03/03/2025 21:25

Loved the olu deniz area last year. Was very chilled and my 2 blonde young adult daughters were not pestered.

valder · 03/03/2025 21:33

I've not been myself although anyone I've known who has gone to places like Side, Olu Deniz etc. have enjoyed it and found it great value for money + good weather.

My view, take it or leave it is that I won't go for several reasons, the major being that I just can't support Erdogan's regime. It might look all fine on the surface, but it has many despicable acts to its credit. Also, friends who have been tell me that it is only men they see working in the tourist industry in the restaurants etc. Women are nowhere to be seen, I reckon they are cleaning the toilets out of sight!

So on a personal level I wouldn't go, but it's nothing to do with leery men, it's the whole system really that I wouldn't like. I'm sure the resorts are fabulous and great for kids too though.

justasmalltownmum · 03/03/2025 21:43

We love it.
Have taken the DC to Antalya many times.

Jade520 · 03/03/2025 21:50

Went as a family to several places including Istanbul, Cappadocia and Cirali and was never leered at or had any problems with men at all. Love turkey and going back again this year. Not like Egypt at all IME, the the hassle there was constant.

Walkingwithdinosaurs · 03/03/2025 21:52

Love it, we’ve stayed in Antalya twice & had a great time. Never once encountered leery men however we didn’t venture to far, just to the local shopping malls.

the food was amazing, the beaches lovely and the hospitality was outstanding

LaPetitePouleRousse · 03/03/2025 22:04

I believe the Foreign Office has just advised against travel to Turkey? Check the FCDO site...

Pottingup · 03/03/2025 22:07

Within 10km of Syrian border which was probably not where she was thinking of holidaying

purpledagger · 03/03/2025 22:10

i went to Marmaris last year and it felt like a European holiday resort. we never had any problems with leary men. In the Grand Bazaar, the predominant male shop workers will try and talk to you to get you into their shop eg we heard, hello UK, cheap shoes, come and look, cheap t-shirts etc.

We took a short cut down some back roads where locals tended to eat a shop and they all kept to to themselves, so we had no issues.

one tip is that they seems to like pounds and euros in many places we went and shops would default to pounds rather than giving the price in turkish lira.

aniloD · 04/03/2025 11:32

Absolutely love Turkey.
Have been many times. Mainly to the Hisaronu, Ovacik area.
Never found it leery. (Hated Morocco and Egypt for the horrible men).

gegs73 · 04/03/2025 11:40

Laiste · 03/03/2025 20:50

Turkey was my least favourite holiday.

The history was interesting but the local men were more lewd than anywhere else i've been (Egypt, Tunisia, Cyprus ect).

Shouting out and looking at your chest, whistling and pinching ect

I’d agree with this and I was late 40s at the time and definitely don’t get that at home 😳 If I were any younger or not with a husband/partner I would of found it very intimidating. It was also surprisingly really expensive.

Jins · 04/03/2025 11:45

LaPetitePouleRousse · 03/03/2025 22:04

I believe the Foreign Office has just advised against travel to Turkey? Check the FCDO site...

Just the Turkey/Syria border

We had a great holiday in Bitez, outside Bodrum last year. Amazing value for money and nobody leered at me. (Which isn’t a surprise as I’m not a good candidate for leering)

Kneeboobs · 04/03/2025 11:48

loveawineloveacrisp · 03/03/2025 21:07

Love Antalya. No leery men in my experience (3 separate holidays in 5 star hotels). Don't know about other parts of Turkey.

We stayed in Antalya too,me dd17 and dd11,all male staff and shop owners etc were perfect gentlemen.Stunning holiday.

eyespartyparty · 04/03/2025 11:49

Got to wonder why it's so much cheaper than everywhere else, which puts me off.

CapabilityBrownsHaHa · 04/03/2025 11:50

I've loved my Turkish holidays, and have been 10+ times, but I've been priced out in the last couple of years, so am back to exploring different Greek islands.

Kneeboobs · 04/03/2025 11:52

valder · 03/03/2025 21:33

I've not been myself although anyone I've known who has gone to places like Side, Olu Deniz etc. have enjoyed it and found it great value for money + good weather.

My view, take it or leave it is that I won't go for several reasons, the major being that I just can't support Erdogan's regime. It might look all fine on the surface, but it has many despicable acts to its credit. Also, friends who have been tell me that it is only men they see working in the tourist industry in the restaurants etc. Women are nowhere to be seen, I reckon they are cleaning the toilets out of sight!

So on a personal level I wouldn't go, but it's nothing to do with leery men, it's the whole system really that I wouldn't like. I'm sure the resorts are fabulous and great for kids too though.

There were a lot of female wait staff in our hotel,also in the main office and reception staff were mostly female.

Sheknowsaboutme · 04/03/2025 11:52

I went to turkey 25 yrs ago and vowed never to go again. Leery men, really disgusting attitude to women, and its not changed by what i read on here.