To ask for your Turkey holiday recommendations

[jammydodgers12]

Hello

My husband and I are looking for a week away in September to Turkey.

I'd like to stay in Antalya or Olu Deniz preferably.

We are 30 so a good balance of peace and quiet and some entertainment in the evening would be ideal, we'd like to do a couple of excursions.

I'd be grateful for any recommendations, thank you 😊

My recommendation would be not to go to a country with such a dodgy record on human rights.

Likewise I would not go to Turkey because of the current regime there.

Definitely go to Antalya. It’s the best. Stay in the city centre as there is loads to do and enough of a mix of quiet and fun.
we stayed in the Akra which was brilliant and really inexpensive.

I agree with this…….. but so do the majority of the population of turkey! Everyone we spoke to there can’t stand president Erdogun and liken him to Putin. But they can’t get him out yet and the people are struggling. They are really poor and their economy has really taken a bit. These people’s jobs are there because of tourism! Not going on holiday there isn’t going to hurt the president and his government- it’ll hurt the people at the bottom!

Boycotting is a powerful thing though. Mandela believed that it was a significant factor in hastening the end of apartheid.

I have a Turkish friend who was imprisoned and tortured for two weeks for writing for a pro-Kurdish newspaper. She was granted asylum as a result and is now a UK citizen. Her boss was sentenced to 250 years in prison.

I wouldn't go there if you paid me.

Aside from all the political and safety concerns, I would be very concerned about how expensive everything was while I was there.

Even going all inclusive won't help because the hotels etc can't keep up with the rate of inflation either, so will not be able to provide the same volume/quality of food etc for their guests.

If you check out all the holidays available, you'll see that most are to Turkey because no-one is booking to go there right now, for all of the reasons PP's have already mentioned as well as the crazy (100%) current inflation rate there.

I'd be booking another country tbh.

Side in Antalya is my go to, however most British people tend to go to the Dalaman region, such as Marmaris etc.
Avoid Manavgat in Antalya as the air pollution there is terrible. After a couple of hours there I feel like a forty a day smoker and I've never smoked in my life.
Excursions, there are plenty of travel agent type of shops around where you can book boat trips etc, go for the all inclusive boat trips though and avoid buying a trip from a rep on the beach as they charge a lot more.
Enjoy 👍

Went to Turkey for my honeymoon. Huge mistake. My recommendation would be to not go. I wouldn't go back if you paid me.

Oludeniz

You can have the best of both worlds in terms of entertainment or peace and quiet. Just choose hotel that isn't near a strip
Plenty of excursions and day trips, paragliding of the mountain, parasailing, the beach is pebbled though the lagoon is finer
Sept weather will be beautiful
Lots of different cuisines etc

You can either stay in oludeniz or up the next town (15 min bus ride) Hisaronu

Plenty of Facebook groups you can join for more info on the area

When did you go?
we went in February this year and I was shocked how cheap it is! A four course meal with 3 or 4 cocktails for 2 people was about £40! And breakfast everyday was around £8 for both of us. The exchange rate is currently 19 Lira to the pound

We really liked Istanbul but obviously not beachy!! My H won't go either at the moment, because of the regime

I'm in Istanbul at the moment and love it

OP I recommend asking this on the holidays board for more constructive answers.

I had 3 weeks in Turkey in 2020. I can't wait to go back. Stayed in Istanbul, did some excursions on boats and then went to Cappadocia! My DH is very aware and hates the regime but the cuisine, weather etc was fab. Can't wait to visit other parts.

I don't understand the comments about it being expensive, cost of living is half what it is here. Yes inflation is a problem but not so much as for it to be causing you an issue on holiday.

I went 3 years ago, stayed in Antalya old town and then Cirali Beach which is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. Possibly too quiet for your needs? It's very chilled out place with nice restaurants.

I've recently come back from Hisaronu (5 mins up the hill from Olu Deniz) and it was fab, I didn't want to come home. It isn't expensive when you are there as mentioned by a PP and to say that holidays to Turkey are cheap because nobody wants to go... that's rubbish, it was very busy even mid-May.

We went to Turkey (a long time ago now) and it was awful.. stray dogs everywhere and tbh not somewhere I’d go again. Agree with the pp who said questionable human rights record too.. xx

I was in Northern Cyprus (The Turkish side!) about 15 years ago. It was unspeakably beautiful. You can fly there from Istanbul. That would be my recommendation.

I went about 10 years ago and it was lovely then. I stayed in a tiny village not far from Kalkan which doesn't sound like it would suit you but Kalkan itself is lovely. I seem to recall there were some beautiful deserted beaches around Fethiye. I thought Olu Denis was overly commercialised and didn't live up to the hype and you have to pay to go onto the beach which appears in all the brochures. It's hard to comment on costs because my visit was so long ago, it was cheap at the time and I thought the food was fantastic. It's surprisingly green for such a hot country.

Thank you everyone for your recommendations.

I've been to Turkey before, to olu deniz and on a party trip in Marmaris (I wouldn't visit again now I'm older and not interested in clubbing).

Turkey is amazing
Weather beautiful
Food fab
People very welcoming.
Not expensive at all
Don't go AI as so many places to eat out
Side in the Anatalya region is a great place to visit. Interesting historical sites/Roman ruins too.
Dalaman area very pretty , particularly olu Deniz
Though quite touristy
Hisaronu cheaper and less busy ,but more British(y) and try to encourage Brits abroad a bit. Always places on quieter streets though that aren't like that.

Happy medium though is Ovacik . Nice place for couples(or families)

Does it have to be Turkey op? I’ve only been once and not a fan.
The Greek islands are amazing and loads to choose from.

P.s we go every year so biased😁

We've just returned from Dalaman, stayed at the Hilton all inclusive. It was blissful.

Boat trip a must. Book with a Turkish travel agent( they are everywhere) costs hardly anything for a full day out and lunch included. Never get bored of them