Tell me about Turkey...?

[sunseeker19]

Already looking for next year's holiday before this one! I've seen some great looking ones for Turkey, with reasonably priced hotels given the facilities they offer. It's not a destination I know much about though. Are there good places of interest / excursions / days out that a family could do from the hotel, or is it a destination where it really is more about the hotel and resort?

Gorgeous weather, gorgeous food, prices are amazing value for money, great restaraunts, hotels, shops, the people are so welcoming and friendly.
things to do depends where you go, and what you want to do. Boat trips, trips to Dalyan, Ephesus, Pamukkale, jeep safaris, water parks etc

it’s our favourite place. Next year will be our 8th time.
Happy to recommend a few resorts for you.

Oooh yes please @ListenLinda , from what you say it sounds amazing! What are a few different resorts you'd recommend?

I love turkey!

I went to fethiye and really enjoyed it. We picked a small hotel on the marina and did day trips like caves, boats, jeep safari etc. We loved our hotel as it was walking distance to the bars and restaurants and dock where the tours left from.

I would imagine you could easily just pick a big resort in a different area for a fly and flop, but some of these might not be so accessible to day trips so do your research based on what holiday you want.

Would definitely go again, what an incredible country, such an amazing mix of east meets west.

@sunseeker19 We have recently fallen in love with Icemeler, which is just outside Marmaris. It’s a small resort but still plenty of things to do, ideal for younger kids.
Marmaris is the lively resort, so much to do for everyone and the beach is gorgeous.

Fethiye is beautiful, so much to do and stunning views, water sports and lovely trips, an ideal family location.

Bodrum is picturesque but expensive, plenty to do around though, trips to Ephesus, Pamukkale etc
Altinkum is also a more relaxed resort, not so many lively bars etc but beautiful little restaraunts, an authentic Turkish feel.

You could go further round to Antalya but this is a very quiet side, we didn’t think there was much to do there so wouldn’t choose to go back.

@sunseeker19 oh and when you go, get a proper Turkish döner kebab. Nothing like the crap the takeaways serve over here!
And if any of the restaraunts have a Ketchemi kebab - oh my lord, you will have died and gone to heaven. Turkish food is amazing.

Turkey is amazing. I love the people, the scenery, the weather, the food, the history, the shopping, the boats all of it. I like Fethiye, Marmaris, Selimiye, Bozburun, Orhaniye all beautiful places.

Turkey. The only resort we've ever returned twice too - Pine Bay, Kusadasi.
We did Ephesus, and two amazing waterparks Adaland and Aqua Fantasy.
A more beautiful country than we ever imagined.

*to

Amazing weather, good prices out and about, kind and friendly people. We go for every holiday. My parents took us every year as kids too. I've been to other places, but always end up going back to Turkey in the end. Best thing to do to find a hotel is look at reviews. Do you want more night life/pool party vibes? More family friendly? More luxurious? Want to meet people from different countries or want it mainly English? It varies massively depending on the area of Turkey and the hotel you go to. We go to Barut Kemer which is amazing. All the Barut hotels are good. So are the papillon hotels. They are pricey so we only go every few years rather than holiday every year

Oh and the rixos hotels are good too. But they're sooooo pricey and in my opinion no holiday is worth that amount of money. But if you have the money then 5* all inclusive is the way to go. Plus excursions. But I've also stayed at 2/3 star hotels that were self catering. There's plenty for everyone and every budget. Have an amazing time if you do go!

I absolutely love Turkey and my favourite resort is Kalkan. It is beautiful with lots of great quality food and restaurants. Many of the tables are set on top of the restaurants and it is beautiful at night overlooking the bay. Patara beach is beautiful and there are lots of lovely beach clubs to. We found the standard and quality of accommodation to be a really good standard.

All gorgeous, weather, hotels, restaurants etc, but you get pestered to death with the locals trying to sell you stuff including a table at their restaurant.

Place marking !

@bluegardenflowers is right, you do get the hard sell from the restaraunts and shops, but you just say to say no thank you and be polite. Never say ‘tomorrow’ if you have no intention of going there, they will remember 😁

the hard sell was especially prevalent this year, but they have had two years of little tourism, a country that relies heavily on it, for a devastated economy, so it doesn’t bother us and we tipped generously.

@ListenLinda I'm going to Iclemer in September, what hotel did you stay at? Any recommendations for restaurants or massage places?

@aus12 we stayed at Club Aquarium, which is right at the back of town. Which hotel are you staying in?
massge places, ask your hotel they may have them on site.

we loved Pier 15, it’s on the beach front. Beautiful food & setting.
Cupids - just up from the beach is also lovely.
Florida bar is a cheap and cheerful, they have the cheapest Efes on draught and they show all the big sports if you are into it.
Sahin place - they do the best steaks we found.
K Corner is always worth a beer on the corner to do some people watching, their lunch menu is also fab.

plus there is lots of kebab shops etc about, you won’t struggle to find anywhere to eat 😊

I really didn't get the love for Turkey, went once on honeymoon 12 years ago and was constantly pestered, being made to feel I had to buy / haggle for everything. I spent most of my honeymoon feeding the abandoned cats & dogs.

May I hijack?
I am looking at going in October but read somewhere that everything shuts down and it gets cold. Is this the case?

This was the same for me. Stray animals everywhere. Also their human rights record isn’t that great so I wouldn’t go back there because of that.

I went to Kusadasi years ago - lovely town

I go every year in November - great temperatures for walking and getting out and about at that time of year if it helps.

Been to Kusadasi and really didn't get the love for it. Got the boat over to Samos for a few days and enjoyed that far more.

My daughter (12) and her 3 aunties are actually in Istanbul now and have been there for 4 days and they are having such a fabulous time.The sights, food, boat excursions, sightseeing tours they have done it all and still have another 6 days left.

The only negative thing they have is that there are lots of stray cats and little kittens that are starving and homeless .My daughter sent me a photo of a really tiny ginger kitten that was actually standing on her trainer whilst she stroked it.

Thanks so much everyone, loads of useful info here! We're looking for somewhere with beach and pool but with the opportunity to do activities and excursions beyond the hotel too. Not a party area though as our kids are still primary age! One of our friends recommended somewhere near Kemer for this, is that a good idea, or are there other areas we should be looking at too?