Can I have some recommendations please for a summer holiday with husband and 2 dds age 20 and 16

[Okwotnext]

Looking for summer July / Aug 2026. We like hotels with choice of dining options. On a sandy beach and walkable to a small town for bars but not too loud. Interested in real culture of places we go to so near interesting days out etc if possible. We like Greek islands usually. Also liked Turkey. Any recommendations. Is our big holiday for year and have relatively healthy budget.

Have you looked at mainland Greece?
Halkidiki is beautiful - check out the Ikos Oceania or the hotels in Kassandra and you could do a couple of days in Thessaloniki too. Or try the Peloponnesus region - check the Westin Navarino. Hire a car and explore the stunning scenery.

Or you could try Mexico or the Caribbean

Good idea. I have looked at Halkidiki before but not been. We have been to Mexico and Antigua and Barbados over the years but wasn’t sure about it in July/August

There are lots of hotel options in Halkidiki, and if you hire a car you can explore the whole area. The Peloponnesus region (fly into Kalamata airport) is also really beautiful.
Or you could do a few days in Athens (but it’ll be very, very hot in summer) and get a ferry to any (or a few) of the islands eg Andros, Serifos, Tinos, Naxos, Paros etc

Does it have to be a resort/AI type hotel?

Croatia is good for young people/teens - lots of cultural stuff, beaches, not loud or rowdy. We had a lovely holiday around Split/Trogir/islands. There's good boat trips too.

Ooh yes Croatia is lovely.
Cyprus is also fab - especially the south east of the island

We often do AI hotels but it need not be especially as girls are older now and very happy to go out for food

Parga Beach Hotel (mainland Greece) would be perfect. From there, you can charter a yacht to Paxos and Antipaxos for the day, and also explore Zagori and the Valtos Gorge. It’s beautiful - the rooms are in small blocks and the pools don’t open until 10am - we found it to be very chilled!