FAMILY FUN
One family’s idea of fun can be another’s nightmare, but whatever your preferences, Turkey has it all. For a low-key, bucket-and-spade-with-toddlers holiday, try mellow Cirali. It’s on the road to nowhere so there is little traffic, the guest houses are simple, it is superfriendly and relaxed, and everything is within walking distance.
If you want to get the kids off your hands for a while, Belek, east of Antalya, is lined with all-inclusive hotels with baby-sitting, children’s clubs, pool and aqua parks, as well as delicious buffet meals and private strips of beach – plus golf for parents. The former Greek fishing village of Kaş, set at the foot of soaring peaks, is the outdoor adventure capital of Turkey and ideal for multiactivity holidays aimed at older kids – from kayaking and canyoning to mountain biking and snorkelling. It’s also a small and relaxed resort to wander around at night.
Dalyan, a short boat ride upstream from Iztuzu Beach, is another chilled, family-friendly resort town. The boat ride to the beach is an adventure, plus there is swimming in the river, a dramatic ancient site (Kaunos) to explore and much mucky fun to be had at the Dalyan mud baths on Koycegiz Lake. If the sea is not a prerequisite, few kids will fail to appreciate the geological wonders of Cappadocia – all canyons, weird rock pinnacles known as fairy chimneys, underground cities and rockcut houses, as well as cave hotels to stay in and plenty of outdoor activities.
Sovereign (01293 762400; .sovereign. com) offers all-inclusive holidays at the Gloria Golf Resort from £1,149pp including flights. Exodus (020 8131 2827; exodus.co.uk) offers a multiactivity family holiday in Kaş from £849pp excluding flights. Tui (0203 451 2688; tui.co.uk) has the all-inclusive Tui Blue Tropical hotel close to Dalaman airport, with large family rooms, kids’ pools and clubs from £434pp for five nights, including flights.
Those who want to travel independently can fly into Dalaman
( for Kaş and Dalyan) or Antalya ( for Cirali) with Pegasus ( flypgs.com) from £157. Pensions start at £45 – try Gulsen (gulsenpension.blogspot.com) in Kaş, Lindos (lindos.com.tr) in Dalyan and Emin (eminpansiyon.com) in Cirali.
For Cappadocia, fly to Nevsehir via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com) from £253. The Kelebek Cave hotel (kelebekhotel.com) has family suites (sleeps four) available from £1,200 for seven nights