Turkey offers the double attraction of a sunshine holiday and an abundance of sites of historical interest...
There’s also the quirkiness of visiting a capital city that spans two continents! Turkey’s capital is typically the launch pad for getting to know Turkey and the city possesses a wealth of things for tourists to see and do. Istanbul is a vast city and straddles Europe and Asia, with the line of demarcation being the massive Bosporus Strait. Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, the Aegean Coast will appeal to families that enjoy sunshine, relaxing on beaches, and all manner of water-related activities. Make Bodrum your base and you can snorkel on great beaches such as Bitez or you can take a boat trip to explore secluded coves and bays. Bodrum’s clear warm waters make it one of the diving capitals of the world and divers enjoy the thrill of dive sites located close to ancient wrecks.
A gorgeous backdrop of pine-clad mountains looms behind the seaside resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey. Popular as a cruise ship and yacht port and with the British budget holiday crowd, Marmaris offers an abundance of fast food restaurants, the restored castle of Suleyman the Magnificent and an appealing cobblestoned old quarter. Outside the busy town, coves and bays of the Datça Peninsula make lovely daytrip destinations for those travelling by boat.
In the summer the town’s population swells to around 200, 000, mostly package holiday-makers. The bazaar is full of expensive souvenirs and budget tourists, the streets are full of traffic, and the restaurant scene is based on fish and chips with beer by the gallon. But, to its credit, the town council has woken up and the harbourside promenade now boasts some handsome albeit modern stone buildings.
