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The gorgeous golden beaches hugging the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas are a holiday dream. Here are five of the best.

Kleopatra Beach

The Mediterranean resort town of Alanya is home to this beautiful stretch of soft sand. Famed for its ridiculously clear waters, it’s the ideal spot for swimming and snorkelling your days away. It has cafés, watersports centres and hotels right on the beach.

Lara Beach

Stretching from the east of Antalya to Belek, Lara Beach is miles of sun-kissed sand. Stay at one of the luxurious all-inclusive resorts for your own private part of the beach.

Çalış Beach

Parasailers and kite surfers work wonders in the cooling breeze at Çalış Beach next to Fethiye. Stay in a beachside hotel and watch stunning sunsets from one of the beach bars on the promenade.

Ölüdeniz Beach

With a calm blue lagoon separated from the sea by a curving sandy spit, Ölüdeniz is simply stunning. There are a few beach hotels right there, or you can stay in nearby Fethiye and hop on a bus for a day trip.

İçmeler Beach

Along the Datça Peninsula west of Marmaris, this curved bay of fine sand is a beauty. Hop on a banana boat, go jet skiing or master the art of doing nothing while staying in İçmeler.

With its incredible historic attractions, exciting cities and spectacular landscapes, Turkey holidays pack a punch. Thanks to its affordable hotels and resorts, you can splash a little more cash on cultural moments, action-packed adventures and unforgettable experiences.

World-class museums

With era-spanning collections and ancient architecture aplenty, Turkey has some of the best historical museums in the world.

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque: The 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul is an architectural marvel and one of the most important surviving monuments of Byzantine architecture. And the best bit? You can visit it for free. Make a wish at the weeping column and marvel at the gold mosaic of Empress Zoe.

Topkapı Palace Museum: Wander through Istanbul’s Topkapı Palace Museum, showcasing opulence from the Ottoman dynasty with grand courtyards, pavilions and a kitchen filled with valuable Chinese porcelain. Popping into the famous harem where wives and concubines of the sultans lived is especially intriguing.

Ephesus Archaeological Museum: The vast outdoor Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk displays unearthed treasures, tombs and the remains of the Temple of Artemis. If you’re visiting the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus, the museum breathes life back into those crumbled Roman columns.

Unmissable experiences

From traditional spas to mouth-watering meze, here are the Turkey experiences you don’t want to miss on your holiday.

Hammam: The Turkish bath, also known as a hammam, is a centuries-old bathing tradition still very much a part of modern Turkish life. Whether you venture into one of Istanbul’s historic hammams or drift into a sleek Turkish bath at your resort, expect a relaxing, cleansing ritual.

Eat like a local: Turkish meze is more than nibbles before an evening meal. It’s a bonding moment shared with friends and family. Order in bars and restaurants across Turkey and dip chunks of bread into small, flavour-packed dishes, hot and cold, from olive oil and hummus to fried vegetables and pulses to marinated fish.

Whirling dervishes: Witness whirling dervishes perform the Sufi ceremony, a religious meditation dating back to the 13th century. Musicians beat the rhythm as dancers spin in patterns, their skirts whisking into circular cones. Istanbul, Konya and Cappadocia have remarkable traditional ceremonies you can watch.

Unique activities

Every day feels like an adventure in Turkey. Make your holiday an unforgettable one with these one-of-a-kind activities.

Shop the bazaars: Turkey’s colourful bazaars are bursting with textiles, jewellery, ceramics and animated merchants tempting you with their wares. Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is the most famous, but many towns and cities have their own beautiful bazaars worth exploring.

Hot-air ballooning: A hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia is one for the bucket list. Take in the lunar-like volcanic landscape as you float over the valley in a flotilla of hundreds of balloons. If heights are not your thing, watching them from below is just as magical.

Sail on a gulet: Float away on a traditional wooden gulet and cruise along the beautiful Turquoise Coast, discovering secluded coves only accessible by water. Stop for lunch in coastal towns and go swimming and scuba diving in the clearest sea you’ve ever seen. Pure heaven. 

The Mediterranean climate means long dry summers drawing visitors to the coast. Spring and autumn temperatures are warm across Turkey, but as it’s shoulder season, hotels are often cheaper. In winter, you can even head to the ski resorts, such as Erzurum, in the mountains. Travelling during Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha is extremely popular, bumping up the prices and the crowds – search and compare holidays well in advance if you’re looking to travel around this time.

When is the cheapest time to go on a Turkey holiday?

Hotel, accommodation and package deal prices are generally lowest in January through to March. September to December is also a cheaper time to visit, excluding the price spike over the Christmas holidays.

When should I go for the best weather?

June, July and August are mostly hot and sunny across Turkey, and the cool breezes along the coast are welcome. Along the Aegean and Mediterranean, you can expect temperatures touching 30C during summer. April to May (18C on average) and September to October (22C) bring warm temperatures across much of Turkey. Winter can be chilly, but ski resorts in January have plenty of snow.