Turkey

Turkey family holidays

With its sun-soaked coastline, remarkable ruins and fairy-tale landscapes, Turkey (officially known now as Türkiye) is a winning destination for a family holiday. It’s quick to get to, easy to travel around, and offers an incredible variety of landscapes and activities.

The kids will marvel at the chaotic and labyrinthine streets of Istanbul. They will enjoy meandering along the peaceful trekking paths of the Taurus Mountains. In the natural outdoor playground of Cappadocia, they can hike, bike or ride through the mysterious lunar-like scenery. And families who love time on the beach can dive into the dazzling aquamarine waters along the Turquoise Coast.

Hand stand on the beach - Turkey family holidays

From the Aegean to the Turquoise Coast, Turkey’s beaches are perfect for family fun

On our family holiday to Turkey, ancient history is everywhere. In fact, two of the seven wonders of the ancient world are found here. The food is lip-smackingly good and even the fussiest children will enjoy mezze, kebabs and sticky sweet baklava. There are a plethora of different accommodation options, too. You can spend the night in a charming boutique hotel or under the stars on a traditional gulet sailing boat. For a slice of the Flintstones, you can even spend a night in a cave hotel – Yabadabadoo indeed!

Why take the kids to Turkey?

Turkey has more than enough to keep families busy on holiday, with more than 7,000km of coastline as well as mountains, lakes, volcanoes and cities. Our top activities on family holidays to Turkey include:

Haggle in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul
Hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia
Paddle over Kekova’s sunken ruins
Play Roman gladiators in Ephesus
Swim the blue lagoon at Olu Deniz
Hike the Lycian Way to Mount Olympos
Sail the Turquoise Coast in a traditional gulet
Sleep in a cave hotel in Goreme

View across the Bosphorus from the Suleymaniye Mosque

Turkey family holidays are perfect for children. Although the country as a whole is vast, the distances along the aptly named Turquoise Coast are extremely family-friendly. Here the kids can enjoy a winning formula of activities combined with R&R on the sandy beaches. On one day you can walk over centuries-old chariot tracks in the incredible Roman ruins of Ephesus. On another, go white water rafting beneath ancient aquaducts. Then end up on a beautiful beach for some relaxation before flying home.

With a flight time of around 4 hours from the UK, Turkey is wonderfully accessible. There’s no tricky jetlag for the kids and you can easily fit a Turkey family holiday into a half term break. It’s ideal any time from the Easter holidays to October half-term.

How to get around Turkey

Turkey is a huge country but it is well connected with a network of internal flights which take you quickly from Istanbul to the magical landscapes of Cappadocia and on to the Turquoise coast. The distances being covered between these three key destinations are vast, so flights are absolutely the way to join them together.

However for smaller sections of the country, self-drive works really well. This is particularly the case along the coast, and we can arrange for you to pick up a hire car when you arrive and then drop it off back at the airport before you fly home. The driving in this area is straightforward and the roads are in good condition so this is a great way to enjoy flexibility as you travel. However, if you prefer the ease of having a driver, this can also be arranged.

Hiking near Ephesus on the Aegean Coast, our consultant Caroline, is a fan of family holidays in Turkey

Family holiday itineraries in Turkey

All of our Turkey family holidays are bespoke. This means that they are tailor-made for your own specific family. We will take into account the ages of your children, your interests, budget and so on. In some parts of Turkey, particularly along the Turquoise coast, it is very easy to self-drive. This provides great flexibility and is ideal for many families. We can advise on whether or not this is a suitable choice for your trip.

To give you an idea of what you could do on a family holiday in Turkey, have a look at our sample itineraries, Highlights of Turkey and Turquoise Coast Adventure.

You can also check out some of the other places that you might like to visit on a family holiday in Turkey. To find out more about the weather and what it will be like at the time that you want to travel, see When to go to Turkey. Or simply give us a ring and we’ll be delighted to advise you on the best Turkey holiday for you and your family.