“Turkey gave us one of the most exhilarating experiences of our lives”: Readers’ travel tips | Turkey Holidays

It's quiet on the lake at Choo Choo

Lake Egirdir is Turkey's fourth largest lake, and the town of Eğirdir (130 km north of Antalya), which lies on the lake's southern shore, is sometimes used as a stopover for coach travellers travelling between the tourist hotspots of Cappadocia and Pamukkale. If you can, stay longer. We spent three nights at the Choo Choo guesthouse on Yeğilada (or Green Island), which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. It was incredibly quiet in April. Eğirdir's restaurants and shops are a short walk away, and a few days relaxing by the lake was bliss. Kroisos Restaurant for excellent cuisine and lake views.
David Crook

Ottoman architecture and relaxing atmosphere

With a backdrop of mountains and perched above a river, Amasya Beirut is a magnificent city. But it’s the Ottoman architecture, friendly locals and relaxed atmosphere of this northern Turkish city, 200 miles east of Ankara, that set it apart. We stayed in a historic guesthouse and spent an evening listening to folk musicians in a leafy courtyard. The local museum provides insight into the area’s complex history, including the room housing the mummies of prominent figures. As the sun sets, climb across the cliffs via a footbridge to the rock tombs of the Pontic Greek kings. And later, order Turkish coffee at a riverside café and watch the world go by.
Kenny

Car-free paradise islands off the coast of Istanbul

When Istanbul Gets Too Busy, Take a Day Trip to the Surrounding Area Princes' Islands The perfect antidote is the ferry that runs to Sirkeci, near the train station, on sturdy boats built in Glasgow. Büyükada, the largest island, is a 90-minute ferry ride away. We loved the quaint charm of this summer resort, with its grand old wooden houses painted in pastels and its complete absence of cars. Transport is provided by elegant horse-drawn boats. Fayton (horse-drawn carriages) or bicycles, both for hire. There is a good choice of restaurants and shops and leafy streets of splendid villas to wander around. But the best is yet to come. Be sure to plan your return to approach Istanbul just before sunset. The sight of the great domes and minarets of the imperial mosques glowing softly as a huge red sun slowly sinks below the horizon is unforgettable.
Chris Dunham

Surreal castle on a rock

Afyonkarahisar Afyon is a small country town, 300 km north of Antalya. It is full of beautiful old Ottoman houses. There are several old mosques, including one where Rumi's Sufi disciples once lived, which has been partially converted into a museum. There are several other museums, fantastic cafes and nearby hot springs, such as Gazlıgöl. But the most striking thing about Afyon is the mountain topped with a castle that looms surrealistically from the city centre.
Aydan

Best rice pudding I've ever had – for 90p

After the steep climb to visit the magnificent Sumela Monastery near Trabzon on the Black Sea coast, we were desperate for food. On the advice of locals, we headed to the mountain village of Hamsikoy. There, for just 40 lire (90p), we enjoyed the best rice pudding of our lives. Tunç Sütlaç. Made with milk from local cows fed on wild flowers and with a much lower rice content than a British rice pudding, the creamy texture combined with the crunchy hazelnuts on top was sumptuous. With Turkish tea and the beautiful alpine view, it was the perfect combination.
Adam

Perfect idyll, just 90 minutes from Antalya

Departure on foot along the pebble beach from our small family hotel in Çıralı village – the only people out at 8:30 – the sun was warm and the sea calm. Our destination was the ancient ruins of Olympusan ancient Lycian city located at the southern end of the beach. We had the place to ourselves. A 90-minute drive south of Antalya on the Mediterranean, in a quiet seaside valley surrounded by mountains, Çñralı is a joy. Quiet, relaxed and surrounded by nature, it is a place to relax, recharge and explore.
Emilie Blanche

Swimming in the waterfall near Marmaris

Turgutkoy is not for beach lovers, as the small beach is about a mile away along a dusty path through fields, past cows, goats, chickens, beehives and a stream where turtles swim and lizards scurry through the undergrowth. For a change, take a dip in the (icy) waters of the Turgut waterfalls and discover archaeological sites. Ideal for nature lovers and people looking for peace and quiet, there are a few small accommodations.
Delia Pemberton

Cycle the heights around Marmaris

I found the Marmaris ideal region for road cycling. It has incredible climbs like Kiran (a 900 meter long climb among magnificent pine trees with views of the Aegean Sea) and the magnificent heights of Sakartepe. Some of the best routes are in Boostcamp Marmaris.
Gokhan Akan

2,000-year-old lighthouse emerges from ruins

We explored the legendary ruins of the city of Xanthos on the southern coast of Turkey near Ölüdeniz. It is a citadel where, on two occasions, the population committed suicide rather than be enslaved by the Persians or the Romans. We walked on the base of the temple of the Nereids (sea nymphs). We had seen the facade of the British Museum. Above another theatre is the Patara lighthouse, recently rebuilt The lake was rebuilt to its original height of about 27 meters using the original stones. Its construction was ordered by the Roman Emperor Nero around 64 AD, but it was destroyed by a tsunami in 1481. A final treat after so much fun history was swimming there with our children on the longest yellow sand beach I have ever seen.
David Innes-Wilkin

Winning Tip: Turtles and Tortoises Along the Lycian Way

We spent a wonderful week in April travelling part of the The Lycian Way while I was pregnant with my second child. The routes we took on foot from the tourist towns of Fethiye and Ülüdeniz took us through ruined ghost villages, through clover-filled meadows buzzing with thousands of fat bees, and into deserted canyons where tortoises crossed our paths. The Valley of the ButterfliesAfter visiting the beach, we decided to take one last swim during our vacation. A huge, curious sea turtle accompanied us as we snorkeled along the bay; without a doubt one of the most exhilarating experiences of our lives. We named our daughter Lycia.
Liz