Photo by Marina KUDYRKO
Turkish Riviera
Our people have thoroughly mastered the Mediterranean coast: from May to October, on the Turkish Riviera (Kemer, Antalya, Belek, Side, Alanya) Russian speech practically drowns out all others. They get to all these resorts from Antalya airport. The cheapest holiday is in Alanya. There are both two-star hotels and pebble beaches. The most expensive is in Belek, whose hotels are not below the level of four stars, and along the sea stretches exclusively fine sand. In Kemer there is a lot of greenery, while Antalya is not really suitable for spending time in nature - city hotels predominate here, and you will have to descend from a high embankment or even take a bus to get to the sea.
By the way, if you prefer a quiet and measured holiday, turn your attention to Belek. It is a fairly young resort town that began its development only in 1984. But today tours to Belek are hugely popular among foreign tourists. And the geographical position of this well-known resort center allows inquisitive travelers to visit almost all the sights of Antalya.
But Turkey is not only Antalya. The territory of the state is not limited to the Black and Mediterranean coasts. Resort areas located on the Aegean Sea are as yet less developed by our compatriots, and hotels there are filled mainly by tourists from Germany, England, Norway, Finland, and Israel.
Marmaris
This place has especially appealed to lovers of beach holidays from Norway. As the Norwegians themselves explain, the local mountains and fjords remind them of their native country. Marmaris (110 km from Dalaman airport) is a very picturesque corner, representing a cozy bay surrounded by mountains covered with pine forests. Low humidity (35%), healing mountain air saturated with essential oils - all this creates a unique microclimate in Marmaris. It is rightly considered the most European of all Turkish resorts.
You can stay here in a hotel of almost any category - from modest economical campsites to luxurious "holiday villages". The most expensive and prestigious ones are located 8 km from the city center in Icmeler, which is connected to Marmaris by a promenade. And all the entertainment venues and restaurants are located on the so-called "bar street".
Fethiye
This resort, located in a bay surrounded by mountains covered with pine forests, is considered even more expensive. It is located 60 km on the other side from Dalaman airport. The beaches here are sandy and sand-and-pebble, and hotel prices are 15-20% higher than in Marmaris. The main attraction of the Fethiye area is the sandy lagoon Olu-Deniz, or simply the Dead Sea. In the lagoon, separated from the open sea by a four-kilometer spit, there are never waves, and the water surface is absolutely still. The Olu-Deniz beach is considered one of the most beautiful in Turkey.
Bodrum
Another tourist corner of Turkey is located 226 km west of Dalaman at the junction of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. A small fishing village, once appearing on the site of the ancient city of Halicarnassus, has grown into a bohemian resort. Its historical center still retains the charm of antiquity in its narrow streets, where shops and souvenir stalls have not penetrated. All the attributes of a modern resort are located closer to the waterfront. The main attractions of the city are the port, which made Bodrum a center of sailing, and the 15th-century crusader castle towering above it. Hotels in Bodrum are for every taste: from quite old to the most modern. If you live in the immediate vicinity of the city, for swimming it is better to choose one of the neighboring bays, where windsurfing enthusiasts, divers, and tourists who prefer clean sandy beaches and clear sea have moved. The port, teeming with yachts, does not at all contribute to the cleanliness of coastal waters. But the nightlife of the city is concentrated right in the harbor area.
Vacationers in Bodrum necessarily visit the nearby Black Island with hot springs gushing from underground in a picturesque grotto, and a small cove called Aquarium, named so because of its crystal-clear water, in which every fish is visible. Three to four hours' drive from Bodrum are Ephesus and Pamukkale.
Kusadasi
Over the past 20 years, Kusadasi, located on the shore of a beautiful bay 70 km from Izmir airport, has turned into a prestigious resort. It is 50 km of Aegean Sea coast with luxurious hotels and wide sandy beaches. There are three water parks in the city, including the largest in Turkey, Aqua Fantasy.
The symbol of the city and its main decoration is an ancient fortress towering on Pigeon Island, connected to the city by a causeway. Kusadasi attracts tourists not only with its beaches and clean sea water, but also with its proximity to ancient cities: Ephesus, Didyma, Miletus, Priene. 25 km from Kusadasi there is a national park with a diversity of plants and animals.
Cesme
In Cesme, once an unremarkable little fishing village at the westernmost point of the Asian part of Turkey (80 km from Izmir), there is now no end to tourists. A museum has been opened in the 14th-century Genoese fortress that adorns the city landscape. It is believed that the waters off the coast of Cesme are the cleanest in the Aegean Sea, and the local hot springs have healing properties. The northern coast of the cape is an ideal place for surfing. From here there is a ferry to the Greek islands of Kos, Samos, and Chios.