Family holidays to Turkey

Enjoy an unforgettable family break in Turkey

With flights from the UK to Turkey taking just over four hours, you’ll be enjoying your sun-drenched beach holiday with the kids in no time.

From peaceful coastal resorts to vibrant city breaks, Turkey offers a broad range of holiday types to choose from. The Izmir region is home to multiple historic sites and the bustling resort of Kusadasi, where you’ll find several waterparks and child-friendly beaches.

Known as Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, Dalaman also provides visitors with a selection of Blue Flag beaches and family-orientated resorts, while Antalya is a firm favourite for those who love adventure, with the nearby Taurus Mountains and national parks offering a natural playground for outdoor activities.

Best family-friendly beaches

Dalaman is famous for its swathe of good-looking beaches, secluded coves and sleepy bays.

One of the area’s top family-friendly shorelines is the pristine Sarigerme Beach, which resides in a national park and sweeps along the coastline for seven kilometres. It’s also a popular area for kiteboarding and offers plenty of facilities, including showers, toilets and beach cafes.

On the western coast, you’ll find a host of fantastic coastal spots to try. The resort of Kusadasi in the Izmir region has an impressive eight beaches to choose from, including the famous Long Beach which offers fantastic snorkelling opportunities and plenty of watersports.

For a more laid-back area, the upmarket Belek Beach in the Antalya region has sand and shingle shores that gently slope into shallow waters, ideal for kids to swim and splash around.

Best family activities in Turkey

Families who like to stay active and explore should head to Kusadasi, where there’s lots of activities to keep all ages busy. As well as multiple beaches, the area is home to a variety of waterparks, including the fun-filled Aqua Fantasy and Adaland.

For historical attractions, the ancient city of Ephesus or the port city of Fethiye make excellent day trips for adults and kids. Here, you can explore ancient rock tombs, wander around well-preserved amphitheatres and marvel at centuries-old Roman ruins.

If you’re staying in the Antalya province, no holiday is complete without a trip to the surrounding mountain ranges and national parks.

Adventure-seekers will relish the chance to take a cable car to the Mount Tahtali summit, hop on a boat ride to see the crashing Duden Waterfalls and follow the winding hiking trails through the Taurus Mountains.

Other family holiday destinations

If you’re looking for a family holiday but haven’t decided where to go just yet, there are lots of options available.

Consider destinations like Spain or Portugal, with their Blue Flag beaches and waterparks for equally sunny family fun. Or perhaps you’re looking for somewhere more exotic, in which case Costa Rica offers a fantastic tropical getaway for those who love adventure sports and outdoor pursuits.

But if Turkey is still your number one destination, our handy travel guide can provide you with further advice and information to help you plan a one-of-a-kind family trip. In the meantime, take a look at some of the top hotels on offer.

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Aqua Fantasy Aquapark Hotel and Spa

With its on-site waterpark and beachfront location, the Aqua Fantasy Aquapark Hotel and Spa is the perfect choice for a family break in the sun. This supersized 4* hotel offers six restaurants, 11 bars and a range of chill-out rooms with TVs and Wi-Fi.It’s also just a 15-minute drive to the shops and restaurants in Kusadasi’s centre. The grown-ups can enjoy an adults-only swimming pool, a gym and tranquil spa, while the little ones have a choice of kids’ pools, a playroom, a hotel-run kids’ club, an activity centre and mini disco.

Family Life Tropical Resort

With a backdrop of pine-clad hills and a golden beach to the front, the TUI Family Life Tropical Resort ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a stand-out holiday setting. This modern hotel offers a range of pools with slides, a choice of restaurants and daytime activities including a fitness centre, volleyball and tennis. For families with youngsters, parent and toddler sessions are held three times a week and there’s a children’s pool, kids’ club and mini disco, too. The shops, bars and restaurants in Sarigerme are just a 20-minute walk away.

Holiday Village Turkey

Offering a host of fun activities with a beautiful seafront setting, the Holiday Village Turkey is designed with both adults and children in mind. Daytime activities include the Aerial Adventure course with a huge jump net, a selection of pools, parent and toddler swimming sessions and kids’ clubs for toddlers to teenagers. For evening entertainment, live shows take place in a grand amphitheatre. You’ll also find a host of restaurants catering to all tastes and a wellness centre with a variety of relaxing treatments on offer.