Holidays in Turkey | Holiday Turkey

When booking your holiday in Turkey, consider whether you have an early morning departure or a late arrival - airport hotel and parking packages often offer great deals and can avoid the need to spend a day sleeping off the journey. For airport parking, hotels and travel insurance deals, get an online quote now.

Turkey can be referred to as a cultural and historical bridge between Europe and Asia. It is steeped in history and bears the legacy of great civilizations and empires like the Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman etc. This curious amalgamation of cultures of various flavors, have made Turkey a tourist destination with a difference. This is a country, those on their holidays in Turkey can expect to find surprises at every bend of the road. Added to this, Turkey has also been endowed with stunning natural beauty. From the Taurus Mountains between Anatolia and the Mediterranean region, the varied coastlines of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmora, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, to the arid Anatolia plateau to name only a few, Turkey has a holiday destination suited to every palate.

Turkey is almost encircled on all its sides by a number of seas. That is why it has miles upon miles of uninterrupted coastlines, with different flavors. Some of them are rocky and ragged, some mountainous with just a narrow strip of coastline, some with cliffs overhanging the beaches, while others with undulating, pristine yellow beaches, and the azure blue waters offering a spectacular view. Together with the beaches, the coastal hamlets, the fishing villages, the byways of small coastal towns offering mouth-watering dishes, the colorful bazaars, where one can browse for carpets and other Turkish specialties, these coastal areas can also boast of a perfect climate. This total package of sea, beaches, bazaars, mountain-sides, historic places, tempting climate and affordable stay have made Turkey into the holiday hot-spot that it is today.

Holidays in Turkey are centered in and around the Mediterranean Sea coast, the Aegean Sea Coast, the Sea of Marmora or the Black Sea. Most of the holiday rentals are spread across the Mediterranean Sea coast as the season is longer than on the Black sea coast. Whether self-catering or hotel, holiday rentals often offer a myriad of facilities, such as Spa, Jacuzzi, Outdoor Pool and a variety of water sports are also on offer.

Holidays in Turkey can also be taken in apartments, chalets, cottages, studios and villas, authentic Turkish farmhouses in village resorts, or cities like Istanbul, within a range of accommodation to suit every budget. Private holiday rentals by owner is usually the most cost effective way to visit as many tourists find them more affordable, comfortable, homely and convenient, than hotels with star ratings. These holiday villas and apartments provide for an ideal holiday base, from where tourists can visit immediate locales and even further destinations in order to have a glimpse into the rich history and culture of Turkey, or to relax and laze around and have a sunshine-filled vacation in pristine and peaceful surroundings. Some of the towns on the Bodrum peninsular are perfect for peace, quiet and stunning views, whereas Bodrum itself boasts some of the best nightlife on the Aegean coast.

Tour operators arrange for many types of tours such as weekend getaways, fishing tours, coastal trek tours, biblical tours, shore excursions from specific harbors etc. Shore excursions are very popular with tourists wanting to take short trips to small islets, mountain coves near the shore, or the butterfly valley in Olu Deniz , which is unique with a picturesque valley and lagoon, and can be reached only by a boat ride.

Wherever area you choose to go on holiday, Turkey has something to offer everyone whether you are looking for golf, water sports, archeological sites, waterfalls or just a relaxing villa with a pool in which to ´chill out´ for a couple of weeks.

Tourism in Turkey is on the increase with large numbers of people choosing a change from the usual top holiday destinations in 2008, mainly due to the high costs associated with visiting Europe. Numbers are expected to increase dramatically for 2009.

Currently the amount foreign currency that can be brought into or taken out of Turkey is not limited but only up to US$5,000 in Turkish Lire can be bought or taken. Turkey is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and has one time zone for the entire nation. Visas are required for those travelling from most foreign countries and those on their holidays in Turkey can get a 90 day visa at passport control on entering Turkey. The cost of this is usually around £10. Alternatively, visas can be purchased from the Turkish Consulate in London which is more expensive at around £40.

Almost all major airports fly to one or more of Turkey’s many international or regional airports so getting to any holiday resort is not a problem.