‘Turkey gave us one of the most exhilarating experiences of our lives’: readers’ travel tips

It’s tranquil on the lake at Choo Choo

Lake Eğirdir is the fourth largest lake in Turkey and the town of Eğirdir (80 miles north of Antalya), which sits on the southern edge of the lake, is sometimes used as a stopover for coach travellers as they travel between the tourist hotspots of Cappadocia and Pamukkale. If you can, stay longer. We stayed three nights at Choo Choo Pension, on the island of Yeşilada (or Green Island), which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. It was incredibly tranquil in April. Eğirdir’s restaurants and shops are a short walk away and a few days spent relaxing by the lake were bliss. Head to Kroisos Restaurant for great food and views of the lake.
David Crook

Ottoman architecture and a relaxing vibe

With a backdrop of mountains and perched over a river, Amasya is beautifully positioned. But it’s the Ottoman architecture, friendly locals and relaxing vibe of this northern Turkish town, 200 miles east of Ankara, that make it stand out. We stayed in a historic pension and spent an evening listening to folk musicians in a leafy courtyard. The local museum provides insight into the region’s complex history, not least the room housing mummies of distinguished people. At sunset, head up through the cliffs via a walkway to rock tombs of Pontic Greek kings. And later order Turkish coffee in a riverside cafe and watch the world go by.
Kenny

Blissful car-free islands off Istanbul

When Istanbul gets too much, a day trip to the nearby Princes’ Islands provides the perfect antidote. The ferry service is on sturdy, Glasgow-built vessels, departing from Sirkeci, near the railway station. Büyükada, the largest island, is a 90-minute ferry ride away. We loved the old-fashioned charm of this summer retreat, with its grand old wooden houses painted in pastels and its total absence of cars. Transport is provided by elegant, horse-drawn faytons (carriages) or bikes, both for hire. There’s a good selection of restaurants and shops and leafy streets of splendid villas to stroll through. The best is yet to come though. Make sure you time your return to approach Istanbul just before sunset. The sight of the great domes and minarets of the imperial mosques glowing gently as an enormous red sun dips slowly below the horizon is unforgettable.
Chris Dunham

Surreal castle on a rock

Afyonkarahisar is a small city in the countryside, 190 miles north of Antalya. It is full of beautiful old Ottoman houses. There are several ancient mosques, including one where sufi followers of Rumi once lived which has partially been turned into a museum. There are several other museums, fantastic cafes and thermal springs nearby – such as Gazlıgöl. What’s most striking about Afyon though is the castle-topped mountain that juts in surreal manner up from the very centre of the city.
Aydan

Best rice pudding of my life – for 90p

After the steep climb to visit the magnificent Sümela Monastery near Trabzon on the Black Sea coast, we were desperate for food. Based on local advice, we made our way to the mountain village of Hamsiköy. There, for just 40 lira (90p), we sampled the best rice pudding of our lives at Tunç Sütlaç. Made with milk from local cows which are fed on a diet of wild flowers – and with a much lower rice content than a British rice pudding, the creamy texture married with the crunchy hazelnuts on top was sumptuous. Together with Turkish tea and the beautiful alpine view, it was the perfect combination.
Adam

Perfect idyll, just 90 minutes from Antalya

Setting off on foot along the shingle beach from our small, family-run hotel in Çıralı village – the only people out at 8.30am – the sun was warm and the sea still. Our destination was the ancient ruins of Olympos, a former city from the Lycian age at the southernmost end of the beach. We had the place to ourselves. Ninety minutes south by car from Antalya on the Mediterranean, in a tranquil valley by the sea surrounded by mountains, Çıralı is a joy. Quiet, laid-back and embraced by nature, it’s a place to unwind, recharge and explore.
Emily White

Bathe in the waterfall near Marmaris

Turgutköy isn’t for dedicated beach lovers, as the small beach is a mile or so away along a dusty track through fields, passing cows, goats, chickens, beehives and a stream where turtles swim and lizards run about in the undergrowth. For a change, bathe in the (icy) waters of the nearby Turgat waterfalls, and explore archaeological sites. Ideal for nature lovers and seekers of peace and quiet, there are a couple of small places to stay.
Delia Pemberton

Cycle to the heights around Marmaris

I’ve found the Marmaris area brilliant for road cycling. There are amazing climbs such as Kiran (a five-mile, 900-metre climb among amazing pine trees with views of the Aegean) and the gorgeous heights of Sakartepe. Some of the best routes can be found at Boostcamp Marmaris.
Gokhan Akan

A 2,000-year-old lighthouse rises from the ruins

We explored the legendary city ruins of Xanthos on the south coast of Turkey near Ölüdeniz. It’s a citadel where, on two occasions, the population committed suicide rather than being enslaved by the Persians or the Romans. We walked over the base of the Temple of the Nereids (sea nymphs). We had seen the front in the British Museum. Above another theatre is the lighthouse of Patara, recently rebuilt to its original height of about 27 metres using the original stones. Its construction was ordered by the Roman emperor Nero around AD64 but it was destroyed by a tsunami in 1481. A final treat after much fun history was to be swimming there with our children from the longest yellow sand beach I’ve ever seen.
David Innes-Wilkin

Winning tip: turtles and tortoises along the Lycian Way

We spent a blissful week in April hiking part of the Lycian Way while I was pregnant with my second child. The routes we hiked out of touristy Fethiye and Ölüdeniz took us through crumbling ghost villages, clover-filled meadows thrumming with thousands of fat bees and into deserted canyons with tortoises crossing our path. At Butterfly Valley’s beach, we decided we could squeeze in one final swim of the holiday. A huge, curious sea turtle accompanied us as we snorkelled along the bay; hands-down one of the most exhilarating experiences of our lives. We named our daughter Lycia.
Liz