Guvercinlik Holidays

Guvercinlik hugs Turkey’s shoreline like a koala cuddling a tree. The village stretches along the side of an arrowhead-shaped bay, so sea views are pretty easy to come by. The main street’s furnished with enough shops and bars to keep your holiday wallet busy, and there are jetties where sun-seekers splay out. You’ll also find a handful of cosy coves spread along the tree-ruffled shores.

One of Guvercinlik’s most handsome features is its marina, which has everything from boats to belting restaurants. The harbour matches the village’s authentic appeal – instead of expensive yachts you’ll see fishing boats, motorboats and canopy-topped sightseeing boats. They weave along the coastline from bay to bay, and often make a stop at the pretty uninhabited island of Salih. In the evening, Turkish cuisine’s the flavour of the month at the local eateries.

The pace goes up a notch in nearby Bodrum, which has everything from ancient Greek ruins to neon-pulsing nightlife. It’s 25 minutes’ drive away, and its neighbour Gumbet has one of the headline sandy beaches on the peninsula. If you head north instead, you’ll find a town that’s got more in common with Guvercinlik. Bogazici has a charming Sunday market, pine-covered hillsides and cracking seafood restaurants.