Okurcalar Holidays

Okurcalar’s tucked along Turkey’s balmy southern coastline. It’s around an hour and a half’s jaunt from Antalya, but it’s nearest neighbour’s Side – a 30-minute cab ride away. You can count on this place to deliver plenty of Turkish charm – it’s got a massive market, tonnes of countryside scenery and a sand-and-shingle beach to boot.

Venture outside your hotel, and you’ve got two main activities here – shopping and sunbathing. The latter takes place on the beach – a sand-and-shingle bay with loads of loungers and a boat hire place. And when it’s time to give your wallet a workout, the best place to start is at the sprawling Alara Grand Bazaar. Here, vendors flog all sorts of stuff, like shoes, clothes and souvenirs.

Hop in a cab, and you can be sauntering around the streets of nearby Side in a little under half an hour. This history-stuffed resort town pulls in the crowds year after year, thanks to its smattering of Roman ruins. And when you’re done delving into the past, scoot down to the seafront for a nose around the harbour and a stint on the lengthy stretch of straw-tinted beach.