Türkiye With Children: Antalya, Marmaris, Trabzon, Bursa & Istanbul

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Türkiye, the family friendly country, close enough, affordable enough. Honestly, I know so many families who’ve been to Marmaris, Bodrum and Antalya more times than I have fingers on my hands. Which always makes me wonder, why do people keep going back to the same three spots when Türkiye has so much more to offer in terms of places, culture, history and beauty?

I genuinely don’t know the answer, because a fair few of the people I know who’ve been so many times have now gotten so fed up with it that they don’t even want to go to Türkiye anymore, purely because that’s all they associate it with. Little do they know, there’s a whole country beyond the resort strip, and it’s brilliant for families.

So let’s start where most people do.

Marmaris

I’ve been twice, a fair while ago now, so I can’t judge how it’s changed since, but if I’m honest, I didn’t love the vibe back then and I don’t think it’s improved much either. It felt more like a clubbing area than a family destination, alcohol and partying everywhere you looked. There is halal food, there are mosques, and you can absolutely walk around in hijab, but I was genuinely taken aback when a Muslim Turkish woman in a bikini pulled my mum, my aunt and me up on the beach and asked why we were so covered up, telling us we should just wear bikinis and “live life” basically.

Now, I understand there’s a culture where plenty of Turks, even Muslims, do drink, and I remember being told all sorts, as long as it’s not made from grapes it’s fine, or as long as you don’t actually get drunk. Make of that what you will. There were certainly a fair few drunken Turkish men on the boat trip we went on, so draw your own conclusions.

Antalya

Around four years ago I went to Antalya as a family group, just without the husband. My mum and I, Ibrahim who was two at the time, Leyla who was around nine months, and a handful of aunts and cousins, a proper family affair. We went right at the start of December, so we bagged a decent 5* hotel for an absolute bargain.

I’ll be honest, I can’t give it a completely fair review because it was off peak, so a lot of the excursions, activities and shops simply weren’t open, and it rained most of the time. That said, I still really enjoyed it. There’s something nice about a holiday where you can just get food on tap and properly chill. We even managed a bit of shopping, despite me insisting beforehand that I wasn’t planning on it, classic. Others I know have gone during peak season and rated it, though most still compare it back to Marmaris, and honestly my feelings are mixed either way.

Istanbul

For those of us who don’t always want to be glued to a resort on an all inclusive, and actually want to explore a country, learn about it and take in its culture while we’re at it, Istanbul is where I’d start. It’s the main “historical” stop for most people when they think of Türkiye, and it’s easy to see why. The Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and that’s before you’ve even scratched the surface.

Some people won’t bother visiting because their idea of a holiday isn’t traipsing round buildings, they’d rather be soaking up the sun and lounging with a plate of food in hand, and that’s completely fair, everyone’s entitled to holiday the way that works for them. I just think it’s a shame to miss out on that much beauty and history when it’s right there.

Bursa, Trabzon & Uzungöl

I spent about a month in Bursa a couple of years ago, using it as our base, and from there we flew to Trabzon and took a trip out to Uzungöl, staying over and taking in the sort of views that make you stop scrolling your phone for once. I get that not everyone wants to be cold in the mountains when they could be warm by the sea, but for anyone who does fancy it, I’d genuinely recommend Uzungöl even if it’s just for a night or two. It’s like stepping straight out of hectic city life and just breathing for a bit. It’s still full of tourists, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a different sort of full.

Bursa and Mudanya are lovely too, family friendly with plenty of history to explore. One thing that really stood out was how much the Turkish people in these areas love children. We got stopped constantly, people wanting to chat, wanting to play with the kids, and it was genuinely sweet, though I did have to stay on high alert in case anyone tried to plant a kiss on my child. Lol. Yes, I’m that mum. I can’t help it, I just don’t think it’s appropriate even if it’s part of the culture there. Anyway, I digress.

A Few Honest Observations

I want to say this part as respectfully as I possibly can, because I don’t intend to offend anyone, but I do want to be honest about our experience too. None of this means the country is bad or the people are bad, every country has its good and its bad, and part of bettering ourselves and our own communities is being able to acknowledge that honestly.

We’ve actually discussed making hijrah one day, and Türkiye came up early on as a possibility, though a few things put us off in the end. None of that takes away from the positives though, and like anywhere, there are simply things we did and didn’t get on with.

One thing that really stood out was the smoking culture, and I’ll be blunt, it’s a lot. Culturally, as a British Muslim, smoking isn’t something we grew up seeing as acceptable, even those who’ll argue it’s only makrooh tend to agree it tips into haram territory once it becomes a habit. That’s a whole separate conversation though. What struck us was seeing people sitting right on the masjid wall having a cigarette, when back home most people would at least step away out of respect. Forget the halal or haram debate for a second, the smell alone isn’t pleasant, and we believe the Angels are repelled and offended by foul smells, so why do something that will keep the Angels away from us? It was genuinely strange for us, seeing parents smoking right next to young children in the playground, even one couple smoking beside their newborn. My eldest was two and Leyla was five months at the time, so I did find myself a bit baffled that this seemed so normal there. But again, it’s their country, and I’m sure there are plenty of things we need to work on in ours too.

The airport experience was a mixed bag. Security were fairly moody and unfriendly, sticking things to the outside of your passport and hurrying you along. On the plus side, they do have dedicated queues for families with young children, which is genuinely helpful when you’re wrangling little ones and luggage at the same time. One thing I still can’t quite wrap my head around, and this isn’t unique to Türkiye, is having to take your baby out of the pram and fold it down to go through security every single time. Try doing that when your baby’s just drifted off. You’d think the UK, of all places, would have the stricter rules given everything that’s happened over the years, yet you’re allowed to keep your baby in the pram or even if you take them out, you can push it through, and they’ll hand scan it or check it themselves if needed. So yes, you still have to lift the baby out, but at least you’re not simultaneously wrestling a pram closed one handed with a baby on your hip.

So, Would I Go Back?

Yes, without a doubt. I’d genuinely encourage people to branch out and try the different areas rather than sticking to the same three resort towns on repeat. There’s so much more to Türkiye than sun loungers and all inclusive buffets, and once you start exploring beyond that, it’s a completely different country.

Have you travelled around Türkiye beyond the usual resorts? I’d love to know which cities you’ve visited and what you made of them, drop a comment below.