Temperature: max 21°C; 10°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from the UK: 4 hours
Time difference: GMT+3
The holiday season doesn’t start until May on the Turquoise Coast – which is precisely why savvy Istanbulites head out in April for an early dose of spring sunshine, before the crowds, when the coastline bursts into bloom. Find yourself a sunbed – a swimming deck, a sheltered bay, a hut or a waterside tavern, anywhere along the Aegean-Mediterranean coast – Bodrum, Datca, Fethiye, Kas, where fishing villages are bright with bougainvillea in all shades of pink that wrap around balconies painted blue.
April is also the perfect time to hike the Lycian Way – not too hot, but already dry and sunny, with wildflowers coming alive. The 500km trail follows ancient caravan trails and coastal paths, plunging in and out of forests, rustic stone hamlets and Roman sites, into dramatic ravines and cake slices of creeks, accessible only on foot or boat – your reward for your efforts.
Sustainable Travel Tip: Earthouse Retreat is a set of sustainably built, solar-powered clay cob houses miles from anywhere on the little-visited peninsula of Datca – they’re simple, cheap and utterly charming. Rent by Airbnb.
Where to stay: Macakizion the Bodrum Penisula, is one of the coolest and most beautiful beach hotels in the world. Multi-generational groups and families with older children might feel more at home in the super stylish pool villas at Loft in Bodrum, with the added bonus of a hotel restaurant and bar on site. For the youngest, Hillside beach club privately, the idyllic little bay of Kalemya offers innovative creative activities, as well as meeting places for teenagers.
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