Turquoise Coast / Mediterranean (Lycian Coast)
Sun, sea & sunken cities ☀️🐢
The Turquoise Coast is the undisputed favorite for family holidays in Turkey, offering a perfect mix of swimmable beaches, ancient ruins, and comfortable resorts. Stretching from Fethiye to Antalya, the coastline is backed by the Taurus Mountains, creating spectacular scenery. The swimming season is long, lasting from May through October, with water temperatures remaining warm well into autumn.
Antalya is the major hub, featuring a large international airport and family-friendly resorts with extensive pools and kids' clubs. The Antalya Aquarium, with its massive tunnel tank, is a great rainy-day or midday-heat activity. Nearby in Side, families can walk through the Temple of Apollo right by the sea and play on sandy beaches that slope gently into the water, making it safe for toddlers.
Further west, Fethiye and Ölüdeniz are famous for the Blue Lagoon. The water here is incredibly calm and clear. Kids will enjoy watching the colorful paragliders landing on the promenade, or taking a boat trip to Butterfly Valley. A highlight for nature-loving families is Dalyan, where you can take a riverboat past ancient Lycian rock tombs carved into cliffs to reach Iztuzu Beach, a protected nesting ground for Caretta Caretta (loggerhead) sea turtles.
For a history lesson that feels like an adventure, visit the sunken city of Kekova near Kaş. Glass-bottom boat tours allow you to see amphorae and stairs submerged underwater. Patara offers both extensive Roman ruins and one of the longest sandy beaches in the Mediterranean, with plenty of space to run. The region is also home to the Chimaera (Yanartaş), where natural gas flames burn eternally from the rock—a short hike at dusk allows kids to roast marshmallows over these natural fires.
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Activities & Best Times
Hiking, wildlife, outdoor exploration, ecotourism
Features the Lycian Way, one of the world's premier long-distance coastal hikes through ancient ruins and rugged cliffs. Spring and autumn offer ideal temperatures (15-25°C) for exploration; summer is too dangerously hot for hiking, and winter months see heavy rainfall.
Beach resorts, marine activities: diving, snorkelling, kite surfing, wind surfing, sailing
Home to the world-renowned 'Blue Voyage' and iconic beaches like Kaputaş and Ölüdeniz, offering crystal-clear visibility for sailing and swimming. Peak months provide optimal water temperatures and calm seas; shoulder months offer pleasant air but cooler water, while winter is too rainy and cold for marine activities.
Scenic drives, countryside tours, route-based travel
The D400 highway is a globally recognized scenic drive, hugging dramatic cliffs and turquoise coves. Peak driving conditions occur in spring and autumn with clear visibility and mild temps; mid-summer is excluded due to intense heat and heavy seasonal traffic congestion.
Sport tourism, fitness activities, active recreation
A premier destination for world-class tandem paragliding at Babadağ and technical scuba diving in Kaş. The summer months offer the stable thermals and maximum underwater visibility (>20m) required for high-standard sporting experiences.
Urban tourism, museums, historical sites, architecture
Authentic coastal towns like Kaş and Kalkan offer sophisticated urban culture alongside UNESCO sites like Xanthos. Peak visitation avoids the oppressive July-August heat which makes exploring sun-baked ruins uncomfortable, and the wet winter months when local life slows significantly.
Learning experiences, scientific sites, historical education
The region serves as a living museum of the Lycian League, the world’s first democratic federation, with unique rock-cut tombs and sunken cities. Best visited in the milder spring and autumn months to allow for extended, comfortable guided tours of archaeological sites.
Spa retreats, wellness centers, peaceful getaways
High-end boutique retreats and authentic Turkish hammams offer world-class relaxation in secluded coastal settings. May, June, and September provide the perfect balance of warmth and tranquility before and after the peak mass-tourism rush of mid-summer.
Events, celebrations, seasonal attractions
Host to the prestigious Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival in a world-class Roman amphitheater. Festival dates and cultural events align with the warm, dry months; winter lacks significant international-scale seasonal festivities.
Amusement parks, family entertainment venues
Features 'The Land of Legends,' a world-class theme park and water park facility near Antalya. Peak months provide warm weather suitable for water attractions without the oppressive heat of mid-summer; winter months see seasonal closures of outdoor rides.
