Turkey Family Holiday

Arriving in Dalaman Airport, we transfer to Kas and check into our hotel. Kas is one of the most beautiful ports on the Turkish riviera. We will be conveniently based at Club Phellos right in the centre of town and you’ll have time over the coming days to enjoy the atmosphere of this vibrant town, both on land and at sea.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Swimming available

Our first day here is spent on the sea, as we take a boat trip from Kas across the surrounding calm and clear waters. From the sea we can appreciate fully this dramatic and beautiful coastline. There will be ample opportunity for swimming and snorkeling from our boat, and we plan to enjoy a barbecue lunch before returning to Kas later in the afternoon. Kas is a great place to relax, with cafes and restaurants spilling out onto cobbled streets and a network of tiny backalleys to explore.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch Swimming available

Today we head for the hills, to explore the hinterland. Here we find cedar forests, streams, shady glades and tiny charming villages where the pattern of life has remained almost untouched for centuries. We plan to walk between tiny mountain villages and take lunch with a local family in a typical village house, before returning to Kas via the silver sand beach of Kapitas. Located just west of Kas, Kapitas is an idyllic spot for a swim at the end of our day in the mountains. Finally we make our way back to Kas.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch Swimming available

Today is left free for you to do some exploring of your own. For those with a hankering for culture Kas itself is built around the remains of ancient Antiphellos, and there are ruins of a Hellenistic theatre, the monumental Lion Tomb, and some hillside rock tombs in and around the town. Alternatively you may like to visit the isolated and ruggedly beautiful Greek island of Meis (optional). The island is just one mile from the Turkish coast and yet more than sixty miles from Rhodes, its nearest Greek neighbour.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Xanthos was the capital of ancient Lycia and at one time was the largest centre of commerce and religion in the region. It has had a turbulent past, falling to both the Persians and the Romans, both occasions resulting in the mass suicides of the entire population. During the Roman civil wars of the 1st century BC, the Lycians sided with Caesar against Pompeius. But after Caesar’s assassination in Rome, Brutus attacked Xanthos. He demolished the acropolis and slaughtered the inhabitants. For the second time in their history, in the year 42 BC, the Xanthians underwent mass suicide for their freedom. Marc Antony, hoping to heal the scars left by Brutus, rebuilt their city. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and we plan to visit this morning, before our canoeing trip. After a full safety briefing we will take to the water again as we canoe down the Xanthos River to Patara. The pace is easy, and we pass tranquil and unspoilt rural backwaters along the way, stopping for a picnic lunch before eventually emerging at Patara Beach, a protected nesting area for giant loggerhead turtles. We will have the opportunity to swim on the return to Kas.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch Swimming available

There is an opportunity this morning to visit the Church of St Nicholas at Demre (Myra). This is where the 4th century Bishop Nicholas is said to have anonymously given money to the poor – thus spawning the legend of Father Christmas! Saint Nicholas lived his adult life in Myra, he is the patron saint of two countries; Greece and Russia, and is also the protector of children, virgins, merchants, scholars and sailors. A busy man! The origin of Saint Nicholas’s involvement with children and gift giving is believed to have arisen from a legend in which a shopkeeper was too poor to supply his daughters with dowries. When Saint Nicholas heard of their plight, he threw three bags of coins into the shopkeeper’s yard, saving the daughters from a life of hardship. The Church of Saint Nicholas is in Myra was built after his death and Noel Baba’s remains were placed in a rock sarcophagus. Outside the church, set in a quiet, enclosure, is a modern statue of Saint Nicholas, complete with beard, bag of toys, and children. But Myra isn’t just the home of Santa. A mile north of the church are the impressive ruins of the ancient town, where dozens of Lycian tombs are carved out of the cliff above a Roman amphitheatre. We plan to make an early start today (to beat the crowds and heat) but on returning to Kas there is a free afternoon either to relax or perhaps try scuba diving.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

This morning we embark on a sea-kayaking adventure in the calm, protected waters of the bay of Kekova, one of the most scenic area in Lycia. Here a set of picturesque islands, bays and small ancient cities make an idyllic backdrop to our sea-kayak safari. We kayak over the so-called ‘Sunken City’ of Kekova. The results of various earthquakes, the partly submerged streets and buildings are visible in the crystal clear waters, there are even steps leading down into the depths of the bay. Later we paddle to the picturesque whitewashed village of Simena, whose harbour is dotted with ancient sarcophagi (tombs), Roman baths and houses that cling to a hillside beneath a medieval castle. If you hike up to the castle you will find within its walls a tiny ancient theatre (the smallest in Lycia, with a seating capacity for about 300 people). Carved from the solid rock it is a wonderful place to sit and soak up the beautiful surroundings and layers of history. Taking to the waters again we head back to Ucagiz, from where we transfer back to Kas for our last evening. Note: Smaller children can travel, accompanied by a parent, aboard the support boat, with the chance to try out seakayaking if they wish.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

After a free morning in Kas we transfer back to Dalaman Airport.

Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available