5 Tips to Consider when Traveling to Turkey with Kids
Setting out on any trip can be a bit stressful, as you want to ensure that everything goes to plan and that all members of your party are happy, but things can be even more worrying when you’re traveling with kids. Fortunately, there are plenty of great ways to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible, and that your whole group have the best of times. If you happen to be planning a family trip to beautiful Turkey, then here are a few tips for a great kid-friendly experience.
-
Travel off of peak season
This is a great idea for numerous reasons. Turkey is a highly popular tourist destination, as it is well known for its wonderful scenic beaches and its rich historical sites, so planning your vacation when the crowds are a little less vast will make things easier for you and your children. Also, the peak times to travel to Turkey are usually the hottest, so heading here just before or after the main tourist season will still give you great weather, without being unbearable and will help you avoid the major crowds.
-
Plan an extended stay
If you’re traveling from afar, remember that kids are far more prone to suffering from jet lag than adults, and their attitudes and moods will certainly prove it. It is best to avoid any major plans the first day or two after arrival and allow you family time to adapt to the new time zone and climate. This will make the rest of your holiday far more enjoyable for everyone.
-
Choose your itinerary carefully
If you plan to head to one of Turkey’s luxurious and scenic resorts then you will have the privilege of not worrying too much about having to plan your trip once you’ve arrived. But if you’re booking your own accommodations and transportation or are planning to tour to multiple regions, be sure you don’t overcrowd your schedule. Aside from the beach regions, Istanbul and Cappadocia are two areas that kids will enjoy, as one provides the vivid atmosphere of Turkey’s city-life, and the other a rural and remote experience.
-
Try new foods
Turkey is praised throughout the world for its delicious and varied cuisine, which has roots in Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisines. Kids will especially enjoy the pizza-like dish, Lahmacun, which is a baked dough topped with minced meats, vegetables, and herbs and spices, including onions tomatoes and parsley.
-
Inform your kids on historic events
Turkey is a great place to begin to grow your children’s’ interest in history and culture, as so many of the monuments and historic sites are also home to wonderful mythic events such as the Battle of Troy and its famous Trojan Horse. There are also many fascinating sites in Istanbul, which have been conquered and built upon (consider exploring underground sites of Istanbul) over centuries.
However you go about planning your family trip to Turkey, with a few simple rules it’s sure that everyone will enjoy their stay.
If you have tips for people traveling to Turkey, please share in the comments below.
Images by Dennis Jarvis and Adam Jones used under the Creative Commons License.
Seyma Shabbir says
Was in Turkey this summer with my hubby and kids! We love it and try to visit someplace new in Turkey every time we go. I reccommend Antalya (Belek area) for resorts and Istanbul for sight seeing. My sons love Pide, which is Turkish pizza but they do not use tomato sauce.
lisa says
I have never been there. My husband works with a guy that’s from Turkey. Whenever the guy goes back for a visit, he brings back a jellied candy with powdered sugar that I hear is quite good.
Eva-Maria Virnas says
Huh, Turkey is real popular right now here in Estonia 😀 They show Turkish series and people love to travel to Turkey. I don’t know. Maybe I’m a person with prejudice but I wouldn’t travel with kids there. Don’t feel safe 🙁 But I’m sure there is really beautiful!!
Jeffrey says
Nice article with practical suggestions.
salexis says
Wow I never thought about taking my kids to Turkey! Sounds like it would be a very valuable trip! Thanks 🙂
Irma says
Great tips! Thank you.
Sue E says
I have never had the urge to go to Turkey. When we used to ask the kids where they’d like to go for vacation, Turkey never came up. But I had forgotten about the historical side. Now Turkey interests me!
Teni Siti Nurlela says
Woww,… Turkey is really wonderful. I would like to visit there someday… thanks for sharing about tips. Its useful for me,….
clojo9372 says
I have never been there but I love to visit places with a rich culture and history, and I would love to see that horse in person! 🙂
Sarah L says
I’m afraid the Turkey is not on my list of places I want to visit. Those are good tips for just about any trip.