If you’re taking your children on holiday to Turkey, you’ll be delighted to know that the Turkish people absolutely love children! With this in mind, you may want some tips on what to expect when you get there and the different things there will be for your children to do. Read on to find out more about travelling to Turkey with children:
Travelling with children can be a bit worrying, but if you take a few steps in advance then you shouldn’t have any reason to panic. Make sure you pack a few packets of sweets for them on the plane, and maybe a puzzle book, reading book, MP3 player or handheld games console to keep them occupied. If you take the time beforehand to book a transfer from Antalya airport for when you arrive, there will be minimum waiting around and whining kids.
When you arrive in Turkey, you’ll realise that Turkish families love children, and will take their own children with them wherever they may go. This can often mean children running around restaurants until the early hours of the morning without a backwards glance. This means you won’t have to worry about taking your children out – they aren’t going to bother anyone!
The Turkish have a very “Mediterranean” attitude towards children, so don’t be shocked if your children get many affectionate pinched cheeks from passers by, where they may also say the word “masallah” which both praises your offspring and wards of any “evil eyes”.
Waiters will even sometimes pick a child up and carry them off into the kitchen to say hello to their work friends. At this point you may notice every one exclaiming “cok tatli” which means “how sweet”.
There are plenty of places your kids will enjoy visiting, the sea, swimming pools, beaches, and even waterparks. There are even a few attractions that are aimed at younger children, with museums often preparing displays for them or activities.
For those parents who may be pushing a pushchair – beware. The ground is quite uneven and the kerbs can be very high.
If you have older kids, they’ll love taking part in activities like kayaking, windsurfing, white water rafting, and mountain biking.
All of the food that Turkey has to offer should appeal to the children, too. The Turkish restaurants will offer dishes like “kofte” (a delicious burger dish), “pide” (pizza, just minus the tomato paste), and “gozleme” (stuffed pancakes). The ice cream is beautiful and comes in a wide variety of crazy flavours that kids will love!
As mentioned before, restaurants are very welcoming to families and have a relaxed atmosphere, but you shouldn’t expect a high chair for any really young kids.
The supermarkets sell everything you need for young children; disposable nappies, milk and baby food.
You and your family will have a great time in Turkey, with plenty of things to see and do. You’ll love trying the delicious Turkish food and exploring the historical museums – kids and all!
