Turgutreis Holidays

Right-hand man

This place is one of the biggest towns in this pocket of south-west Turkey – second only to big-hitting Bodrum. And on top of its beachfront scenery, it’s got a true traditional Turkish thing going on. The weekly Saturday market’s like an old-school version of a super-sized shopping mall. Stacks of fruit and veg add rainbow-like blobs of colour, and you’ll find everything from spices to shawls being flogged.

Sightseeing special

Turgutreis gets its name from famous Ottoman admiral Turgut Reis – better known as Dragut. And the historic sites come thick and fast across the Bodrum peninsula. Bodrum itself, the region’s pin-up town, has St Peter’s Castle, the remains of an ancient mausoleum, and a sea-facing amphitheatre on its CV. And if you fancy a daytrip under different international colours, there are boat trips to the neighbouring Greek island of Kos.

Double whammy

The entire coastline here’s stamped with beaches, and Turgutreis has its own pebbled Blue Flag ribbon to brag about. And it’s a case of double vision here, as the handsome marina has its own blue colours fluttering above the masts and mainsails, too. The waterfront’s also home to turquoise-tinted statue of a woman holding an olive branch.