If you want to improve your child’s health, if you want to entertain him, if you want to broaden your horizons and teach new skills – Turkey is at your service! Attractions for children and adults are so diverse here that there will be no time to indulge in “doing nothing”. If you want, frolic in the purest warmest water, learn to swim with dolphins, surf, dive and explore the seabed. If you want, go on a mountain hike, ballooning over fabulous valleys or master skiing. But no – fill your leisure time with a thousand and one excursions or entertainment in the huge “Turkish Disneyland”. At the same time, the price tags for rest and flights are more affordable than in European resorts, and the conditions for tourists with kids are no worse.
What to see in Turkey with children? Top 10 entertainment
Miniatürk Park, Istanbul / Miniatürk – from here you need to start your acquaintance with Turkey. The park fascinates even adults! And what can we say about the children, who, at the level of their growth, can see in the smallest detail the greatest sights of the country?! Moreover, some exhibits move and sound, such as planes, trains, ferries, cars and even football players in the stadium. The complex also houses two museums, a playground, a labyrinth, slot machines and a 5D cinema with virtual flights.
Travertine terraces of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis / Pamukkale, Hierapolis . This is not beach Turkey, for children and adults there is something more interesting here: a cascade of turquoise geothermal baths formed in snow-white travertine “bowls”. It is a place of amazing natural beauty and history. The child will surely like the entertainment of the location itself, the opportunity to splash in the mineral streams and dive in the most transparent Cleopatra’s Pool, as well as wander through the ruins of ancient times and the large amphitheater.
Museum of Underwater Archeology in a medieval fortress, Bodrum / Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archeology . In this theme, it is one of the most exciting and visited museums in Europe, moreover, it is located on the premises of the 600-year-old St. Peter’s Castle, which is now a historical museum. Visitors from all over the world come here for a unique collection of more than a thousand exhibits dating from the Bronze Age to the present. Among them are sunken ships and their fragments, treasures raised from the bottom, household items, weapons, even a sarcophagus with a skeleton and personal belongings of the princess.
The Adaland water entertainment complex in the town of Kusadasi combines a water park, a dolphinarium and an oceanarium. A visit here will make your vacation with a child in Turkey unforgettable! Here you can spend days on end and neither children nor parents will get bored. The territory is huge, and the entertainment is varied: swimming pools, jacuzzis, fountains, waterfalls, slides, attractions, a rafting track and water dance shows. Special attention is given to the performance of dolphins and fur seals, as well as snorkeling in a specially equipped “Sea Park”, where there are many beautiful fish among the corals.
Discovery Park, Side / Manavgat Discovery Park is a large amusement park for children of all ages. It includes a park of dinosaurs and their skeletons, figures of cartoon characters and an exhibition of small sand sculptures, a playground and a paddling pool with water activities. And also there is a small terrarium, an aquarium, a pool with penguins and a zoo with baby mammals that are allowed to be fed.
Snow town Snowpark, Istanbul. An unexpected location for a hot country – here year-round 2 degrees of frost, snowdrifts half a meter high, an ice rink and, of course, all your favorite winter activities, including skiing, sledding and snowboarding. All necessary equipment can be rented.
Complex of sand sculptures Sandland, Antalya. If your child likes to sculpt sand castles and puzzles, be sure to take him to this amazing museum and let him be inspired. On the one hand, he will see one of the world’s largest exhibitions of huge sand sculptures, and on the other hand, he can take a master class and try his hand at this exciting activity.
Zoos: Bursa, Antalya and Istanbul Zoo . When planning a vacation with children in Turkey, include in your plans a visit to the one that is closer and more convenient. After all, it is difficult to single out one and say that it is better, unless the Antalya Zoo stands out for the presence of a zone where animals with cubs are collected. And so all three are located on the outskirts of the city and are combined with a botanical garden, they have an entertainment and play area for kids, approximately the same species of animals live in all, the residents of zoos are well-groomed, they are kept in spacious enclosures, terrariums, and aquariums.
Isfanbul Amusement Park is the largest in Istanbul and all of Turkey. The complex is divided into three thematic locations, in each of which you can spend a day. The play area includes a “plasticine” city, a fairy-tale castle and attractions for the little ones. In the adventure zone of entertainment for older children and adults – extreme carousels, rafting on the river with cascades, safaris. Historical Turkey is singled out separately, with children here you can ride a boat on a cave river, see the events of the Ottoman Empire and the architecture of ancient Istanbul.
The water park, dolphinarium and theme park The Land of Legends, Antalya is also a very large-scale and diverse entertainment complex for the whole family, it is also called the “Turkish Disneyland”. On a territory of 630 square kilometers, there is such an abundance of attractions, water fun, play areas, swimming and surfing pools, rope parks and cinemas that even listing them for a long time is not enough to get around them all. There are also interactive oceanariums, a circus, the opportunity to fly in a hot air balloon, concerts, show programs, and performances with dolphins, seals, fur seals and penguins.
Türkiye: outdoor recreation with children
Sea. A Turkish vacation is, first of all, a beach holiday, so the southern country regularly ennobles the seaside areas. There are paid and free beaches awarded with the “blue flag”, which means that they are the safest for adults and kids to spend time. The waters of the Mediterranean Sea warm up to a comfortable +23 ° C already in May, and cool down in October. The swimming season in the Black and Aegean Seas lasts from June to mid-September. Of the numerous resorts for families, Antalya is the most suitable with its smooth entry into the water, a variety of sandy and pebble beaches, and an abundance of children’s entertainment.
Skis. In winter, mountainous Turkey opens up new opportunities for children and their parents: first learn to ski and snowboard, and then enjoy more difficult slopes and jumps. The most suitable ski resorts for families with children are Uludag, Kayseri, Palandoken and Sarykamysh. A suitable snow cover is guaranteed here already at the end of December, although it is better to come in January-February.
Mountains. There are quite a few trekking routes in the green mountain ranges of the country. The most popular of them are the Lycian and Carian paths – the level of difficulty is low, but it is dangerous for unprepared adults with unprepared children to advance on them. If you want to open the beauty of the mountains to your child, their clean air and – one of the best options would be to climb the Olympos Teleferik cable car, which leads from the city of Kemer to the top of Mount Tahtali. On the slopes of this mountain, there are enough simple and beautiful routes to diversify your vacation with a child in Turkey.
Aeronautics. If your child dreams of flying in a hot air balloon, it is best to fulfill his dream in Cappadocia. At the height of the season, from April to October, more than a hundred baskets with balloonists rise into the sky at dawn – this spectacle in itself already gives a wow effect. The delight is complemented by the view of the huge valleys with rocks of bizarre shapes and cave monasteries.
Is the climate of Turkey suitable for children?
Whenever you go to an overseas country, keep in mind that you are changing your native temperate climate zone to hotter subtropics. Of course, the greater the temperature difference, the longer it takes to acclimatize, especially for children. Therefore, doctors recommend planning a Turkish vacation with children for May-June and September. At this time, it is comfortable on the beaches, in the mountains, in cities, and there are fewer tourists. For better adaptation, it is advisable to allocate at least 10 days for rest.
The most unfavorable time for a family holiday on Turkish beaches is July and August, when the air heats up to +40 ° C and tires with high humidity, you see, in such weather conditions, even adults are reluctant to leave the air conditioner.
What is winter Türkiye like? With children in the cold season, it makes sense to go only to ski resorts – mild winters live there, exciting rides and entertainment. But in the lowland during the winter months it is damp, chilly and you won’t even get snow, many entertainments are “curtailed” and therefore leisure options are sharply reduced.
What and where to feed children in Turkey
Be prepared for the fact that as soon as your child tastes oriental delicacies, it will be difficult to persuade him to eat soup, porridge or potatoes. And so, contrary to the ideas of Turkish cuisine, as about very spicy and fried, no more problems with feeding babies should arise. Turks are madly in love with children, they often take them with them to cafes and restaurants, so local catering establishments try to please little guests. Almost all offer special furniture, play corners and separate children’s menus with an abundance of milk porridges, puddings and pastries with fruits, desserts. By the way, they are so tasty that you can’t pull adults off the children’s plate by the ears. Even if the baby kitchen is not provided, the child can easily assemble a sandwich to his taste from a traditional Turkish assorted breakfast. Or you can choose a standard dish, but you just need to warn that spicy seasonings are not added to it. As a snack, Turkey for children can offer “branded” stuffed cakes – bereki and gozleme,
Note! Despite the ban on smoking in public places, Turks can smoke both on summer terraces and indoors. Therefore, when choosing a cafe and a table, ask the waiter if they smoke in their establishment and where it is better to sit so as not to be in a puff of smoke.
Infant formulas, purees and other baby foods are sold in supermarkets, pharmacies and specialized stores. Look for nipples and bottles here. At the same time, keep in mind that in resort towns the assortment is poorer, and in small villages there may not be any goods for one-year-old babies at all.
Is it safe to travel with a child in Turkey?
Judge for yourself: few Turks speak Russian – if a child gets lost, it will be difficult for him to explain the situation, drivers are reckless and reluctant to let pedestrians pass, even on zebras, even at the appropriate traffic signal, from time to time terrorist attacks, earthquakes, floods occur in large cities , in the summer during a beach holiday, there is a high chance of catching sunstroke, a sea urchin in the heel and the local Coxsackie virus. This does not mean that you should not spend holidays in Turkey with children. This means that you need to keep in mind what dangers may threaten, be attentive, careful and, most importantly, do not lose sight of your kids! Read more about security in Turkey .
Another tip for parents. Think carefully about your holiday plan and take medicines that may come in handy (sunscreen is a must-have in both summer and winter) – the prices for Turkish medicines and treatment are much higher than ours.
What is the best way to go to Turkey with a child? Where to settle
When choosing between air, water and land transport, family tourists prefer the first. And no wonder: almost all flights to Istanbul (more about Istanbul airports ) are direct, non-stop, last only 2-3 hours, at a time when ferries take more than a day, and even more to go by car.
As for the choice of accommodation, given the potential risks mentioned above, it is better for travelers with kids to consider all-inclusive offers and spend a family vacation in Turkey in a good hotel. Moreover, most hotels have paddling pools, play areas and playgrounds, a children’s menu and feeding furniture. Families with infants and preschool children are provided with special conditions: a room with a suitable bed, a stroller for rent and other children’s accessories, as well as babysitting services or a mini kindergarten.
Note! Antalya is considered the safest and most family-friendly seaside region. If you stay in Istanbul, choose accommodation in a quiet pleasant area of Kadikoy with a well-developed transport network.
Traveling with a child by public transport and car in Turkey
Turkey is a large country, the beauty of which is not limited to honey beaches, many of the sights are hidden in the heart of the state, and to see them you will have to travel hundreds of kilometers. Therefore, when considering what to see in Turkey with children, think about how to move around. What is the best way to get when you have a young traveler in your arms? Rent a car and drive wherever your eyes look at your own pace. Just remember that children can only be transported in the back seat, for a baby under 3 years old, you must definitely take a car seat.
Those who do not dare to drive on Turkish highways on their own can safely use local buses – they are comfortable, each passenger has his own screen and headphones, drinks and snacks are served, even a long journey does not tire children and parents. In addition, when choosing a direction, whether it be international, intercity or around the city, see if water transport goes in the right direction, although it takes longer, it is more interesting and comfortable enough for children.