If anyone could help then i would be soooo grateful, i am looking for a holiday in July, for 10 nights or thereabouts for 2 adults and 2 children (8 and 6), we would like to go somewhere that isnt full of English restaurants, or too touristy, with lovely beaches and maybe a water park for the children. Havent been to Cyprus or Turkey and didnt know which one to pick?? Can anyone help?? Also, if you think that one is nicer than the other,. which parts are nice?? Alot to ask, but would really appreciate any help, Thanks
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Hi,
I cannot comment on Turkey. Us Cypriots are not allowed to go to Turkey, unless we have British, Greek or other foreign passports. But I can advise you with Cyprus. Turkey is much less developed than Cyprus, from what I was told.
Cyprus has 3 main waterparks, one in Paphos, LImassol and Ayia Napa.
Paphos is very touristy. But it is like that because it was recently modernised and many people visit it. You may would like to consider Protaras, which is much quieter and not so developed. Lots of people say this is a good family holiday destination. There is a Bird Park in Paphos. You can visit an ostrich farm in Mazotas village. There are bowling alleys in the main towns.
Cyprus is a very safe place for children also. The beaches are clean and there is a variety. Sandy, rocky or pebbly. There are also all sorts of restaurants. If you click on the REstaurants link on teh left hand panel %26lt;--- and you%26#39;ll see what restaurants we are recommending.
There is also a lot of history in Cyprus if you like that sort of thing. You can do jeep safaris which makes it fun for children. There is also George%26#39;s Fun Bus which does exhursions but makes this more fun than other companies.
Can%26#39;t help you with Turkey, I%26#39;m afraid. I%26#39;m sure someone else will pitch in for you :)
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Wow nursie, you aren%26#39;t asking for much are you!!!
It is a difficult one because Turkey is so big and there are so many resorts to choose from; some laid back and others full on in your face.
I have only been to Icmeler on the Turquoise Coast but it was a fantastic place. The tourist area is based around a promenade facing the beach lined with hotels and restaurants. There was something for everyone and it wasn%26#39;t too touristy. Further down the coast just a short bus ride away is Marmaris with its water parks (there were two when we were there) and razzmatazz. It is a full on resort but fun to visit for the odd evening.
The people love children and they make such a fuss of them in the restaurants.
The main drawback of holidaying in this part of Turkey is you tend to find that the flight times (particularly the return ones) are unsociable plus it takes about 2 hours to travel from the airport. These are the main reasons we haven%26#39;t returned.
As for Cyprus, I can only really speak for Paphos because that is where we spend most of our visits but again, it has something for everyone. It is a proper tourist resort and, as such, you will find a mix of traditional and international restaurants. There is a lovely water park for the children and there are beaches both in Paphos itself and out at Coral Bay which is a smaller resort within itself just a few miles along the coast.
I would recommend Coral Bay for a family holiday with children as it is a bit quieter than Paphos but easily accessible by public transport so you can enjoy what Paphos has to offer too.
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You may find slightly biased opinions as this a Cyprus forum and the majority of contributors love Cyprus. Turkey does undoubtedly have some beautiful countryside. Many years ago I went to Marmaris, Icmeler and latterly Alanya and it was very touristy even then. Sorry to say I would not set foot in the place again - far too much unwelcome hassle for women and you couldn%26#39;t even stop to look in a shop or restaurant without being pressurised into buying. Give me Cyprus any time. I%26#39;ve not done the Greek Islands because I %26quot;discovered%26quot; Cyprus over 10 years ago and just fell in love with the place. It certainly isn%26#39;t the most beautiful island in the Med but Cypriots are warm, generous and love families. Not sure if you know the history of Cyprus - if you do my apologies but the northern part of the island is illegally occupied by Turkey and Cyprus is thus a divided island. The north has now been opened up to the south and vice versa so you are free to travel if you wish to go north or south but if hiring a car you would have to check with your hirer whether you would be allowed to take the car over the %26quot;green line%26quot;. You will find however the major tourist holiday destinations, Paphos, Ayia Napa, Protaras have to some degree been influenced by the UK traveller. We have demanded certain criteria over the years i.e karaoke, English breakfasts etc and they have been provided for - now we don%26#39;t want them.
Have a look at Pernera which is on the outskirts of Protaras - smaller than Protaras, lovely beaches, beautiful clear sea, selection of nice restaurants and a small water park for the children. The eastern/south eastern side of Cyprus has the best beaches and the western coast (Paphos) has more historical interests and a lovely coastline. July is very hot - almost unbearable and daytime and nightime temperatures vary very little so air conditioning is an absolute must.
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Wow, thankyou all for your messages, its helped alot with my choice, i know it was alot to ask, but its difficult to choose a place if youve never been before that is why forums such as these are great for getting honesty about a place. Thanks again everyone!!
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Hi,
I know how difficult it is to find something suitable. Last year we went to Side in Turkey and loved it, lovely beach and superb all inclusive hotels at a reasonable price. I have been to Cyprus a few times but to be honest I think the hotels are over-priced and I think value for money has to be found in Turkey.
The flights to Turkey are unsociable but if you are prepared to fly early morning to Antalya it is worth it. I have also been looking at Rhodes but the quality of the hotels just doesn%26#39;t match Turkey.
Needless to say I would opt for Turkey, although I love Cyprus. If you can get a good deal go to Cyprus but there are no cheap offers from Scotland.
Looks like we are going to Majorca, after all these weeks of deliberating. I am not prepared to pay 5*prices for 3* accommodation.
I hope this helps you decide.
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I live in Cyprus for most of the year. To be honest I do not take my holidays here, too touristy in peak season, too hot and genrally caters soley for the British tourist.
Turkey and some of the Greek islands always seem alot quieter with a greater mix of things to do and places to see. Turkey is full of history, service and food is genrally excellent and children are a big hit. Greek islands like Aegina are still lovely places to holiday, friendly tavernas, extremely fresh food and again children are a big hit.
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