I visited Turkish seaside city that’s perfect for half term winter sun

On Turquoise Coast, and across the country for that matter, they like to go large on Republic Day – and Vicky Lissaman and her family were thrilled to be in Anttalya to celebrate with the locals.

Marked annually on October 29, Republic Day commemorates the founding of the Turkish Republic by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923.

A day devoted to national pride and unity, the public are given the day off to enjoy the parades, fireworks displays and open-air concerts which go on well into the night.

Lissaman said: “Our half-term winter sun holiday coincided with the celebrations and it was wonderful to join in with the locals and soak up the atmosphere. We were spending the week at Masmavi Magic Life, a beautiful five-star resort in Belek, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.”

“We had booked one of TUI’s specially designed Green and Fair excursions to Antalya on the day of the festivities,” she added.

The family’s first stop was the Karpuzkaldiran Waterfall, which thunders off the cliffs into the sparkling waters of the Med, and is a gorgeous spot, with a rugged coastline and mountain scenery.

After that they went on a guided tour of Antalya old town (Kaleiçi) starting at the imposing Hadrian’s Gate, built in honour of Emperor Hadrian who visited in 130AD, which is flanked by the city walls.

Lissaman said: “We then delved into the maze of streets, bursting with bazaars, shaded cafes and Ottoman architecture.

“The TUI guide was excellent at bringing the stories behind the buildings to life. He even described a typical night out in the old town which, after sundown, turns into a party zone full of revellers drinking raki – or what he called ‘lion water’.

“It gives you courage to talk to people,” he said.

The family rounded off the day with a stroll down to the historic harbour, full of handsome wooden boats and pleasure cruisers, and a glass of pure pomegranate juice – a popular and refreshing cooler here – from a street stall.

Back at Masmavi that afternoon, they were having their own Republic Day party, with a flag parade weaving around the 10 pools, followed by a Turkish-themed night in the main Magico buffet restaurant.

An epic feast of colour and spice, there were dozens of dips and flatbreads, flavoured meats sizzling on the grills, traditional hot dishes, veggie mixes, and tasty honey-drizzled desserts.

At this top-notch all-inclusive resort guests can dine at the buffet every night or book into the array of restaurants overlooking the sea.

“We loved the alfresco teppanyaki with sunset views,” she said. “If you’re holidaying with kids, the theatrical chefs make an effort to get them involved in the very entertaining live cooking show. Our daughter, Charlotte, volunteered to catch raw eggs in a chefs’ hat, and had a smashing time – especially when they splattered on the floor.”

There are multiple courses, including sushi, rice and noodle dishes, stir-fried beef and chicken, salmon steak and dessert.

The Flavour restaurant, which serves modern dishes from Turkey, Spain, Greece, Egypt and Tunisia, was a real crowd-pleaser with plenty of choice for all tastes, and at Levante Turkish restaurant, down on the beachfront, the family grazed on a beautifully presented, multi-course feast of local delights.

The nighttime entertainment at Masmavi is in a league of its own with lavish dance, music and magic shows in an amphitheatre under the stars.

There’s also an outdoor main stage area with dancefloor, lighting rigs and wraparound bar where we had a blast dancing, singing, and partying with fellow guests at an 80s-themed night and Halloween disco, and also enjoyed an array of tribute bands.

Lissaman said: “Our surprise favourite, however, turned out to be the silent disco. With everyone given a pair of headphones and a choice of 80s hits, techno and Turkish music to choose from, all tastes and ages were catered for.

“The area around TUI Magic Life Masmavi offers plenty of opportunities for bucket-list sight-seeing and activities with excursions.”

You can head west along the coast to Side to see the 1,400-year-old ruins of the Roman amphitheatre and the Temple of Apollo, or experience the exhilaration of whitewater rafting at Köprülü canyon.

Plus, just two miles away is Turkey’s largest theme park, Land of Legends, with its rides, waterslides, shopping mall and shows.

For the more active there is an aqua park with five mega slides, seven free tennis courts, a free spa with steam and sauna rooms where you can stay as long as you like, free organised mountain bike rides in the countryside, every kind of exercise class, a gym and a lovely sunset yoga session on the beach.

However, one of the highlights according to Lissaman was the two cats living outside their hotel room.

She said: “In Turkey cats are welcomed and cherished wherever they wander, and some seriously cute felines have been given a home at the resort, with shelter, food, water, posts for ­scratching, and a vet that comes every week to check up on them.

“These furry friends loved the attention of guests, and we soon discovered that true happiness is a tabby cat, sitting on your lap, while soaking up the Turkish sunshine.”

Book the holiday

• TUI offers a seven-night holiday to Belek, Antalya area, Turkey, staying at the TUI Masmavi Magic Life on an all-inclusive basis from £1,164 per person. Price is based on two adults and two children sharing a double room with flights departing from Stansted on May 25. 

• TUI Musement’s excursion to Antalya Old Town with Karpuzkaldiran Waterfall is from £40pp for adults (12+) and £25pp for children, free for children under six.

• One week’s Park and Ride at with Airport Parking and Hotels costs from £69. 

• More info at