Adventures in Antalya
Last year we went on the search for an all inclusive, family friendly holiday for our first trip as a family of four. We wanted a short haul flight in a location that mixes culture with adventure whilst still being accesible with a young family.
We discovered Antalya and more importantly Granada Luxury Belek - an impressive all inclusive hotel that was home to eveything (and more) to cater for our family. Last year Suleiman was under a year old and Zakariya was just 2 so even though in terms of entertainment it was easy, food and amenities were important.
Having visited Turkey in the past I was confident about the country being a great choice to visit but in terms of the hotel, it was my first time staying at such a large hotel.
The hotel has an area called ‘Wonderland’ which features its own waterpark, fair, outdoor play areas, kids club, multiple pools and entertainment arena.
Inside the hotel you’ll find an indoor pool and spa, arcades/amusement room, gym and cinema.
For meal times there is a large dining hall, and I mean large, with a variety of different food for all tastes. At lunch and dinner there is also a smaller hall for little ones to tuck into chicken nuggets, chips, veg and pastas. They also have their own little tables and chairs.
If you prefer spending time in the pools and outdoor spaces then lunch can be enjoyed between 12-4pm outside. There are a strip of shop fronts serving kebabs, chips and pizza alongside a bar and ice cream stall.
This accessibility of food and entertainment was our main reason for returning a year later. Worried that we wouldn’t find a hotel to meet up to this expectation we simply rebooked. We knew what we were getting and we knew it is a great space for the kids.
This year we went for 10 days again but decided to hire a car to explore more of the outside areas. Belek centre is about a 20 minute walk away from Granada Luxury Belek and you’ll find shops and supermarkets that sell nappies and other essentials.
We hired a car from the hotel for $50 - bear in mind this is the start of the season so prices will more than likely fluctuate. We decided that even though prices may be a little higher coming from the hotel rather than outside, we felt safer and had our insurance and car seats for the kids included in this price.
Our first trip took us into Antalya where we parked up and walked into the Old Town before jumping on a boat to see the waterfalls. The trip is only 2 hours but unfortunately you do not get much time at the waterfalls - for safety reasons you can not dock so you turn around quickly on the boat before being moved along by the coast guard. Regardless of this, it was still a lovely experience.
Just 20 minutes by car from Granada is Land Of Legends and a must do if you are in the area. There is the theme park with a few rides suitable for our boys (aged 3 and 1) but a slightly older age would benefit a little more. Outside of the theme park in Land Of Legends shopping centre where they do light shows and boat shows.
Last year (2022) these shows were nightly but this has now changed so definitely check their website before you plan your trip because the boat show is great. You could also be taken down the canal in a boat when spending a certain amount in the shops (from memory this used to be $30) but now you have to pay. It would work out approx £50 for the four of us to take the canal trip that lasts approx 10 minutes so we just couldn’t justify that amount this time round.
When it comes to dining options at Land Of Legends, Nemo Restaurant is a must. The underwater restaurant allows you to tuck into a tasty meal whilst watching the sharks and fish. The boys loved it and the food is so unique and full of flavour with impeccable service.
Another day trip took us to Manavgat on our way to Alanya. Manavgat is about a 30 minute drive from Granada. We visited the incredible central Mosque which is one of the biggest in Turkey. Women must have full length covering and cover their heads if entering. Be aware of prayer times so you do not interfere with prayers.
Manavgat also has a stunning waterfall which we unfortunately didn’t stop for because we wanted to head into Alanya, so maybe we will add this to the next trip.
Alanya is full of history to discover. We parked pretty easily by the Red Tower but decided to skip on entering the caves with the boys in favour of taking a trip to the Castle. Again, the caves is something we would love to explore on a different trip.
We had a coffee and ice cream by the dock before heading to the castle.
We were advised that we would be looking at a 2 hour walk up to the castle (with the boys in tow, one in a sling and one alternating between walking and on shoulders) so we paid the small fee of $12 to take the cable car.
There is still a good amount of walking to be had when you reach the top of the cable car to walk the castle area but the paths are very well put together, well lit and safe.
The castle and fort wall stretches an impressive 4 miles so there is lots to see. We visited the mosque which history stretches beyond the Ottoman Empire. You can pay a small entrance fee to visit the Inner Fort - money that goes towards the restoration and up keep.
On our way home we tried to visit the DimCay waterfall which didn’t quite go to plan because our sat nav took us to the opposite side of Dim River. The waterfall was another couple of hours drive in the opposite direction, so again, one for another trip!
There really is so much to see and do in Turkey. Great for families with luxurious all inclusive hotels but also many opportunities to explore history and seek adventure.
If you are able to, I definitely recommend hiring a car but maybe plan your stop offs a little better than we did!