Greece has been a favourite holiday destination for British holidaymakers for many years, but recently, more people have been choosing to spend their summer in Turkey.
Both countries have similar climates, with hot summer sun and mild winters. They’re also a similar distance from the UK, so there’s not much difference in flight times. With all the news about the poor Greek economy, has its neighbour finally stolen its holiday crown?
To help you choose between Club Meds all inclusive holidays to Turkey and Greece, we weigh up the pros and cons of each country.
Cost
One of the main reasons that holidaymakers are shunning the Greek islands in favour of the Turkish mainland is cost. Many people believe that heading to a destination outside of the euro zone is going to save them thousands.
A Post Office survey did find that it was in Turkey who topped the list here but by less than a fiver! If you want a luxury family holiday in either destination, you’ll probably pay a similar price per person.
Beaches
As you can holiday on the Greek mainland and the islands, there’s probably more coastline to explore, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have better beaches. Both countries have beaches that are incredibly popular with tourists, the Aegean coast, in Turkey, is particularly popular.
However, Greece manages to offer much more variety, thanks to its many islands.
Scenery
Putting the beaches to one side, both countries have some beautiful areas, but the landscape in Turkey is spectacular. Cappadoccia, with its church caves and colourful wall paintings, is just one example of the breathtaking scenery in Turkey, but there are many others, including Dalyan and the Lake District.
Cuisine
The Greek cuisine is famous all around the world, and a huge part of the culture. It has a Mediterranean flavour and shares characteristics with other regions. Expect to find wide use of olive oil, wine, fish and meat.
They have many traditional dishes, such as kalamari, souvlaki and moussaka, too. While Turkish cuisine is very similar to Greek food, it doesn’t have quite the same sense of identity.
Although it might not come as much help to holidaymakers, there isn’t much between Greece and Turkey when it comes to which is the better holiday destination. In general, both are very similar, so try to go with your instincts and make sure your choice reflects your interests if you can.
An extra point to turkey is you can apply for Turkish visa online
