172 � squaremeal.co.uk

TRAVEL the chef is from Japan and there is a wide

range of options, all of them good.

After a few days in town, I decided to

venture a bit further afield and check out

one of the bustling resorts in the popular

seaside destination of Belek. �is area,

45 minutes from the airport and city

centre, is considered part of Antalya. It's

a place particularly popular with sporty

retired Brits, active families and Germans

carrying around golf bags. I stayed at

the Cornelia Diamond Resort, and first

impressions were a resounding success. If

you're after character or charm this is not

the place for you, but if you like clean lines

and modern aesthetics you'll feel at home.

Besides, it's the facilities that people come

here for, not for the glam. Set on its own

27-hole golf course, the resort has seven

outdoor swimming pools and waterslides

all within a short distance of the sea.

My spacious room was connected to the

pool via a ladder on an outside wooden

deck. �e pool weaves its way around

the giant property and is scattered with

Jacuzzis; there's also an indoor pool and

a stunning private beach with loungers

and bar service. But for me, the highlight

was spending a half-day at the enormous

spa, taking in all 12 of the aromatherapy

saunas and steam rooms. For younger

guests, there's a kids' club in a building

shaped like a pirates' ship and a train that

can be boarded for a tour of the premises.

With nine à la carte restaurants and

24-hour room service, there is plenty of

variety, and a higher standard of food

than I expected. �e Tai Pen restaurant

offers fine Oriental cuisine with Turkish

fusion and an excellent teppanyaki grill.

I opted for spicy

grilled shrimp

with Turkish red

peppers and Wagyu

beef sautéed to

perfection. �e

property is allinclusive

(including alcohol) and it felt

fantastic to never get the wallet out.

CULTURAL SPOTS

For those looking for a bit of culture,

there are approximately 300 historic

sites not far from Antalya, including the

ancient Greco-Roman city Aspendos,

the Byzantine church of St Nicholas and

the ruins of the ancient city of Patara.

Particularly worth seeing is Olympos,

founded in the 2nd century BC and

just nine miles north of the city. �e

incredible ruins here, just steps from the

sea, include an ancient acropolis.

Antalya also has breathtaking waterfalls

GETTING THERE

Thomas Cook Airlines flies daily to Antalya

from London Gatwick and four times a

week from London Stansted. Flights start at

around £90 return. Flight time is about four

hours. thomascookairlines.com

WHEN TO GO

July and August are hot with average

temperatures approaching 35C. June and

September are ideal, and the water is still

warm enough to swim in come October.

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel Su, Antalya. Opt for a spacious seaview

suite overlooking the Mediterranean.

From £83 a night, B&B. sunishotels.com

Cornelia Diamond Resort, Belek. Pool

suites sleep up to three adults in two

spacious rooms with a shared deck.

£560 per night. corneliaresort.com

FIND OUT MORE

hometurkey.com

NEED TO KNOW

that are worth a look and hotels can

arrange a variety of tours. I opted for white

water rafting in Antalya's National Park -

a scenic wonder of a place called Beşkonak

two hours' drive from the city centre. A

rafting day trip costs £25, including lunch,

safety equipment and transport.

Stunning views, a fascinating history,

great food, clean beaches and a very

manageable price tag, all just four hours

from London, probably helps explain the

millions of visitors each year. But for me,

it's more than that; Antalya's rich past

is echoed in a present teeming with

natural beauty, a feeling of optimism and

a gentle nudge to slow things down.

Exactly what I need from a holiday.

THE HIGHLIGHT WAS A HALF‰DAY

AT THE ENORMOUS SPA, TAKING

IN ALL 12 OF THE AROMATHERAPY

SAUNAS AND STEAM ROOMS

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP: ANCIENT CITY OF

PATARA; THE DUDEN WATERFALLS; CRASSULA

SPA AT THE CORNELIA DIAMOND RESORT;

THE POOL AT THE CORNELIA DIAMOND

STRETCHES AROUND THE RESORT