Belek Holidays

Belek is the Beverly Hills of the Turkish Riviera, drawing an exclusive international crowd to its shores. The beachfront is a parade of upmarket hotels and exclusive restaurants, backed by golf courses. And behind these undulating fairways are the tree-lined boulevards of Belek town, where there’s plenty in the way of cafés and shops, plus a thriving bazaar on Saturdays.

The beach is a 16-kilometre golden swathe of sand and shingle behind which are luxe hotels in places, emerald-green pine forests in others. The shallow Mediterranean Sea means it’s safe for children to swim. And the watersports portfolio is hard to beat – you can hire jet-skis one day, bounce over the waves on a wakeboard the next, and strap on water-skis the day after.

It’s not just the golden sand, but also the green fairways that single Belek out from the crowd. There are eight champion golf courses to choose from – even Tiger Woods knows the rub of the green at some of them. And the 19th holes offer up some of the most exclusive dining experiences on the Turquoise Coast, with the snow-capped Taurus Mountains for a backdrop.

History buffs will also find plenty to get their teeth into. Twenty minutes away by car is the ancient Roman port of Perge. And nearby is the Aspendos amphitheatre – the magical setting for open-air ballet performances. For something less high-minded, Antalya’s exclusive line-up of shops are an hour’s drive away.