We have visited Turkey once and are also going back in July. The thing that really stood out for us about Turkey was the people themselves. They were absolutely brilliant with our 2 girls (8 and 13).Also we found the trips etc were very good value for money. Loved Turkey and the people.

Enjoy
Stevie

The most obvious difference between Spain, Canaries etc; and Turkey is the people. They are warm and friendly,always up for a chat. Like you we always holidayed in Spain, Balearics, Canaries etc but after discovering Turkey in 2007 we are looking forward to our fifth visit in July, with our sixth visit already booked for October, think that speaks for it,s self. You will fall in love with the place, enjoy!

Hi Louise,

The differrence between the Turkish and the Spanish is that the Turks genuinely want to know about you. You go into a restaurant with your family and you won't know that you've got kids as the waiters will be entertaining them whilst you savour the atmosphere and chill out. The saying goes," To make a friend of a Turk, is to make a friend for life". They won't forget you either, they have fantastic memories for faces, you can be away from a resort for two or three years but the people will still remember you. They remember good people who have shown them kindness. We have been going to Turkey for twelve years now and it is somewhere we just never tire of, it is the local people that do it for us everytime, they just can't do enough for you.

Our experience of the Spanish in the past has been that they have favoured the German tourist over the Brits as they spend more money with them. This is not so with the Turkish people, all are welcome and treated equally. You will enjoy your Turkish experience. When you come back, pop in here and tell us all about it.

Les

I agree with the others, the Turkish people are so welcoming and the Turkish hospitality is jst so honets and friendly. When you are served you drinks it will be with a smile and you will find someone cahtting to you as if you were an old friend.

My husband is Turkish and we went to Lanzarote for a holiday a couple of years ago. he was really surprised the way people were out there, not so friendly and not even particularly intersted in anyone either. Completely different form Turkey.

Torba is a lovely little resort and Bodrum is lovely too. I'm sure you will have a lovely time there.

Couldn't agree more with all these comments. Once you've been there a couple of days, the shopowners, waiters & barmen recognize you and greet you. There's a Turkish Delight shop in the main street of Turunc, and we have never bought Turkish Delight because we don't like it, but every holiday when we walk down the main street, we can guarantee that the owner will greet us and stop us for a chat and welcome us like old friends! That is one of the reasons why having first gone to Turkey on holiday years ago, then going to the usual destinations in Spain,Greece etc. we came back to Turkey. You couldn't be made to feel more welcome! You'll also find on any trips you go on that you they'll go the extra mile to entertain you. If you have small children you don't have to worry about how to amuse them when you're having dinner at night in a nice restaurant - the waiters will do that for you!!

hi,

just to add, i stay at lykia in olu deniz, and all i have heard is nothing but great things, been going for the last 6 years and flying on monday yet again, the turkish love children, they look at them as there future.... was told once if anyone harmed a child then they would not like to think of the sentance that person would get !

we have a private transfer from dalaman airport to resort and when we walk out i have so many pleople coming up to me saying " welcome back .... you've come back .... nice to see you again ...." it's like having a second family... they do remmeber you and it's not a fake hello or welcome .... they mean it.

i think you wont go to spain no more ..... it's turkey here we come !!

enjoy it

and wthe main difference is the quality of service,in spain i think resort workers are now on structured wages ,in turkey the majority of tourist places run on a commissison basis therefore the waiters bar men etc have work that little bit harder to ensure complete customer satisfaction.the last time we were in spain i continually compared it to turkey which is a little unfair. in all fairness the spaniards who worked in the bars and the ones holidaying there were fine,they werent over friendly like the turks but neither were they as reserved and dull as people are led to believe.in fact the holidaying spaniards were a lot more approachable than the turkish counterparts we have encountered throughout the years.I think that in places like istanbul and izmir where money is not such a big issue then we would all notice a difference in the turkish attitude.However as an all round holiday destination in my humble opinion turkey is very very hard to beat foer value service quality of food etc even if sometimes one does wonder if theese "oh you are my family i love you" type relationships are abit forced and money based and we have also noticed that sometimes if you stop in the street for a chat you usually end up being asked would you like to come for dinner tonight ,my brother is a barber,my cousin owns a clothes shop etc etc etc

I too am hooked on Turkey. Years ago I used to holiday in Spain but apart from a city break to Barcelona I haven't been back since we discovered Turkey about 17 years ago. I love the scenery there and the very different feel of the place. I love to sit in a quiet bar by the waterside and hear the call from the mosque in the background. Even though prices have risen in the past couple of years you will still find it cheaper than the euro zone but not as cheap as Egypt. I prefer Turkish food especially the mezes. I am usually impressed by ther cleanliness of the kitchens and have never had any tummy upsets in Turkey. I had loads in Spain and a fair few in Greece. As some have mentioned the people are very friendly and pleased to see you. The cynic in me thinks that some (not all) are only pleased to see you if you are spending your money there.

Thank you all for your comments. I am hoping that we return again to Turkey and 'get the bug!' as you all seem to have done!

Louise

hi

In turkey you will find the all inclusive very different from spain, however if you are the type of person who likes to try the local cuisine then you will be ok.

turkey is the most welcoming place i have ever been, i now have been over 20 times, i am widely travelled done the caribbean, and most of europe, still a few greek islands i havent done yet, but never have i felt so welcome as with the turkish people,you probably will get some hassle when shopping, a polite no thank you is all that is needed, or try a bit of friendly banter like i do.
after so many visits i have come to know a lot of local people who are always pleased you have come back.
spain lost its fascination for me a long time ago,i find the people very arrogant and rude.
i really hope you enjoy your holiday to turkey
regards marnie

Most of it has already been said above - the thing about Turkey is definitely the people.

I was told " Yeah but that is only because they want your money". I wouldn't argue with that, no-one is in business to make a loss. But does that then mean that the staff in restaurants over here don't want your money, because you definitely don't get the same level of service.

On the other side of the coin, our favourite restaurant in Icmeler provided a free Internet connection for customers. I had to use the Internet to pre-book a boat ticket so used the Internet in the restaurant. It wasn't meal time so I ordered a tea just to at least pay something. The owner wouldn't take any money off me. His comment was "It is only a teabag and a little milk!"

My other half doesn't usually like being away from home for more than a week, 10 days at a push. In Turkey she didn't miss home for the two weeks we were there and would happily have spent another 2 weeks there. We are booked to return for 2 weeks in September.

It is all the little things that make Turkey what it is.

Dave

As well as getting good service in bars and restaurants, you'll find they will always go the extra mile. If you want something they haven't got or don't make, we've found they will make it specially or send someone off to get it for you. One of my little grand-daughters asked for fish fingers once, so the restaurant made them especially for her. We also used to often ask for a banana for the children when they were babies, to keep them happy while we ate dinner - they would always come up with one, even though they'd sometimes have to go out and get one. That is really what you call service!
Yes of course they want our money, but in England if you asked for something not on the menu or even sometimes just a different combination of things - the common response would be 'No sorry, we dont do it'

agree thoroughly they do go that extra mile to provide wonderful service.however i know i sound incredibily negative and there is good and bad everywhere,we travelled once with aclose friend who is british/turkish and fluent in turkish i wont name the resort we were in but he was mortified at some of the things he heard ,so much so he wouldnt translate a lot of it for us so yes the service is wonderful the people hard working friendly etc etc but please dont be fooled hidden agendas do exsist that perhaps dont in other more developed european destinations but may i add it is more common in some resorts than others

I can only echo what others have said - Turkey is a beautiful country in itself, but what really makes it special is its people. They are, as others have already stated, genuinely interested in you and will not only take the time to get to know you, but will go out of their way to make your holiday special. They really do go that extra mile and they do it out of genuine warmth, friendship and hospitality. We have made some lovely friends ever since our first visit to Turkey, and what amazes me more than anything is their memory for names and faces. They remember you and greet you with such warmth even if you've perhaps only been in their bar or restaurant once - even a year or two beforehand. How they do it, I don't know.
Yes, obviously they are running businesses and need to make a living to survive, but I can honestly say, hand on heart, we've experienced hospitality and real, genuine friendship from the people we've met in Turkey that I've never encountered elsewhere.