Where to stay in Turkey: the best destinations and resorts

Istanbul is one of the world's great cities. In Sultanahmet, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace stand within a few minutes' walk of each other; across the Galata Bridge, Beyoğlu's lanes are packed with rooftop bars and meyhanes; and ferries criss-cross the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia all day long.

Stay in Sultanahmet for sightseeing, or in Karaköy, Galata or around Taksim Square for food and nightlife. Choose a five-star in Karaköy close to the waterfront, a stylish Sofitel a short walk from Taksim Square, or a hotel with a top-floor restaurant looking out over the Bosphorus. Three or four nights is a good first visit.

The coast around Antalya is Turkey's holiday heartland. The Taurus Mountains rise behind long beaches, and between Kemer in the south-west and Alanya in the east lie resorts for every taste: Belek's golf courses and grand five-stars, Side's Roman temple and amphitheatre, and Kemer's pine-backed coves under the mountains.

Resorts here are vast, with private beaches, aquaparks, multiple pools and à la carte restaurants, and several include free entry to the Land of Legends theme park. Pick from an exclusive golf resort in Belek, an all-inclusive on a golden beach at Kemer, a big beachfront resort near Side's old town, or an over-16s resort in Beldibi for a child-free break. Antalya airport gets you to most resorts in under an hour.

Bodrum is the Aegean's most glamorous corner. The old town's white cube houses and bougainvillea tumble down to a harbour watched over by a crusader castle, and around the peninsula a dozen bays each have their own mood, from party-loving Gümbet to relaxed Bitez and the superyacht marina at Yalıkavak.

Hotels range from a beachfront resort on Gümbet Bay, within walking distance of the bars, to a peninsula hideaway with a celebrated beach club next door, a festival-style all-inclusive with DJs and live stages, and a Rixos set between the sea and the peninsula's national parks. Milas-Bodrum airport is around 40 km from town.

Marmaris sits at the head of a deep bay ringed by pine-covered mountains, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. The town is lively and unashamedly fun, with a marina, a long promenade, boat trips and the late-night clubs of Bar Street, while İçmeler, at the far end of the bay, is quieter and better for families.

Resorts include an adults-only, ultra all-inclusive hotel on a beach between pine forest and sea, a large resort facing the bay between Marmaris and İçmeler, and a five-star in Hisarönü Bay where some rooms have their own pool. Dalaman airport is about 90 minutes away.

Fethiye is a busy harbour town with Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliffs above it, and over the hill lies Ölüdeniz, whose lagoon is one of the most photographed beaches in Turkey. Paragliders spiral down from Babadağ mountain, boats head out to Butterfly Valley and a dozen islands, and the Lycian Way walking trail starts nearby.

Some of the best resorts sit on the peninsulas around Fethiye: a sprawling resort on its own private peninsula with three beaches, a hotel 10 km west of town with separate adult and family sections, a resort split into a family half and an adults-only club, and an adults-only hotel on Çalış Beach. Dalaman airport is about an hour away.

Cappadocia looks like another planet. Wind and rain have carved its soft volcanic rock into fairy chimneys, pinnacles and rippling valleys, riddled with cave churches, underground cities and dwellings. At sunrise, dozens of hot-air balloons drift over the landscape, and the view from your hotel terrace is half the reason for coming.

Stay in a cave hotel: renovated caves and suites in the Kayakapı quarter of Ürgüp, inside a UNESCO-listed national park; a boutique cave hotel with a rooftop terrace; or a smaller hotel with terrace views. Two or three nights is ideal, and the area is a short flight from Istanbul.

Izmir is Turkey's breezy, liberal third city, strung along a huge bay with a seafront promenade made for evening strolls. West of the city, the Çeşme peninsula has the stone village of Alaçatı, famous for its boutique hotels, restaurants and windsurfing bay. The great Roman city of Ephesus is within easy reach to the south.

Choose a luxury resort on the edge of Alaçatı's surf bay, with a spa and free transfers, or stay in the city at the landmark Swissôtel Büyük Efes or a Grand Hyatt with views over the city and the Aegean.