Turkey enjoyed a surprise surge in tourism this summer, after its currency collapsed and foreign holidaymakers flooded there to benefit from the cheaper prices. The exchange rate has made property more affordable to foreigners too, meaning now could be an ideal time to buy a Turkish holiday home. Here’s a taste of what Turkey has to offer…

Istanbul – cultural and cutting edge
With its exotic culture, intriguing ‘East meets West’ history, colourful markets and buzzy, urban lifestyle, Istanbul will always be an exciting destination to own a city pad. But in recent years, most foreign interest has come from investors tapping into the buy-to-let opportunities in its mushrooming residential districts, such as Bahçeşehir, Esenyurt and Beylikdüzü.

Istanbul is a city that continues to develop at a global pace, complemented by the government’s willingness to attract foreign investment and its launch of three ‘megaprojects’. These include the Istanbul New Airport, which is set to be one of the world’s largest air hubs once all phases are complete by 2023.

Fethiye – lively harbour town
Focused around a large vibrant harbour with a lush mountainous backdrop, Fethiye is an authentic working town and exciting tourist destination rolled into one. It’s a true year-round destination where expats can enjoy a healthy and fun way of life at far lower cost than in the UK.

The Calis Beach area is especially popular with British homeowners, as are the villages in and around the famous lagoon at Ölüdeniz and the pretty Üzümlü Valley, which include Çiftlik, Üzümlü, Hisarönü and Kemer. The nearest airport to Fethiye is Dalaman, around an hour away. Otherwise, Antalya is around three hours.

Kalkan – chic eateries, great scenery
Kalkan’s stunning ‘amphitheatre’ setting within a bay combined with its world-class selection of restaurants make it one of Turkey’s more upmarket holiday destinations. Life there revolves around its fishing harbour and old town, from where picturesque cobbled streets meander up the hillside. It’s hard not to have a sea view in Kalkan, and the higher up you go, the more spectacular the vistas become.

Despite its comparatively small size, the resort has more than 200 restaurants and is forging a reputation as Turkey’s capital of gastronomy. Adding to its appeal, Kalkan is close to two of Turkey’s most spectacular beaches. 10 minutes eastwards towards Kas is picture postcard Kaputas Beach, formed where a gorge meets the sea. 20 minutes westwards is the long sweeping beach at Patara, which is part of a national park. Dalaman is Kalkan’s nearest airport, followed by Antalya.

Bodrum Peninsula – hang out with the hip crew
Recent years has seen the Bodrum Peninsula, the jewel of the Turkish Riviera, gain a reputation as a hot spot for the international jet set and their super yachts. It’s also where wealthy Turks from Istanbul tend to own second homes. That’s not to say it doesn’t tick all the right boxes as a family holiday home destination. The main town of Bodrum fuses a relaxed Turkish lifestyle with a chic cosmopolitan atmosphere, offering top-notch restaurants, luxury five-star hotels, ultra-trendy night spots, fine sandy beaches and of course a world-class marina. Another fashionable – but smaller – resort on the Peninsula is Yalıkavak, with its swish Palmarina marina complex. Other less glitzy but appealingly authentic – and more affordable – spots there include Güllük, Gümüslük, Turgutreis and Gündoğan. Bodrum’s airport is short transfer away.

Belek – fun on the fairways
Turkey’s offering to international golfers is the resort of Belek, which combines championship courses with beach holidays, luxury accommodation and affordable new property. The resort, situated on the sunny south coast just 30 minutes’ drive from Antalya Airport, now has 15 golf courses within a 15-kilometre stretch of coastline. This is complemented by more than 50 five-star hotels. Half an hour east is the charming family resort of Side, and 45 minutes beyond that is the city resort of Alanya. Most properties for sale in Belek are situated on small complexes off the main road running along the coast alongside the golf courses and between the town centres of Belek and Kadriye.