Turkey is the bridge between East and West and with a legacy of trade that dates back to the Silk Road, Turkey has exceptionally rich mosaic culture.

It’s Turkey’s wealth of options and the Turkish people’s natural affection for tourists that promise to make your stay in Turkey the most memorable vacation you’ll ever have.

From public strips of sand, where picnickers vie for spots in the shade, to private beaches offering everything from free lounges and umbrellas, to trendy beach clubs tempting you with spa treatments and massages by the bay, Turkey’s culture of sun worship can accommodate any and every desire.

Just a short ferry ride in Istanbul from the European side of the Bosphorus will take you to Küçüksu Beach, a favorite spot of Sultan Murat IV, with spectacular views of the Bosphorus bridge and the confluence of Europe and of Asia. From Istanbul there is the secluded shores of Adalar (Princes’ Islands).

Your kids may want to experience essentially family fun time at Adaland, located in Kusadasi. As the largest water park in Europe, Adaland is a marine-centric playground offering three, fantastic aquatic destinations rolled into one. Choose from Aqua-park, one of the top fun-filled water parks in the world; Dolphin park, a family show featuring the antics of dolphins and seals; and Sea park where kids of all ages can swim with the fish or get (safely) up close and personal with the crocodiles.

In Demre, along Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, slip your kids an early Christmas present by taking them to the birthplace of St. Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus.

If active pursuits are more your family’s style, consider kayaking or rafting the gushing rivers of Antalya or Dalaman, or go horseback riding down the sprawling beach.

Shopping is an activity guaranteed to hold your family attention, and certainly in the Grand Bazaar. Your kids will be mesmerized by the glitter of gold, silver and glass and enchanted by the pleasurably exaggerated attention raining down on them by local shopkeepers. Indeed, Turks love children.

Bodrum is renowned for its pulsating, romantic, vibrant and soothing nightlife. Nightclubs attract the young and fabulous, candlelit waterside restaurants feed the senses and concerts are staged in evocative locales such as the Antique Theater, the ancient city walls, or within the castle’s ramparts.