Greece or Turkey ?

Choosing the location for your family summer holidays can often be a stressful time. If the holiday is a huge success then great, you did well and there are no worries. However if the location is too far from the beach or there isn’t enough to do for the kids it could turn into a disaster and you feel like the finger of blame is on you.

Spain holidays have been a firm favourite for many years but gone are the days of cheap fun in the sun as most of the popular tourist destinations have recently become very expensive. Greece is an excellent choice as it is still fairly cheap both to get there and once you’ve arrived.

However, Turkey is becoming increasingly popular thanks to the fantastic shopping, range of culture and a good variety of accommodation. So deciding on where is best for you and your family is a hard decision. However there is somewhere you can enjoy the best of two separate destinations.

Holidays to Samos are ideally situated so that you can enjoy true Greek culture and Turkish delights all in one week. Samos town is an eclectic mix of Ancient Greek and modern life. It is the largest town on the island and hugs closely to a crescent shaped bay with a sand and shingle beach.

The island is home to the famous mathematician Pythagoras and you can visit the Pythagorean Square in the centre of the town. Leading from here are quaint narrow cobbled streets line with Venetian houses that oozes Greek charm. There are plenty of designer boutiques and elegant gift shops making for an excellent shopping trip and not forgetting the internationally acclaimed Samiot Wine.

The landscape is stunning with lush green hills and golden sands and for a quiet and sophisticated island the nightlife is surprisingly lively. Standing side by side with traditional taverna’s serving up mouth watering Greek dishes are small bars that are full of life. And when you’ve finished partying and letting your hair down you can get seriously in touch with Greece’s extensive history by visiting an archaeological museum with artefacts dating back to 5th century BC.

And when you have done all that, go to Turkey. It is only a few miles from Samos and with ferries going back forth all day it is easy to jump on board with your passport and visit a whole new country for the day. Kusadasi is the closest popular resort to the port and is easily accessible via the local dolmus bus. The famous Ephesus Ancient City is here and is an amazing site for exploring. It was once the Capital of the Roman Empire and a monumental part of Europe’s history.

So if you are struggling to decide on a destination for your family holiday this year, why not have the best of both worlds and visit two of the big European countries very popular with British tourists. Get your Greek fix with holidays to Samos where you can also enjoy some Turkish delights.

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