You can't beat Turkey for the food, weather and crystal clear Aegean sea - never mind the shopping. And Didim has you covered on all fronts. Just an hour's drive from Milas-Bodrum airport in Aydın Province, this pretty little seaside town is perfect for a sunshine break, and is surrounded by culture.
Right in the centre of the town you can find beautiful Ancient Greek ruins of a Temple of Apollo, which was embellished hundreds of years later by Roman emperors and features Medusa heads. It's really quite breathtaking.
Here are our tried-and-tested recommendations for how to spend a week in Didim...
Where to stay
Anda Barut Collection
The first thing you notice when you arrive at the Anda Barut Collection is the panoramic view of the sea (and the fairground, but more of that later). There's a real sense of calm here, with lush green gardens and 10, yes 10, swimming pools to enjoy.
It only opened in 2024 so it all feels brand new and shiny. It's a luxury all-inclusive catering to everyone from couples, to groups of friends and families, as well as foodies. And if you're the sort who packs their gym kit on holiday, it has you covered too.
There are areas for everyone too. One of the pools is saltwater with a sandy beach area, while there is also an adult pool which has multiple reclining loungers emerged in it, plus a beautiful indoor pool that was often empty, with its own sun deck, overlooking the Aegean sea. If you prefer the beach, they have two private ones on site.
Our favourite thing poolside was the drinks service though, where all day every day you can order drinks from your sun lounger, and they are served to you via waiting staff on roller skates. That and the Olivae Patisserie on site, where every day a selection of the most beautiful cakes were served. We enjoyed ice creams, macarons, Turkish delight and coffees every afternoon.
There are eight restaurants on site. The buffet here is very special, with fresh fish every day, delicious salads, local Turkish dishes like pide and vegetable stews as well as pasta options. And that's not even mentioning the breakfasts which were delicious. From their a la carte restaurants our favourites included Fish Camp, which serves fresh seafood - we loved the sea bream. Their Turkish restaurant Kara was really special and our favourite by far.
We enjoyed everything from meat cooked on a wood fire to delicious Turkish dips served with Balloon bread, a soft flatbread that puffs up when cooked. We also loved their tomato, walnut and pomegranate molasses salad. Their outside terrace is a gorgeous place to sit and eat, overlooking the main swimming pool and the sea beyond that.
And what about the rooms? We stayed in a deluxe sea view room which had a huge balcony, walk in wardrobe, super king size bed and views of the jetty, plus gorgeous local complimentary toiletries. Some of the bedrooms have swim up pools, and there are also private Bayou villas - Billie Shepherd and family were staying in one during our trip!
Plus if you're travelling as a family there is a complimentary kids club with a huge outdoor playground, an incredible water park, Cutara Madventure Park, as well as a small fairground with dodgems and a beautiful merry-go-round they light up with festoon lighting at night.
Prices for an all-inclusive holiday for 4 nights in a Deluxe Adult room with Sea View for two adults starts at £650 per person, including direct return flights. Head here to book.
Where to eat and drink around Didim
Blue Point Beach Club
There are lots of beach clubs along the seafront, but our favourite was Blue Point Beach Club where you can rent a sun lounger for the day and enjoy great food and delicious cocktails. There is also a jacuzzi on the jetty.
Olivia Kitchen and Cocktail
This place serves lovely homemade pizzas, cocktails and cheese boards.
What to do in Didim
The Temple of Apollo
These Greek ruins are definitely worth a visit given the Temple of Apollo is just on the outside of Didim town and only a 15-minute walk from the sea front. They have been preserved lovingly and are especially pretty to visit at sunset.
Visit Akbuk and its crystal clear waters
Just a 25-minute drive away from Didim is this pretty coastal village with quiet beaches and turquoise blue water. It's brilliant for snorkelling, and you can find the best coves by walking along the coastal path.
Milet Antik Kenti
Just a 25-minute taxi ride from Didim is an incredible, huge Greek amphitheatre. There is also a museum on site with artefacts from the theatre. Worth a trip.
Shopping
Located at the bottom of Ataturk Blvd is Didim shopping centre where not only will you find labubus (and lafufus) galore, replica designer handbags and Turkish food delicacies.
Lottie Lumsden is the Group Entertainment Director at Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Red and Prima. Lottie heads up the entertainment and celebrity talent strategy across these Luxury and Women’s Lifestyle titles, which includes booking talent for print and digital magazine covers, brand events such as Harper’s Bazaar’s Women of the Year Awards and the ELLE Style Awards, as well as talent led video interview franchises.She has interviewed everyone from Sophie Turner to Olivia Cooke, and Kim Kardashian (twice), as well as Haim during a visit to LA for their cover shoot. Lottie has secured the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy, Jodie Comer, Paul Mescal, Florence Pugh, Greta Gerwig, Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan and Cara Delevingne for covers.Lottie has 20 years’ experience working as an entertainment journalist.When not securing A-list names, Lottie can usually be found watching the latest must watch TV show or out on a run.
Follow Lottie on Instagram at @lottielumsden
