Drying after mud bath

Blink and you’d easily miss the Bodrum peninsula jutting out to the south west, yet this tiny stretch of the Turquoise Coast is spectacular, with bays and coves where the water is crystal clear and the air is full of the scent of pines and eucalyptus. There are bee hives and olive groves, deserted islands, fishing harbours, golden daisies and poppies nodding on the slopes, and sleepy villages where men play cards under the trees and sip apple tea from small glasses which look like they come straight out of a doll’s house. Sometimes storks rattle their beaks on the rooftops while lizards bask on the garden walls.

'We savoured our own Turkish delights: a heady concoction of oriental charm, western comforts and the sweet taste of tangerines fresh from the tree'

We loved Gumusluk and its fish restaurants and its neighbour, Turgutreis, with its bustling market, villas festooned in bougainvillaea and lanes where saffron and sun-dried aubergines compete with the bright Turkish carpets hanging in the bazaar.

Remember Cleopatra? Take a trip to Pamukkale and you can bathe in the very pool where the Queen of Egypt discovered the secret of the legendary thermal waters. Where else would you swim in such a heavenly setting, in a rejuvenating pool littered with the remains of real Roman columns?

The ancient city of Hierapolis lies just steps away, its turbulent past oozing from every stone. The crowds are sure to scare off the ghosts, but on the slopes twittering with crickets and birds, you may well spot a tortoise munching its way through the grass.

The Aegean Coast is an ideal jump-off point for culture fans and, although fair distances are involved, it’s possible to visit Izmir, Pergamum, Troy at a push, and Ephesus. Get there early to see it at its best: here the Library, there the Grand Theatre, the High Street climbing up the hill, the Winged Statue under the fig tree, the Market Place. Don’t ask about the damaged sculptures (the missing heads were carted off to the British Museum) – simply drink up the atmosphere and feel the pulse of what was one of the greatest cities in the Roman Empire.

For us, Bodrum was an ideal base, as quiet or busy as you wanted it to be. However, there’s no shortage of resorts along this stretch of coast. Cesme has white sands, Kusadasi lively bars and fine beaches, while further south, Marmaris nestles in a scenic bay at the meeting point of the Mediterranean and Aegean seas.

Our favourite trip started on the Dalyan River, after the dip of a lifetime in the thermal pools. There, caked in layers of grey mud, we stood like statues, waiting for it all to dry, before being generously hosed down with icy water. “You’ll feel wonderful,” said the guide, so we convinced ourselves that we did.

After that, the cruise was pure bliss, gliding through reed beds on emerald channels, past fishermen, cliffs and ancient rock tombs. After an hour or so, we reached Iztuzu Beach, a road sweep of sand where, during summer nights, loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. I wondered if Cleopatra ever discovered this beach, but as we watched the sunset over the sea, we savoured our own Turkish delights: a heady concoction of oriental charm, western comforts and the sweet taste of tangerines fresh from the tree.