Turkey is full of the unexpected, and there are plenty of possible adventures that the kids will never forget. The new budget flights available on the domestic scene make it more affordable than ever to plan a two-centre holiday: a week in Istanbul, say, and a week on a beach or in Cappadocia. Even if you just want to ensconce yourselves on a beach, take time for a boat (or even a seaplane) ride along the coast, or up rivers and around lakes. Or buy a good map and play Indiana Jones, seeking out the ruins of an ancient city.

-Travel to Turkey ? Go Independent

Cappadocia has several hotels excavated out of the rocks, but the Hotel Gamirasu (00 90-384 341 5825, www.gamirasu.com), six miles from Urgup in the quiet farming village of Ayvali, is especially good for families. Here donkeys and chickens roam far from traffic, and children can safely explore the local curiosities. The hotel?s vaulted rooms were originally dug out of the rock by monks 1,000 years ago, and it comes complete with its own frescoed chapel. A pool will be ready for summer 2005, and baby-sitting is available, as are six-course Turkish meals, based on organic ingredients from the owner?s garden. A family suite sleeping four costs ?69 a day, B&B, including free transfer from Kayseri airport. While in Ayvali, visit the frescoed churches in the Goreme valley or the underground cities. And hike through the unique rock formations, tour them on horseback (www.akhaltekehorsecenter.com) ? or take a hot-air-balloon ride over them (?67pp; www.kapadokyaballoons.com) . Fly to Kayseri via Istanbul.

Imaginative Family (0800 316 2717, www.imaginative-family.com) offers a 12-day land-only small group Turkish Delight tour for families with children aged 6 or over. From Istanbul, you?ll take an overnight train to Pamukkale, which looks much like something from Dr Seuss, and tour Ephesus ? the biggest and best-preserved Roman city anywhere. Then you get a therapeutic mud bath and a visit to the loggerhead turtle conservation area at Dalyan, followed by a cruise on a wooden gulet (a traditional fishing boat) to Antalya and a day canoeing or rafting in Koprulu Canyon, before flying back from Antalya to Istanbul. The price is ?560pp, plus a local payment of ?100, including all transport, a tour leader, B&B and some meals.

-Travel to Turkey ? Go Packaged

Even one-year-olds are welcome on the laid-back Lycian Explorer tour offered by The Adventure Company (0870 794 1009, www.adventurecompany.co.uk) . This takes in the beaches and ancient cities along the Mediterranean coast around Kas, with plenty of free time to be as busy or lazy as you like. Prices start at ?699pp, B&B, for seven nights in August (under-12s ?629, under-2s ?479), including flights and transport. Land-only tours are available if you want to link up with a stay elsewhere.

Fifty years ago, four Turkish intellectuals bought an old wooden gulet, installed bunk beds and floated lazily around the ravishing Lycian coast, dubbing their odyssey the Blue Voyage. The idea has caught on in a big way. Explore (01252 760144, www.explore.co.uk) has an eight-day Blue Cruise for families with children aged 6 or over: it heads from Dalyan to Demre, the burial place of St Nicholas, with plenty of chances to explore, swim and snorkel. All meals are prepared on board; the price is ?665pp, including flights.

*Please be advised that the prices stated above are only published for guideline purposes and subject to change depending the agents pricing and the market trend. myvillaturkey cannot be held responsible for the change in prices and the contents of the third party websites.

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