Travel to Countryside

Relaxing in a cottage, villa or small inn, far from the hurly-burly of big resorts and big cities, is relatively new in Turkey. But it is catching on fast, above all with frazzled Turkish urbanites your holidaying neighbours are far more likely to be discussing the travails of the daily commute into Istanbul than the perils of the District and Circle lines.

-Travel to countryside - Go independent

Of all Turkey?s inland spots, Cappadocia has to be the most compelling. Many people flit in for a couple of days, but you can easily spend a week taking in the formations, the 200 or more frescoed Byzantine churches and the mysterious, ancient underground cities of the region ? Derinkuyu, one of the largest, goes down 15 floors. In Urgup, the Hotel Surban (00 90-384 341 4603, www.hotelsurban.com.tr)  built in traditional stone, with access to a pool, is a charming place to stay; the price is ?13pp, B&B, in summer. The owner, Halil Elalan, knows the area intimately, and can arrange tours that concentrate on getting you close to the real Turkey. Fly into Kayseri via Istanbul.

Hauntingly beautiful Lake Bafa, 16 miles from the busy resort of Altinkum, was part of the Aegean until the Meander River?s silt left it far from the sea. Rising over the lake, Mount Latmos was the place where the moon goddess, Selena, fell in love with the shepherd Endymion as he slept ? and to this day, Bafa is almost unbearably romantic by moonlight.

In an organic olive grove, the ecofriendly Hotel Club Natura Oliva (252 519 1072, www.clubnatura.com)  has 30 rooms with lake views in simple, vernacular houses, and serves wonderful breakfasts and traditional Turkish meals based on its own organic produce; doubles cost ?43, half-board.

Byzantine monasteries, ancient Heracleia and Samsundag National Park ? a primeval Mediterranean forest ? are nearby, and there are beautiful walks around Latmos. The hotel organises nine-day treks and other tours, as well as occasional vegetarian cookery and yoga courses. Izmir is the nearest airport.

Beatrix Cottage is an evocative, charming hideaway five miles inland from Fethiye, near the old Greek village of Kaya. Boats, bicycles and walking maps are at your disposal. On request, the owners will also provide delicious dinners. With inexpensive local transport and the owner?s Land Rover, you can get by without a car. John Laughland (252 618 0164); a week?s rental costs ?310. You can fly into Dalaman.

Konya, Turkey?s holiest city, is a dramatic 3?-hour drive from Antalya, or a flight from Istanbul. In the 13th century, it was the home of the poet and Sufi spiritual leader Mevlana Celaledin Rumi, whose gentle message of love and tolerance continues to resonate in Turkey today. His followers are the famous whirling dervishes, and while December is their big sema, or spinning festival, there are minor performances on summer evenings by the Mevlana?s museum and mausoleum. Konya also has medieval Seljuk architecture to visit, and superb carpet shops; 9,000-year-old Catalhoyuk and Kilistra, a city carved in the rock and visited by St Paul, are both nearby. In Konya, stay at the modern Hotel Bera (332 238 1090, www.bera.com.tr) , which has a sauna and a Turkish bath; doubles start at ?50.

-Travel to countryside - Go Packaged

Quiet, remote Islamlar, a half-hour drive above bustling Kalkan, offers peace and quiet, and stunning views. You can see half of the Turquoise Coast from the pool of the Villa Hosgor, a spacious, traditional stone-and-wood house that sleeps six. Tapestry (020 8235 7800, www.tapestryholidays.com) has a week in June, including flights, transfers and an open-top Suzuki 4WD, for ?1,250pp, based on two sharing, or ?583pp if you round up four friends, Simply Travel (0870 166 4979, www.simplytravel.co.uk)  has several rural properties off the beaten track, including the Water Mill Hotel, near Fethiye, 1,200ft above the sea near the spectacular Butterfly Canyon. Set in lush greenery, with gorgeous views to the sea below (the beach at Oludeniz is a 15-minute drive), the hotel is a great base for walks; or just lounge by the delightful brook-fed pool. A week in June starts at ?495pp, half-board, based on two sharing and including flights to Dalaman, car hire or transfers.

*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.