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With pristine beaches, upmarket hotels and plenty of historical sites to explore, Bodrum is a Turkish Delight for all ages, says mum of two Hannah Britt

Looking for your next family holiday destination? Look no further than Bodrum, a stunning Turkish peninsula on the Aegean coast. Known by insiders as the Maldives of Europe thanks to its crystal clear waters, it’s loved for its Mediterranean climate and rich history. Bodrum perfectly blends relaxing beach holidays with vibrant nightlife and ancient ruins, all framed by classic white-washed houses and the iconic Bodrum Castle.

What to do…

Bodrum Castle

A trip to Bodrum Castle is a must to wander through the historic fortress. Built by the Knights of St John, it now houses one of the world’s most important collections of ancient shipwrecks and relics. There are a flock of friendly peacocks in residence too, which I have to say were the highlight for both my girls.

Bodrum Antique Theatre

Elsewhere, Bodrum Antik Tiyatrosu is a remarkably preserved 4th-century BC Greco-Roman amphitheatre carved into the slopes of Mount Göktepe. Overlooking the city and the Aegean Sea, it stands as one of Anatolia’s oldest surviving theatres.

Bodrum windmills

A walk up to the 18th-century windmills between Bodrum and Gümbet provides sweeping views of Bodrum and beyond. On clear days you can see the Greek island of Kos. The windmills themselves are in need of some TLC, but it’s a lovely spot to sit – and there’s a cafe right next to them, with a swing on which to take some snaps for Instagram. The coffee is good too, along with the pomegranate juice.

Where to eat…

Liman Koftescisi

We headed down to the glamorous Bodrum marina to dine by the water at Liman Koftescisi, a renowned Turkish restaurant. The meatballs with aubergine were divine. We sat outside to enjoy the early evening sunshine and it’s a lovely spot to watch the world go by. The kids enjoyed the delicious food as much as the grown ups, and staff catered to their every whim – including several glasses of milk.

Körfez Restaurant

Also on the marina lies Körfez, Bodrum’s oldest dining establishment. First opened in 1927, this renowned seafood and Mediterranean spot specialises in fresh Aegean and Cretan cuisine, famous for dishes like octopus rice, fried calamari, and freshly caught local fish. The atmosphere is airy and bustling, and the catch of the day was cooked to absolute perfection.

Where to drink…

Karnas Vineyards

For those who love wine, Bodrum is abundant. Karnas Vineyards is a family-owned, boutique winery and agricultural estate located in the Karaova region of the Bodrum peninsula. Spanning over 20 hectares, it is famous for being the first vineyard to plant the Zinfandel grape variety in Turkey, producing award-winning wines using sustainable and traditional techniques. Featured in the Michelin Guide, the vineyard features a terrace restaurant serving local, farm-to-fork meals made from ingredients grown on-site or by local farmers.

Garova vineyard

Just down the road, Mehmet Vuran is the owner and winemaker at Garova in the Karaova Valley of Bodrum. A visit to his estate is as much of a delight for children as it is for the grown ups thanks to a menagerie of animals, with cows, chickens and baby chickens running around. As the golden sun dipped behind the horizon, as our visit to Bodrum drew to a close, we toasted to our return.

Where to stay…

Club Med, Bodrum

Club Med, Bodrum, is a real hidden gem. A luxury all-inclusive hotel, perched on a hill at the end of a beautiful beach, it’s a want-for-nothing palace of a place. While it’s not specifically for children, little ones are welcomed with open arms. We stayed in a dual-floor family complex, which was roomy, spotless and with a lovely view out over the archery courts.

A large balcony with ample seating and shade provided a lovely place to sit a while too. Elsewhere, food options are brilliant – with an ever-changing buffet, mixed up to keep things fresh. Once a week the Club Med white party sees everyone dressed to the nines and brought together for an evening of live music and food around the pool.

A daily boat trip welcomes children on board and provides a complimentary sightseeing and snorkelling tour – a brilliant touch. And the sandy beach has enough beds and brollies for everyone to enjoy peace and quiet. The water, clear enough to see the fish nibbling your toes, is divine. When I tell you that we didn’t want to leave, it is no lie. From the eldest of us to the youngest we were thoroughly impressed.

*For more on planning a trip to Türkiye, see Go Türkiye

*Getting there – Without Flights: Seven nights all-inclusive stay at Club Med Bodrum, Palmiye, Turkey from £2,490 (based on a family of four). Price based on departure date 06.06.26. Book now at www.clubmed.co.uk/r/bodrum/y or call 03453 676767. London Flights: Seven nights all-inclusive stay at Club Med Bodrum, Palmiye, Turkey from £4,014 (based on a family of four). Price based on departure date 06.06.26. Book now at www.clubmed.co.uk/r/bodrum/y or call 03453 676767

Former NFL running back Chris Johnson has issued a challenge to his family, friends and fans — one that could quite literally send a chill down the spine of those who remember a certain viral trend from more than a decade ago.

A quick refresher: A social media sensation went viral in 2014, involving people posting videos of themselves having a bucket of ice water poured over their heads and challenging others, by name, to do the same.

The trend was often referred to as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge because many folks used the videos to raise awareness for and funding to help fight the degenerative neurological disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Johnson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who holds the NFL record for most yards from scrimmage in a single season, on Tuesday revealed on “Good Morning America” that he has been diagnosed with ALS. Soon after, former Utah basketball player and sports content creator Hunter Mecum posted a video on Instagram in which he dumped a large bowl of ice water on himself in Johnson’s honor.

That video inspired Johnson to bring the movement back.

“Man… the love y’all have shown me these last few days really [means] more than you know. Me and my family appreciate every prayer, message and every bit of support,” Johnson wrote on Wednesday on Instagram.

“After seeing @huntermecum video, I’m asking y’all to help me with something. Let’s bring back the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Grab a bucket, challenge 3 people and if you can, donate to help fund ALS research.”

Johnson included a link in his bio to a fundraiser for ALS research set up in his honor. As of Thursday morning, it had raised more than $32,000.

The retired player known as CJ2K also called on three people to accept the ice bucket challenge — ex-Tennessee Titans teammate LenDale White and fellow former NFL greats Marshawn Lynch and Adam “Pacman” Jones.

So far, White and Lynch have accepted Johnson’s challenge. Lynch, the former star running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders, obliged by getting hailed on by a bucket of ice.

White, who was Johnson’s “Smash and Dash” counterpart in the Titans backfield, took the traditional ice water route and nominated former NFL players Deion Sanders, Vince Young and Michael Sims-Walker, who was on hand at the time and accepted the challenge in a separate video.

Johnson also posted a video of his daughter Honey Love taking the challenge, with White handling the ice-bucket duty. She nominated her brothers and former Lakers superstar LeBron James.

James hasn’t yet responded, but he was one of the many celebrities who took part in the original challenge 12 years ago. Others included Kobe Bryant (who submerged himself in an ice tub), Shaquille O’Neal (who humorously poured one drop of water on his head) and Donald Trump (who joked he was nominated because “they want to see whether or not it’s my real hair, which it is”).

This is San Diego’s backyard, a condensed, flatter version of Griffith Park, but with more historic buildings, more museums and a zoo with a global following. If you’re a Balboa Park rookie, start with the San Diego Zoo, which may take your entire day. (Admission: $68-$74 per adult, $58-$64 per child age 3-11.) If you’ve already done that, well, it’s lucky for you that the zoo is less than 10% of Balboa Park’s 1,200 acres, and the park’s other institutions have been growing and changing.

The park’s emblematic 1914 Botanical Building is open again after major reconstruction that ended in late 2024. The Mingei International Museum, which focuses on global folk art, won Michelin praise in 2023 for its eclectic restaurant, Artifact at Mingei (which serves lunch Tuesday through Sunday, dinner Thursday and Friday).

The park’s museums and other institutions cover art (fine, folk, contemporary and photographic), natural history, anthropology, flight, model railroading and all the imagined worlds that come with Comic-Con (which opened its museum here in 2021).

The Old Globe theater complex includes three stages. The big lily pond between the promenade and the Botanical Building may be the most wholesome over-the-counter tranquilizer in town. The Centro Cultural de la Raza, housed in an enormous former water tank, covers Chicano, Latin and Indigenous culture. The park’s Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum fills 12 acres with greenery, koi ponds and bonsai displays.

If you’re planning to hit several museums over a couple of days, look into a park Explorer Pass, which might save you money.

About parking: In January, after years of free parking, the city imposed a fee system charging non-residents $10-$16 per day and residents slightly less. San Diegans rose in outrage, and in late May city officials announced a plan to end the parking fees by Jan. 1, 2027.