17 best places to visit in Turkey, as chosen by the experts

12. Patara

Stretching more than seven miles, Patara Beach is the longest and most wildly beautiful in Turkey – and also one of the emptiest. Breakers crash along one edge of this deep, wide stretch of pale sand; along the other are dunes and pine trees, marshes and lagoons, now a natural park rich in birdlife, so you are completely surrounded by water and wildlife, most notably, endangered loggerhead turtles. It’s thanks partly to the turtles that the beach remains…