Foreign Office issues warning for holidaymakers travelling to popular tourist spot
Holidaymakers heading to a favoured Mediterranean destination have been warned of the potential risk of wildfires throughout the summer season.
The Foreign Office's travel advice for Turkey has highlighted that wildfires are a common hazard during the Turkish summer, due to soaring temperatures. A number of fires have already been reported in various parts of the country.
An early summer heatwave across the region has sparked several wildfires, with Turkey's west coast being the latest area affected. A spate of wildfires that began in late June also resulted in numerous fires in Izmir, attributed to extreme heat, low humidity, and strong winds.
This year's wildfires in Turkey have already claimed two lives, while tens of thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the increased threat to life. A new wildfire was reported last Friday near the Turkish-Syrian border in the south of the country, with the town of Dortyo, Hatay, facing the greatest danger.
Foreign Office guidance for those caught near a wildfire
The official advice from the Foreign Office emphasises that wildfires occur 'frequently' in Turkey during the summer months. However, it also cautions that tourists could face a fine or even imprisonment if they're found to be directly responsible for starting a wildfire.
The simple act of discarding a lit cigarette in a high-risk area, such as woodland, can spark off a wildfire, the public is warned. The guidance notes: "If there is a wildfire in your area, local authorities may tell you to leave your accommodation. Follow the directions of local authorities.
"If you see a wildfire, call emergency services on 112."
It is also crucial to consider that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cautions UK citizens against travelling within 10km of the Turkey-Syria border due to ongoing conflict and an increased threat of terrorism. Additionally, travellers could find themselves without valid travel insurance coverage if they disregard this advice, which may result in exorbitant healthcare costs in the event of an accident.
Efforts to contain wildfires in Turkey
In Turkey, firefighters spent the weekend battling to control six out of nine wildfires that have broken out across Izmir, with strong winds and potential power line issues contributing to the intensity of the fires.
Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli stated on X last Friday: "With the intense efforts of our forest heroes throughout the night and aerial intervention at first light, the fire in Cesme has been brought under control. Our intense efforts by air and land continue to bring the fires in Odemis and Buca under control."
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Inside luxury beach-side hotel with 12 restaurants and roller-blading waiters serving drinks on the click of an app
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) I SUPPOSE I could walk over and order a drink at the bar... Or I could just tap a button on the hotel app, continue lapping up the sunshine and a waitress in rollerblades will zip over with an ice-cold bottle of Efes? 15 The stunning resort has all you need for a memorable holiday Credit: SUPPLIED 15 Some of the rooms set on their own swim-up pool area Credit: OZGUR SECMEN That sounds much more like it. Welcome to life at the stunning five-star Lara Barut Collection, one of the finest ultra all-inclusive hotels in beautiful Antalya, Turkey. With my wife unavailable due to work commitments, my daughter Gemma was only too happy to take time out of her busy schedule — doing nothing for the next three months while waiting to start university — and accompany me. Antalya is within easy reach of Scotland, with flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh seven days a week. 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The Nespresso coffee machine is a modern touch and the minibar is restocked daily with premium drinks and snacks and delicious dried and chocolate-dipped fruit. A pillow menu is most welcome, as is the 55in TV and complimentary beach bag. Gemma assures me the hairdryer and straighteners also add a touch of convenience, but to be honest, my hair straightening days are long behind me. 15 Spacious seaview room in hotel's main building 15 Bathrooms are luxurious with special added touches like hair straighteners 15 Scott and daughter Gemma loved watching sunsets from their balcony Credit: SUPPLIED 15 Swim-up rooms are a special treat A complimentary massage in the luxurious spa and wellness centre goes down a treat, with other treatments available from the friendly team. When it comes to dining, guests are spoiled for choice with 13 restaurants — eight of them a la carte and available for unlimited use — and seven bars. You won't go hungry here! 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The main buffet restaurant Zestful Bazaar offers a vast selection of Turkish and international dishes, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Breakfast has all the usual options, with cereals, omelettes, meats and cheeses, fresh orange juice and refreshing Turkish tea and coffee, not to mention a cheeky Bucks Fizz for a boozy brunch if you fancy it. 15 Breakfast, lunch and dinner with a view at Zestful Bazaar 15 Scott enjoying the huge mezze won't be short of food options at Lara Barut Credit: SUPPLIED 15 Turunc A la Carte was worth a visit But for me the standouts were the freshly baked donuts and local breads. Absolutely delicious. For lunch and dinner, the quality remains top notch, with various themes on offer. Seafood night was sensational with fresh octopus, calamari, prawns, mussels and clams served both hot and chilled. For the a la carte restaurants, Turunc is available morning till night, with Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Italian and, of course, Turkish options also available. For the other restaurants, you book via the hotel app up to three days in advance and this is a pretty seamless experience. GO: TURKEY GO; LARA BARUT COLLECTION GETTING THERE: Jet2, easyJet, Corendon, SunExpress and TUI fly daily to Antalya from Glasgow, while Jet2, easyJet and Corendon also fly there from Edinburgh. Fares from £43pp. STAYING THERE: Rooms at Lara Barut Collection start from approx £480 per night for two adults in June. See MORE INFO: For more see Akdeniz is the fine dining jewel in the crown of Lara Barut Collection offering a gourmet experience. Sit back and go with the experts' recommendation as they deliver shrimp, seabass sashimi, risotto, lamb with sumac, chateaubriand and salmon wellington. A sensational experience. Meanwhile, Tirmis specialises in local dishes and is superb. A huge variety of Antalyan dips and dishes are presented with regional breads as a starter. The stuffed zucchini flowers were a particular highlight. Moreish grouper with almonds and Yoruk-style roasted beef was followed by a standout local desert of warm flour halva with burned ice cream. 15 Inside Sandal restaurant, one of the 12 on site - with six bars also scattered throughout Credit: OZGUR SECMEN 15 Delights on offer at Iro Sushi Bar Sandal Restaurant specialises in seafood, with another vast choice of dishes to start, including tarama carp roe caviar. We went nuts and also ordered fried calamari and octopus, while our enthusiastic waiter Ahmet sent over a spectacular prawn cocktail, too. My swordfish main was excellent, as was Gemma's miso salmon. Ahmet had advised us to try the beef tenderloin and jumbo shrimp, so he ordered one for us anyway! Kumda Kirpi BBQ offers a brilliant fun dining experience where you select your own ingredients and prepare your meal at your table and we devoured steak, chicken, prawns and sweetcorn. Other eateries include Pizzeria Di Laura for traditional Italian cuisine, Iro Sushi Bar and Kuya — a Turkish restaurant, with delicious kibbeh, lahmacun and hummus among our starters. And if you're looking for a snack in between all that, Hungry Gorilla Grab n Go serves up burgers, pizzas and delicious homemade lemonade, while Hanimeli Patisserie has scrumptious cakes, ice cream and gourmet coffee. Night time sees the animation team put on a kids' disco and entertainment and a variety of shows in the outdoor amphitheatre, while there is also live music at the poolside bar. Keep an eye out for Hasan, who serves a mean Baby Guinness with an accent so English you'd swear he must be from this side of the Bosphorus. In fact he's never left Turkey and learned the lingo from YouTube! Whatever language you speak, it all adds up to a perfect holiday destination. So what are you waiting for? Get your skates on.
