If the Maldives is on your wish list but the 10-hour flight isn't, a corner of Turkey's Mediterranean coast is quietly making the case for a shorter journey. The ancient city of Side, on the Turkish Riviera, offers a similar over-water villa vibe minus the jet lag — and autumn is the sweet spot.

Side itself is worth the trip. Founded in the seventh century BC, it was a major hub on ancient trading routes, and its ruins are genuinely impressive: a Roman theatre, a forum, and a restored Greek fountain that once channelled mountain water into the city. Even the 2,000-year-old drainage system still works — local guides say it recently handled heavy rainfall without a hitch. Roman engineers built pipes into the walls rather than under the streets, which meant repairs never tore up the roads. Much of the old city remains unexcavated, so there's a sense of archaeology happening all around you as you walk through town.

The weather is the real autumn draw. The region claims around 320 days of sunshine a year, and in October and November daytime temperatures sit around 27C with the sea still warm enough for swimming — all without the summer crowds. It's roughly a four-hour flight from London.

On the accommodation front, a new player is trying to shift the Turkish Riviera's cheap-and-cheerful package holiday reputation. Bijal, a resort a five-minute drive from Side that opened in spring 2024, is run by the Gürok Group — the same owners behind the Joali and Joali Being resorts in the Maldives. The tropical-chic DNA shows. There are just 19 villas, each with a private heated pool, plus a beach club with cabanas a short walk or cycle away. The tone is quiet and low-key: art classes with London-based painter and ceramicist Venetia Berry, table tennis, chess and board games — designed, partly, to get guests off their phones.

Rates start at €850 per night for a one-bedroom villa on a bed-and-breakfast basis, based on two sharing. That's undeniably premium pricing, but it undercuts a Maldives over-water stay once you factor in the flight.

Why it matters: for UK-based travellers chasing late-year sun, Side offers a rare combination — genuine ancient history you can walk through, warm sea in November, and a new wave of design-led luxury hotels. It suits couples after a restful villa holiday, travellers who like a bit of culture alongside the beach, and anyone curious about creative pursuits like painting or pottery in a low-pressure setting.

Prudence Wade travelled as a guest of Bijal Resorts.