After spending a day on over-crowded Oludeniz Beach (spectacular as it is, a beach covered in loungers, inflatable pool toys and cafes is not my idea of holiday bliss) and getting lost in the fish ‘n chip shop flanked streets of the hideous tourist town of Hisaronu, it was with great relief when our little rental Fiat wound its way on gravel roads through pine forests and brought us to Dikencik Cottages.

A twenty-minute drive from Fethiye past the small village of Yesiluzumlu, Dikencik offers a blissful escape from the people-throbbing resorts on the coast. There are two cosy stone cottages here surrounded by pine forests and green views of mountains, a gorgeous huge swimming pool, an organic veggie and herb garden, some friendly dogs, a horse (and its foal, which was one month old when we were there) run by warm, chatty couple Ayse and Cengiz.

The experience here is getting a taste for Turkish country life – falling asleep to owls hooting and waking up to the sound of birds tweeting, sitting on the poolside deck drinking wine as the sun sets, hiking in the surrounding forest, bird watching, orchid spotting (there are numerous species on the property) and wild mushroom hunting.

We had a whole three-bedroomed cottage to ourselves, adorned with Turkish rugs and comfortably worn-in furniture, which felt like staying in a home rather than a hotel. It also had a fully-equipped kitchen which we never had the occasion to use, because as we arrived we were plied with delicious food with veggies, herbs and fruit from the garden prepared by Ayse (if you ever wanted to know what Turkish hospitality is, this is it). From the cake made with wild strawberries, sundowner snacks of dried apples and nuts, three-course candlelit dinner of local red wine, mezze, salad, vegetables and apricot parfait and the multiple-mezzed breakfast (a veritable feast of rose and cinnamon sweet pastries, fried chillies smothered in yoghurt, herby sundried tomatoes, eggs, cheese, olives and fried potato wedges) it was all incredibly flavourful and fresh.

Slipping into the gentle rhythms of the country for a short while (we left wishing we’d been able to spend weeks here) was the perfect way to end an amazing trip.

Rates from €60 per person (bed and breakfast) or €75 (half board), www.yesiluzumlu.com