Fethiye: islands, lagoons and the Lycian Way

Why go

Fethiye is a real town, not just a resort, so you get a lively fish market, an evening promenade and Lycian tombs carved into the cliffs above the streets, all within reach of some of the most beautiful water in the Mediterranean. Days here are simple: a boat, a beach, a walk, and a long dinner by the harbour.

The town

The **Amyntas Rock Tombs**, carved into the cliff face in the fourth century BC, look down on the town and are lit at night; climb the steps at sunset. The **fish market** is a local institution: you choose fish at the central stalls and a surrounding restaurant cooks it for you. **Paspatur**, the old bazaar quarter, is full of small shops and cafés, and the harbour promenade is lovely for an evening walk. The **Fethiye Museum** holds Lycian finds, including an important trilingual inscription from nearby Letoon.

Ölüdeniz and the beaches

**Ölüdeniz**, about half an hour away by dolmuş, has a sheltered blue lagoon in a nature park and a long pebble beach. Above it, **Babadağ** mountain is one of the world's best known paragliding sites, with tandem flights landing on the beach; choose a licensed company. **Butterfly Valley**, reachable by boat from Ölüdeniz, is a narrow canyon beach with a small waterfall. **Kabak**, further south, is a hippie cove of tree houses and yoga camps at the end of a steep road. Closer to town, **Çalış Beach** is famous for its sunsets.

Boat trips

The classic **twelve islands** day trip leaves from Fethiye harbour and stops at several coves to swim. Boats vary a lot: some are calm family trips, others loud party boats, so ask before booking. **Göcek**, west of Fethiye, is a yachting village and the base for gulet cruises around the Gulf. Many people take a multi day **Blue Cruise** on a traditional wooden gulet between Fethiye and Olympos.

Kayaköy and the hills

**Kayaköy**, the ancient Karmylassos, is a hillside of hundreds of roofless stone houses abandoned after the population exchange between Greece and Türkiye in 1923. It is haunting, especially in late afternoon, and a marked path leads from here over the hill to Ölüdeniz.

Further afield

**Saklıkent Gorge** is a narrow canyon where you wade through icy water between high walls. **Tlos**, an ancient Lycian city on a hilltop, and **Xanthos** and **Letoon**, a joint UNESCO site, show the region's history. **Patara** has one of the longest sandy beaches in Türkiye beside an ancient city, and is a nesting site for loggerhead turtles.

The Lycian Way

The **Lycian Way** is a waymarked long distance trail of more than five hundred kilometres between Fethiye and Antalya, through pine forest, villages and ruins with the sea below. You do not need to walk it all: the first day from Ovacık or Faralya above Ölüdeniz gives a fine taste. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; summer is too hot for most walkers.

Where to stay

**Fethiye town** suits independent travellers who want restaurants, the market and a local feel. **Ölüdeniz** is best for beach days and paragliding. **Faralya** and **Kabak** are quiet hillside retreats for walkers and those who want to switch off.