Fethiye is most famous for its strikingly beautiful Ölüdeniz beach, which attracts thousands of tourists every year both locally and internationally. However, this charming coastal city located in the southwest of Turkey is full of other gems to discover.
Let’s first take a look at the city center of this once-ancient city of Telmessos, one of the most significant cities of Lycian civilization, and then focus on the other sightseeing activities in the Fethiye region with a section on the best day trips from Fethiye.
Things to Do in Fethiye: Inside the City Center
Fethiye is home to several structures that still stand today showing the city’s cultural and flourishing background.
Shop at the Old Orient Carpet and Kilim Bazaar
If you are into Turkish carpets and kilims, you should definitely check out this shop.
Celal Coşkun, the owner of Old Orient Carpet & Kilim Bazaar, offers classes and workshops to teach the art of carpet making and repairing, a dying tradition day by day.
Address: Çarşı Caddesi 45 Sokak No: 5, Paspatur, Fethiye
Get cultured at the Fethiye Museum
If you are a history enthusiast, you should visit Fethiye Museum which displays a Trilingual Stele dating back to 338 BC.
There are exhibits of statuary and votive stones like Stelae of Promise and Grave Stelae as well as pottery and jewelry. There is a mosaic featuring a floral center, a bow and arrow, and a lyre from Letoön’s Temple of Apollo.
This small museum has also a garden where you can see Roman tombstones and Lycian sarcophagi. Get your museum pass card ready! The museum can be visited between 9 AM and 5 PM.
Address: Kesikkapı, 505. Sk. No:4
Grab a bite at Yeşil Asma Yapraği
Tired of walking around? You can try Yeşil Asma Yaprağı restaurant, a “lokanta” favorite of locals. The menu concentrates on Turkish cuisine like roasted chicken, “sarma,” spinach “börek,” and meat casseroles.
The restaurant has air conditioning so that you can escape the hot weather for a while, especially important if you are visiting during summer. The restaurant is open between 8:00 AM and 10:00 PM
Address: Cumhuriyet, Dispanser Cd. No 15/A
Shop with locals at the Weekly Market
If you really want to get to know the culture of a city, you should definitely visit local weekly markets, and Fethiye is no exception.
Taking place along the canal next to the stadium every Tuesday, this enormous market offers vegetables, fruits, clothes, house equipment, food…everything you can think of. It is the cheapest way to shop, as well as the richest in its diversity of offerings.
Address: Between Atatürk Street and Pürşabey Street
Sun yourself like James Bond at Çalış Beach
Are you a Daniel Craig fan? Remember the scene James Bond was waking up in a cozy place by the sea in “Skyfall” with actress Berenice Marlohe? Well, the scene was shot in Çalış Beach!
The props were taken from Güven’s Bar and Restaurant while Daniel Craig stayed at the Yacht Classic Hotel on the beach – which, incidentally, is a fantastic place to stay when in Fethiye.
The Best Things to Do Around Fethiye
Visit the marvelous Ölüdeniz beach
Meaning “dead sea” in Turkish, Ölüdeniz is far away from being dead! Rather, it is full of life thanks to thousands of tourists coming to visit this heavenly blue sea.
Being one of the most famous beaches of Turkey, 15 kilometers of white soft sand lays rimmed by dense trees. The sea does not get deep quickly, therefore you can walk a lot till you can dive into the water completely.
That’s why families with kids also prefer the lagoon, which gives them a safe environment to play. The sand is so fine and thin — great for walking on the beach, but it also means that you take a lot of it home!
Jump from the peak of Baba Dağ
Ölüdeniz is also famous for paragliding! If you head to Baba Dağ, you can find paragliding facilities. Be careful to go with a reputable tour company! We recommend this paragliding company as they are the best-rated in Fethiye.
You might change your mind when you encounter the heights… so you can have a few drinks at Zirve Bar & Restaurant next to the takeoff area if you chicken out. You can watch people taking off every 5 minutes, and maybe you pluck up your courage to paraglide yourself (just don’t let it be liquid courage – it’s definitely not safe to fly while intoxicated!)
At this altitude, the air can get cold pretty quickly, especially as it gets closer to sunset. Don’t forget to take your coat with you in case you decide to hang out at the peak for more drinks to watch the stars sparkle overhead.
Walk around the abandoned village of Kayaköy
Once ancient Karmylassos, today’s Kayaköy is an eerie, mostly abandoned stone village located just 8 kilometers from Fethiye.
Until the 1923 Population Exchange was signed, this was a village full of Greeks and Turks living together. The law changed everything, making the people depart from the village to the Greek islands and other parts of Turkey.
Today, this abandoned village attracts tourists who would like to see the ruins from that time, Katapongagia Church and Taxiarchis Church (two Greek churches) being some of them.
Visit the majestic ancient city of Kaunos
Dating back 3,000 years, the Ancient City of Kaunos has made to UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List with its rock tombs, temples, and theater. The ancient city is located in Dalyan, a one-hour car drive away from Fethiye city center.
If you are interested in the history of the region, Kaunos is a must-see, where merchant ships once departed to the Mediterranean and the Aegean Seas. To best experience Kaunos, take a boat ride by the Dalyan River in order to see the tombs with temple facades.
Take a mud bath
By the way, do not forget to take a mud bath on Iztuzu Beach! The mud is famous for healing skin ailments, and locals often come to the area to relax.
The gray mud dries on the skin, quickly working as a body mask to heal the irritated areas. It doesn’t smell that nice, just saying! The smell comes from the sulfur in the mud, which is part of what makes it so healing.
There are plenty of boat operators that work in Dalyan, therefore you don’t have to book in advance. Just be spontaneous!
Visit sea turtles
Iztuzu Beach is also home to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center (DEKAMER), a facility that helps injured turtles, as well as newborn sea turtles, reach the sea. You don’t have to pay anything to see the sea turtles in the conservation. Note that feeding and touching them are strictly forbidden.
Be careful with the season! Iztuzu Beach is a nesting site and is closed from 8 PM to 8 AM during nesting months. If you’re visiting in the nonnesting months (which vary by year), you can visit in the evening freely. The 5 kilometer-long beach is also fantastic during sunset time.
Take a safari tour at Saklıkent Gorge
The ravine is located in the mountains of Akdaglar and is 30 kilometers away from the city center. The area is famous for trekking on the wooden boardwalks built above the river. The water is extremely cold, therefore do not consider swimming… unless you are from Russia or Sweden! You can go rafting, however, along the river.
There are safari tours starting from Saklıkent, a full-day activity diving into the deep forest areas, hiking through the gorge, having lunch by the river, and then heading to Patara to relax on the beach. The final destination of the safari tours is the ruins of Tlos. The tours include transfers from and to the hotel you are staying in.
Check out the longest beach in all of Turkey
Being Turkey’s longest beach, Patara is an idyllic spot for a sunbathing break. Once a significant city of Lycia, you can also see several ruins by the beach in Patara, a perfect combination of history and seaside. Legend says that St. Nicholas of Myra who is “Santa Claus” as we call it today, was born in Patara in the 4th century!
The nearby archaeological site Pinara is less populated with tourists, compared to other Lycian sites in the region. There are more than 900 monolithic house tombs and rock tombs in the ruins of the Lycian city of Pinara. The area around the antique theater is fantastic, as you enjoy the mountain peaks and dense forest that surrounds you.
Visit the historic cities of Letoön and Xanthos
Letoön is another UNESCO-protected city in the Fethiye region. The legend says that it was dedicated to the God Leto, who had an affair with Zeus. Leto was sent to exile to Lycia by Hera, Zeus’s wife. There are three temples in the religious center dedicated to Apollo, Artemis, and Leto.
You should also check out Apollo Temple in Xanthos, once the capital of Lycia, supposedly the oldest republic in the world. The city walls by the Hellenistic city gate date back to the 3rd century.
While under UNESCO heritage listing, unfortunately, the city’s most stunning monuments were sent to England in the 19th century. What remains are the acropolis, the theater, and the agora.
Get some peace and quiet in the Butterfly Valley
Do you want to break free from all humanity? Then we have good news for you. Butterfly Valley is only reachable by boats that take off from Ölüdeniz or hiking from the cliffs of Faralya. Either way, it requires effort to get there… meaning tourists often don’t go there.
Going by boat from Ölüdeniz is the safer choice. We encourage you not to choose the trekking option unless you are an expert. There have been fatal incidents reported in the area due to losing concentration during hiking because of hot weather and the steep cliffs. Don’t forget to check out the schedule of the buses that will take you to the boats, as they are limited in number.
Once you are in the valley, you will find yourself surrounded by lush forests and spectacular beaches to discover. There are tree houses and humble accommodations here and there. Local and international visitors to Butterfly Valley make it a tradition to come here for the campfires at night, and the community spirit resembles the 60s hippie movement.
There are more than 85 different species of butterflies living in the valley, hence the name. The best time to see the butterflies is in June. If you really want to see the butterflies at rest, be careful not to be noisy and avoid crowded groups.
There is also a waterfall at the end of the valley. The road to the waterfall involves climbing, so get your water-resistant, well-tractioned shoes ready because you might slip with your flip-flops!
If you are planning to spare only a day for the valley, we recommend this day trip.
Spend the night in lovely Faralya
I have saved the best gem at the end of this article. A hidden hilltop village, Faralya is home to spectacular boutique hotels. Locals prefer these hotels for their honeymoon. Other people come to visit them for their yoga lessons that take place either by the Mediterranean or in the depths of the forest. You can only imagine how fresh the air is here!
Kabak Bay is a beautiful body of water that is under state protection is located just beneath Faralya. This is a valley of clean beaches and lavish nature with campsites. There are different kinds of animals and plants in the region. If you like camping, there is not a better camping atmosphere around! You don’t have to come ready with your own tent; there is equipment available for camping if you have a change of heart!
The locals of Faralya are really into bees and making organic honey. The honey here is premium quality, so be sure to buy a few jars on the way back home!. If you are into cooking, you should also buy some sage. If you get a cold, you can consume it in the form of tea in winter, as well – it’s very good for you!
Since you are in the heart of the Aegean region, don’t leave before you have breakfast or dinner. The ingredients used are all organic and hence healthy. You can also buy olive oil produced from the local olive trees!
If you hike all the way up to Faralya, you have earned watching the sunset from the cliffs. Just take your time to relax, enjoy the views, and think about your life as you gaze into the hypnotic view of the Mediterranean!