Fethiye

Paragliding over the Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon, Twelve Islands boat trips and Lycian rock tombs, with a day trip west to the Dalyan mud baths and turtle beach.

Fethiye and Kaş lie on Turkey's Turquoise Coast in the southwest. The area was part of ancient Lycia and today is split between Muğla and Antalya provinces. Heading west to east along the D400 coastal highway, you pass the yachting harbor of Göcek, Fethiye town, the Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon, Patara, Kalkan and Kaş. Lycian rock tombs and ancient cities are scattered between the mountains and the sea, and Xanthos-Letoon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Season: The sea is warm from May to Oct, and Jul–Aug is the hottest and most crowded period. Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct are best for ancient cities and hiking. Paragliding is possible year-round, but most beach facilities close in winter.

Things to do: ① Around Fethiye: Babadağ paragliding and cable car, the Blue Lagoon, Butterfly Valley, the ghost town of Kayaköy, the Amyntas rock tombs, the fish market and Twelve Islands boat trips; ② Inland: Saklıkent Gorge, Tlos and Pınara; ③ The middle stretch: the ancient cities of Xanthos, Letoon and Patara, Patara Beach, and Kalkan; ④ Around Kaş: diving, Kaputaş Beach, the sunken city of Kekova and Simena, and Myra with the Church of St. Nicholas; ⑤ To the west: a Dalyan river boat trip and İztuzu turtle beach.

Getting there: Dalaman Airport (DLM) is about 50 minutes from Fethiye, and Antalya Airport is about 3.5 hours from Kaş. Frequent minibuses (dolmuş) run between towns, but driving gives the most flexibility. We suggest 3–4 nights in Fethiye/Ölüdeniz and 2–3 nights in Kaş, for 5–7 days in total. Notes: Most ancient sites accept the Museum Pass Türkiye. In summer, Patara and İztuzu beaches are closed at night to protect nesting turtles. Choose a licensed, reputable paragliding company.

Top sights

• Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon – Turkey's most photogenic beach, with a turquoise lagoon and a white sand spit. Paragliders launch from 1,969-metre Mount Babadağ and swoop…
• Babadağ Paragliding & Cable Car – 1,969-metre Mount Babadağ is a world-class paragliding launch site. You can also ride the cable car up to look down over the Blue Lagoon.
• Kayaköy Ghost Town – A village of Greek residents abandoned after the 1923 population exchange. Hundreds of stone house ruins cover the hillside.
• Butterfly Valley – A bay gorge flanked by cliffs, reachable only by boat, where Jersey tiger moths gather in summer and a small waterfall tumbles at the base.
• Tomb of Amyntas – A Lycian rock tomb carved into the cliffs above Fethiye, its temple-style façade dating from the 4th century BC, and a symbol of the city.
• Tlos – One of the oldest Lycian cities, its acropolis cliffs riddled with rock tombs, including the tomb of Bellerophon.
• Letoon – The religious sanctuary of the Lycian League, housing three side-by-side temples to Leto, Apollo and Artemis, and a UNESCO World Heritage S…
• Kabak Bay – A secluded bay at the end of a pine-filled valley, home to treehouse camps and yoga retreats, and a stop on the Lycian Way.
• Gemiler Island (St Nicholas Island) – A small island strewn with Byzantine monastery ruins, with views of the bay from the summit, and a classic stop on Fethiye boat tours.
• Fethiye Museum – An archaeological museum holding the trilingual stele from Letoon and other Lycian finds, worth visiting before or after exploring the anci…
• Paspatur Old Bazaar & Fish Market – A cobbled-lane market in Fethiye’s old quarter, where you buy fresh fish at the fish market and have nearby restaurants cook it for you. It…
• Çalış Beach – A long beach north of Fethiye, famous for its sunsets, with beachside hotels and bars lining the promenade.
• Pinara – An ancient Lycian city whose cliffs are carved with hundreds of honeycomb-like rock tombs, hidden among pine forest and rarely visited.
• Dalyan & Kaunos Rock Tombs – Ride a river boat through a reed-lined channel, look up at the temple-style Tomb of King Kaunos in the cliffs, then continue to mud baths a…
• İztuzu Beach – A sand spit with a freshwater river on one side and the sea on the other, serving as a protected nesting site for Mediterranean loggerhead…
• Göcek & 12 Islands Boat Trip – A pine-ringed yacht harbor town and the departure point for blue cruises and 12-island day trips, with calm, clear bays.
• Lycian Way (Fethiye section) – A coastal hiking trail about 540 km long. Its opening section runs along sea cliffs from above Ölüdeniz to Faralya and Kabak.

Where to eat

• Öztoklu Restaurant – A family-run seafood spot beside the old town fish market for over twenty years. They'll cook fish you pick out, a popu…
• Mozaik Garden Restaurant – A garden restaurant in an old town lane specializing in Hatay flavors from southeastern Turkey, with striking mosaic la…
• ADA Island Restaurant – A Michelin Guide–listed restaurant on Knight's Island, reached by free boat, for sunset views over the bay and Turkish-…
• Mori Italian Restaurant – Fethiye's first restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide, with terrace dining by the yacht harbor for pasta and seafood.

Itineraries

• Turkey Grand Panorama Loop – From the historic battlefields of the Dardanelles to the Lycian Coast and the Anatolian heartland, experience a compreh…
• Turquoise Coast Road Trip – Drive along the D400 from Dalaman to Antalya, connecting blue lagoons, ancient Lycian ruins, and sunken cities.
• Lycian Way Highlights Hike – Hike the ancient coastal trail from Fethiye to Patara, staying in village guesthouses, and end your journey in Kaş.