Fethiye

Fethiye is in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.

Fethiye is a tourist town with an international atmosphere. It has an excellent marina and good night life. The town also serves as an excellent base for touring the inland countryside, and is probably the only city in the world where you'll find sarcophaguses in the streets. These pre-Roman Lycian relics are especially spectacular when floodlit at night. The town has a population of around 50,000, but the population increases dramatically during the high season, from April to end of October, when off-shore residents spend their summers at their second homes.

In Greek times, it was named Telmessos, a flourishing city on the Glaucus Sinus (now known as Gulf of Fethiye). It was famed for its school of diviners, consulted among others by the Lydian king Croesus, prior to declaring war against Cyrus, and by Alexander the Great, when he came to the town after the siege of Halikarnassos. Telmessos was a member of the Delian League in the 5th century BC. It was taken by Alexander in 334 BC.

The main area of interest is in the southern part of the city around Atatürk Cd. covering the tourist harbour, the bar & club area to the cave tombs. Most budget hotels are located west from this street near the harbour. Resort hotels are mainly found in the north of the city near the beaches.

Summers are extremely hot with temperatures well above 40°C in July and August, you should drink plenty of water to keep hydrated which is important in a very hot place such as Fethiye. Winters are cool with temperatures around 14-20°C. Spring and Autumn are the wettest seasons, yet still very sunny, which is the best time to go for people who want a warm holiday that is not too hot like the summer, with temperatures around 20-28°C.

• Cave tombs. 5 TL.
• The Lycian sarcophagus — There are a number of stone sarcophagii carved in typical Lycian style scattered around the town, with one of the most preserved ones lying in the yard of town governor's office (kaymakamlık) at the main street and other on the middle of the road heading uphill towards the cave tombs and Kayaköy.

Cave tombs. 5 TL.

The Lycian sarcophagus — There are a number of stone sarcophagii carved in typical Lycian style scattered around the town, with one of the most preserved ones lying in the yard of town governor's office (kaymakamlık) at the main street and other on the middle of the road heading uphill towards the cave tombs and [[Kayaköy]].

• Beach activities - swimming, lounging, parasailing, paragliding, canoes etc. The Dead Sea/Blue Lagoon "Ölüdeniz" region has pretty warm water temperatures during summer season.
• Hiking - Fethiye marks the beginning of the Lycian Way - a 500-km marked hiking trail running to Antalya. From here you can start hiking to Ölüdeniz, the next stations would then be Faralya and Kabak.
• Tuesday Farmers' Market
• 12 Island Day Cruise. An armada of boats of all sizes leave their harbor berths each day between 10:00 and 10:30 and return at approximately 18:00. While you can charter the entire boat in advance, most are run on a first come first serve communal basis. The typical trip visits 12 islands, including 4 stops of about an hour each, where you can jump of the boat into crystal clear blue and turquoise water. Lunch is usually provided, but ask ahead what to expect. Also choose a boat that seems comfortable to you, is not too crowded and ask if they’ll be playing loud music if that disturbes you. Bring your swimsuit, sunscreen, a towel and water. Starting from 25/50 TL pp (low/high season).
• Yacht charter in the Aegean Sea
  • Windward Islands, one of the worlds largest yacht charter companies, can take care of all charter requirements, from bareboat to luxury yacht in the Aegean Sea. Operating from 9 offices worldwide (USA, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Caribbean, Honk Kong and Dubai).
• Paragliding Fethiye is one of the most popular places around Europe to try this extreme sport. The activity starts from Babadağ, a mountain around 1900 m high, and ends on the beach after a nice trip above Ölüdeniz. There are many schools and training centers which can provide training even for fresh beginners, or you are free to enjoy tandem flights which include the pilot and a passenger. Trips can cost in the range of 200 TL and 100 TL for photos (Nov 2017). The following link belongs to a very professional school.
• Aquila Tandam Paragliding, Cloud 9 Restaurant, Oludeniz, +90 (535) 734-57-87. Professional pilots for tandem experience. Accepting Bitcoin payments and traditional forms of payment.

Beach activities - swimming, lounging, parasailing, paragliding, canoes etc. The Dead Sea/Blue Lagoon "[[Ölüdeniz]]" region has pretty warm water temperatures during summer season.

Hiking - Fethiye marks the beginning of the [[Lycian Way]] - a 500-km marked hiking trail running to [[Antalya]]. From here you can start hiking to [[Ölüdeniz]], the next stations would then be [[Faralya]] and [[Kabak]].

Tuesday Farmers' Market

12 Island Day Cruise. An armada of boats of all sizes leave their harbor berths each day between 10:00 and 10:30 and return at approximately 18:00. While you can charter the entire boat in advance, most are run on a first come first serve communal basis. The typical trip visits 12 islands, including 4 stops of about an hour each, where you can jump of the boat into crystal clear blue and turquoise water. Lunch is usually provided, but ask ahead what to expect. Also choose a boat that seems comfortable to you, is not too crowded and ask if they’ll be playing loud music if that disturbes you. Bring your swimsuit, sunscreen, a towel and water. Starting from 25/50 TL pp (low/high season).

Paragliding Fethiye is one of the most popular places around Europe to try this extreme sport. The activity starts from Babadağ, a mountain around 1900 m high, and ends on the beach after a nice trip above [[Ölüdeniz]]. There are many schools and training centers which can provide training even for fresh beginners, or you are free to enjoy tandem flights which include the pilot and a passenger. Trips can cost in the range of 200 TL and 100 TL for photos (Nov 2017). The following link belongs to a very professional school.

Aquila Tandam Paragliding, Cloud 9 Restaurant, Oludeniz, +90 (535) 734-57-87. Professional pilots for tandem experience. Accepting Bitcoin payments and traditional forms of payment.

Be informed before you buy a "Turkish" carpet. Do your homework before leaving home. The supply of Turkish carpets is getting low and Chinese copies are being sold. Also, real antiques are not allowed to leave the country.

• Isa.M Turizm, Atcilar Sokak no 6 (Yaniklar Köyü, +90 2526336363. 2. Horseridingstable in Yaniklar with 14 well trained horses for advanced and novice rider. Trail rides and riding holidays €40.

Isa.M Turizm, Atcilar Sokak no 6 (Yaniklar Köyü, +90 2526336363. 2. Horseridingstable in Yaniklar with 14 well trained horses for advanced and novice rider. Trail rides and riding holidays €40.

Good quick eats including a fish-sandwich (balik ekmek) can be found in the area just east of the corniche. The fish market in the middle of town is surrounded by small restaurants that will cook your own fish to your liking, very reasonable and delicious.

• Pasa Kebap has great meat and vegetarian options at good prices. Upstairs has cushion/floor seating but there is also lots of inside and outside table seating.
• Peymane, Eski Cami Sok. No. 7 (In the old town on Sokak 41 where it intersects with Sokak 43, +90 252 614 0383. Cute little family owned place that is a little more expensive than some of the other restaurants in the area, but is still cheap and has more variety and better ingredients. They also have probably the best vegetarian options available in town including a daily special (which is sold at an absolute bargain price). Cheap.

Peymane, Eski Cami Sok. No. 7 (In the old town on Sokak 41 where it intersects with Sokak 43, +90 252 614 0383. Cute little family owned place that is a little more expensive than some of the other restaurants in the area, but is still cheap and has more variety and better ingredients. They also have probably the best vegetarian options available in town including a daily special (which is sold at an absolute bargain price). Cheap.

If you are going to drink only one local special, let it be the Kar Şerbeti (Ice/snow sorbet). It is a refreshing drink/dessert, basically icy snow, mixed with pectin/grape molasses. The snow is collected from summits of Toros (Taurus) Mountains throughout the year. You can find it easily in the market/bazaar.

Ayran is a popular yogurt drink some find refreshing. Beer is widely consumed, though neither Beer or Ayran have a special connection with Fethiye. The wines are acceptable, but generally not of a very high standard. You should be careful about the cocktail bars spread around the city, as some of them might be using cheap alcohol to compensate the expenses. Always listen to trusted recommendations.

• Keçı Coffee Roastery Cumhuriyet Mahallesi (east of the Fethiye Marina). Excellent coffeeshop / roastery, they serve V60, Aeropress, Chemex, etc. as an alternative to ubiquitous Turkish coffee and Nescafe. 14TL for a single serving custom coffee.

Keçı Coffee Roastery Cumhuriyet Mahallesi (east of the Fethiye Marina). Excellent coffeeshop / roastery, they serve V60, Aeropress, Chemex, etc. as an alternative to ubiquitous Turkish coffee and Nescafe. 14TL for a single serving custom coffee.

• The Blue Lagoon — a famous (perhaps the most famous in Turkey) beach area located in Ölüdeniz to south of Fethiye, with a pretty nice lagoon separated from open sea by a sandbar. About 30 minutes away by dolmuş.
• Saklikent Gorge — a stunning geological site located inland on the Teke Peninsula (between Fethiye and Antalya), about 40 km southeast of Fethiye. This is a great place for a leisurely hike. If you want to explore the gorge a bit further upstream, be prepared for some clambering and getting wet!
• Lycian ruins — located on outer islands, take a boat from Ölüdeniz.
• Kayaköy Village — a hiking destination, these are the ruins of a Greek settlement abandoned in 1923 when the governments of Turkey and Greece mandated population swaps. Features some well-preserved structures, including a church.
• Butterfly Valley and Kabak — two isolated canyons bordering the seashore to the south of Fethiye. They both feature waterfalls. Butterfly Valley is hippie haven (though with the growing interference of the mass tourism) situated in a narrow canyon with almost no overland connection to the rest of the world, while remoter Kabak is the perfect place to escape the package tourist groups, and a great place on the Turkish Mediterranean to camp and have a truly laid-back experience.
• Weekly boat tours around the spectacular Lycian coast, also known as "Blue Cruise", all the way east to Olympos can be arranged through numerous companies from Fethiye during the high season (April to October).

The Blue Lagoon — a famous (perhaps the most famous in Turkey) beach area located in [[Ölüdeniz]] to south of Fethiye, with a pretty nice lagoon separated from open sea by a sandbar. About 30 minutes away by dolmuş.

Saklikent Gorge — a stunning geological site located inland on the Teke Peninsula (between Fethiye and [[Antalya]]), about 40 km southeast of Fethiye. This is a great place for a leisurely hike. If you want to explore the gorge a bit further upstream, be prepared for some clambering and getting wet!

Lycian ruins — located on outer islands, take a boat from Ölüdeniz.

[[Kayaköy]] Village — a hiking destination, these are the ruins of a Greek settlement abandoned in 1923 when the governments of Turkey and Greece mandated population swaps. Features some well-preserved structures, including a church.

[[Faralya|Butterfly Valley]] and [[Kabak]] — two isolated canyons bordering the seashore to the south of Fethiye. They both feature waterfalls. Butterfly Valley is hippie haven (though with the growing interference of the mass tourism) situated in a narrow canyon with almost no overland connection to the rest of the world, while remoter Kabak is the perfect place to escape the package tourist groups, and a great place on the Turkish Mediterranean to camp and have a truly laid-back experience.

Weekly boat tours around the spectacular [[Lycia|Lycian coast]], also known as [[Mediterranean Turkey#Do|"Blue Cruise"]], all the way east to [[Olympos (Turkey)|Olympos]] can be arranged through numerous companies from Fethiye during the high season (April to October).