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Fethiye Information
The small port town of Fethiye occupies the site of the ancient city Telmessos, with an impressive ancient theatre and numerous Lycian rock tombs. Located at the head of an island-strewn bay, Fethiye is a popular destination on the stretch of the Mediterranean known as the Turquoise Coast. Fethiye is a tourist town with an international atmosphere. It has an excellent marina and good night life. Dalyan's Iztuzu Beach and the beach resort of Oludeniz is just 25 minutes away by minibuse and offers numerous activities, including parasailing, boat trips, scuba diving, snorkelling, mountain biking, trekking; and most famously paragliding. Modern day Fethiye is located on the site of the ancient city of Telmessos, the ruins of which can be seen in the city, such as the Hellenistic theatre by the main quay. Fethiye Museum, very rich in ancient and more recent artifacts, displays and testifies to the successive chain of civilizations which existed in the area, starting with ancient Lycia. Fethiye was formerly known as Makri when inhabited by the Greeks deported from the area under the terms of the 1923 exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey. These Greeks later founded the town of Nea Makri (New Makri) in Greece.
Getting There
The nearest airports served by international airlines are at Antalya or Dalaman. Antalya is about a three hour drive away and Dalaman is about a one hour drive from Fethiye. Daily flights connect with Istanbul, while direct flights (both scheduled and charter) go to and from major European cities several times weekly. Fethiye has direct bus connections to Dalyan, Marmaris, Bodrum, Antalya and Izmir.
Getting Around
A regular dolmus service runs to neighbouring resorts such as Dalyan, Dalaman, Sarigerme, Fethiye and Marmaris as well as surrounding villages. There are numerous car and motorbike rental agencies as well.
What To See
Fethiye is home to several remarkable ancient sites. The most conspicuous are the rock tombs dating from the 4th century BC carved in the hillside above the town. Beside the harbour is the Roman amphitheatre and the crumbling remains of a medieval castle built by the Knights of St John. Fethiye may be the only city in the world where you'll find sarcophagus in the streets. These pre-Roman Lycian relics are especially spectacular when floodlit at night. Of course, the harbor area is a great place to sit and just kick back in the sun. The Blue Lagoon - a famous beach area is located in Oludeniz, about 30 minutes by dolmus. Saklikent Gorge is a marvelous geological site located on the Tekke Peninsula between Fethiye and Antalya, and is a great place for a leisurely hike. If you explore the gorge a bit further upstream, be ready for some climbing, scrambling, and getting all wet. Kayakoy Village is a hiking destination that are the ruins of a Greek settlement abandoned in 1923 when the governments of Turkey and Greece mandated population swaps. It contains some well-preserved stone structures, including a Greek Orthodox church.
Things To Do
Always the usual beach activities like swimming, lounging, parasailing, paragliding, and paddling sea-canoes. Fethiye marks the beginning of the Lycian Way - a 500 km marked hiking trail running to Antalya offers the serious trekker a beautiful challenge. Yacht charters from bareboat to luxury yachts in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. Fethiye is one of the most popular places around Europe for paragliding and it is a great place to try this extreme sport. You start from Baba Dag, a mountain around 1900 meters high, and end on the beach after a nice trip above Oludeniz. There are many schools and training centers which provide training for beginners, or you can take tandem flights with a pilot and a youself as a passenger.
Food And Drink
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. The fish market in the middle of town is surrounded by small restaurants that will cook your own fish to your liking very reasonably and tastily. A great drink is ayran which is a yogurt drink that contains yogurt, water, and garlic. Turkish wines are getting better and better, but some feel that they are not yet to European or North American standards. Nightlife in Fethiye and Oludeniz is not as hefty as in Marmaris, but there are plenty of cafes, bars, restaurants. There are no clubs however as all of them are open air. There is sometimes live music, but it's usually a DJ.
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