Fethiye is the heart of Turkey's Turquoise Coast and a popular tourist destination. It's home to turquoise sea shores, friendly locals, and historical rock tombs.
If you want to explore the area's history, you can visit the stunning Fethiye Museum. It houses a collection of artefacts from Fethiye's ancient Telmessos Theatre as well as Roman statues unearthed at Tlos.
The Old Town
Known as ‘Telmessos’ by ancient historians, Fethiye is located on the shores of the Aegean Sea. This picturesque harbour town is a great place to explore and learn about Turkey’s rich history.
It’s a beautiful town with narrow streets, shops and nooks and crannies that offer a glimpse into Turkish culture. It’s also a great place to get some authentic shopping done for less money than you might expect.
The Old Town is a hub of activity in Fethiye, especially during the summer. The network of narrow streets is home to many shops and bars, so it’s a lively place with a lovely feel.
A recent tourist attraction is the Umbrella Street, a Sunday market that’s packed full of interesting shops and delicacies. It’s a popular place for locals and tourists to shop for Turkish items.
The Fethiye Museum is a good place to see some of the artifacts recovered from ruins in the area. It’s small but worth a visit, especially if you’re interested in Lycian history.
The Rock Tombs
If you’re in Fethiye, be sure to head out to the cliffs and explore their awe-inspiring rock tombs. Built into the side of a mountain in 350 BC, these elaborate structures overlook Fethiye and are nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The interior of these crypts is spare, with a simple monolith displaying the rooms and body, but otherwise empty since they were looted hundreds of years ago.
This is a great place to start your exploration of Lycian tombs, as well as Fethiye in general. The ruins at Xanthos and Letoon, both about an hour’s drive away, are also worth a look.
The Saklikent Canyon, deep into Fethiye’s rocky hinterland, is another impressive natural attraction. This gorge gets almost no sunlight and is fed by cold springs, so it’s a great spot to escape the heat of summer.
Boat Trips
One of the most popular things to do in Fethiye is to take a boat trip. These are fun and exciting excursions that are perfect for all ages.
The best thing about these boat trips is that they’re a great way to explore the beauty of Turkey’s coastline. Whether you want to go snorkeling or just relax on a boat, these tours are sure to make your vacation more memorable.
These tours usually last between eight and 10 hours and start in the morning. If you’re looking for a longer cruise, you can also book a multi-day tour that sails around the country.
Many of these cruises head to the seaside resort town of Marmaris, with stops at a few of the area’s most beautiful beaches and bays. Other longer tours trawl along the coast to Manastir Bay (famous for its half-sunken Roman baths) and Cennet Island (nicknamed Paradise Island). These multi-day cruises are the ideal way to take in the scenery without having to pack a bag every day.
Kayakoy
In a corner of southwest Turkey, around 10 km south of Fethiye lies the eerie ghost town of Kayakoy. Clinging to a rocky hillside overlooking the inhabited valley below, the ruined stone buildings of this once-thriving village are a haunting reminder of tragic events that took place a century ago.
- Today, Kayakoy is preserved as a museum village. It comprises hundreds of rundown but still mostly standing Greek-style homes and churches that cover a small mountainside.
- The ruins are scattered over a relatively large area, making it easy to explore for hours on end. The terrain can be uneven and a little rocky, so it’s best to wear comfortable shoes when exploring this site.
- Aside from the ruins, Kayakoy also has a small chapel on top of one of its hills that offers a spectacular view of the whole village and the sea beyond. It’s a great spot to sit and watch the sunset or just to relax.
