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Fethiye is one of the most important
holiday centres in
Turkey and is popular with Turkish and foreign tourists alike
for its wealth of culture, natural
beauty and location.
This charming town is
situated on a bay
surrounded by pine forests within Fethiye Gulf,
which is dotted with large and small islands.
 History
The ancient name for Fethiye
was Telmessos and according to the first
written records from the region, it was founded in the 5th century
BC. Located on the border between the
kingdoms of Lycia and Caria, it managed to survive as an
independent city state for centuries before coming under the rule
of
the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great, Rome,
the Kingdom of Pergamum, Byzantium and the Ottoman
Empire respectively. The town is
still famous for its Persian, Lycian,
Carian and Roman antiquities.
Climate
The Fethiye region has a Mediterranean climate, which is hot and dry during summer
and mild
and rainy during winter. The temperature,
which is generally over 30 degrees during
summer months, rarely drops below 10 degrees during winter.
The sea temperature never
falls below 16 degrees
in any season.
HOW TO GET THERE By Road
Fethiye can be reached easily by road from all cities in Turkey.
By Air
The nearest airports are Dalaman Airport (50 km) and Bodrum Airport
(255 km). Turkish Airlines (THY) has
regular internal flights to these all year round. During the
tourist season there are direct flights
from many
European cities. Alternatively, you could fly to
Antalya Airport, three hours away by road,
where you can find regular coach services to
Fethiye.
By Sea
Naturally sheltered Fethiye harbour is a popular
destination for yacht owners. Turkish Maritime Lines
ships also stop at Fethiye.
WHERE TO VISIT Fethiye Museum
The Museum has two main exhibition
areas: the Archaeology
and Ethnography Halls. In the
Archaeology Hall you can find ceramics,
statues and other artefacts from
different eras found in the region. Among these
is a trilingual stele, which has played
an important role in the analysis of the Lycian language. Hand woven work
traditional to the
region from kilims to headscarves, silver jewellery and
traditional tools and implements are exhibited
in the Ethnography Hall. In the open area,
large stone reliefs, tombs and
the Izraza Monument can be seen. The Museum is open
every day except Monday from 09.00 to 18.00.
Lycian Rock Tombs:
These 4th century tombs, carved
into the natural rock, have become the symbol of the district. Amintas,
which is the most elaborate of these tombs can be reached via many
stone steps. It can easily
be seen from the plain below and
it is even more impressive close up.
In the
centre of the tomb's left-hand
column, Herpamias’ son Amintas’
is inscribed. There
are many other tombs nearby, with ornate
carvings, unusual embellishments and frescoes depicting wars.
Fethiye Castle
It is said that the castle belonged
to the Knights of St. John. There are two small,
simple rock tombs on the eastern
slope of the castle
hill with a few inscriptions and a cistern of
indefinite date.
Ölüdeniz (Blue Lagoon)
Ölüdeniz is a large, natural lagoon with
a 3 km beach, surrounded by trees.
Its scenic location and cool, still waters make
it a favourite destination for Turkish and foreign tourists alike.
Near Ölüdeniz is Belcekız
Beach, both at a
distance of about 14 km from Fethiye. There are many boarding-houses,
campsites, motels and restaurants open
all year.
Kıdrak
Kıdrak with its sandy beaches and its
crystal clear water is about 3 km from Ölüdeniz and Belcekız
Beach.
Faralya
An attractive seaside village at the
far end of the Kıdrak
road, this is a good
place for walkers with its
beautiful scenery and friendly people.
Kelebekler Valley (Butterfly Valley) :
6 km from Ölüdeniz,
set among 350 m mountains, the valley takes its name from
the"Jersey Tiger"
butterflies that gather there between
June and September. Its waterfall flows both in summer and winter.
Nearby is a large beach with clear
water, brightly shining pebbles and oleander
trees, served by boats from Ölüdeniz.
There are campsites, a
restaurant, bar, shower cabinets and
changing cubicles available.
Saklikent Hidden Gorge
50 km from Fethiye, on the Karaçay
Srteam which forms the border
between Muğla and
Antalya provinces, this is a natural wonder.
Rushing waters have carved out a
magnificent 18 km canyon, whose
height reaches 600 m in some places. There is a
wooden walkway suspended over the river which leads to a platform
where you can have tea and snacks with the water tumbling all
around. After that, the first few kilometres of the canyon are a
fairly easy scramble, presenting more of a challenge for
experienced trekkers.
ANCIENT CITIES
Gemiler Island
This island is
significant for being one of the first centres
from which Christianity began to
spread. Here you will
find the remains of churches, chapels and
secular buildings from the Byzantine Period.
The island can
be reached by boat from Ölüdeniz
(Blue Lagoon) and Gemiler Bay.
Araxa
40 km from Fethiye, Araxa was founded at the
source of the Xanthos Stream
of antiquity. This
mineral water
spring has been the subject of many stories in
Classical mythology.
In today’s Ören village,
parts of the ancient city such as rampart
ruins, a public bath and water canals of the
Byzantine Period, have
survived up to the present day.
Tlos
45 km from Fethiye, Tlos is one of the six big
cities of the Lycian Kingdom and was also a centre
for sport in ancient times. It is known as the city where
the mythological hero Bellerophon and his
winged flying horse Pegasus lived. Archaeological
evidence shows that Tlos dates back to
a time before 2000 B.C
and is the oldest city in Lycia.
The natural rocks of the city acropolis have
been carved into the elaborate house-type tombs
typical of the region.
The most regal
tomb in this necropolis is dedicated to Bellerophon.
Letaoon
Situated 55 km from Fethiye, Letaoon
was the religious centre of Lycia. It is well known for
its three temples dedicated
to the goddess Leto, Artemis and Apollo.
Archaeological excavations have been underway
since 1962 and several churches of the
early Christian period have been uncovered.
Pınara (Minare Village):
This is at the foothills of Mount Akdağ, 55 km from Fethiye.
One of the biggest cities of the Lycian
Federation, Pınara was the
city where the first beauty contest was
held. The temple, dedicated to the Goddess Aphrodite, also draws
attention as it was built in an unusual architectural style.
Hundreds of public tombs in the shape of pigeon holes
riddling the rockface
make a unique necropolis.
Göcek
30 km from Fethiye on the Fethiye-Muğla
highway, Gocek looks like a charming fishing
town but has in recent
years become one of the most
important centres for yacht tourism
in Turkey. Its
natural harbour, numerous
islands and bays, ruins and pine
forested hills, and top class facilities make it
popular with VIPs.
Hisarönü - Ovacık
These two typical Turkish villages near Ölüdeniz (Blue Lagoon) have
recently begun to reach out to tourists by
providing shopping, entertainment
and accommodation.
The other beauty spots and places of interest in
the area are far too numerous to mention here!
Sports Activities:
Paragliding:
The 1975 m high Mount Babadağ
is the main location for paragliding
in the area, due to the many and
widespread strong thermals,
enabling gliders to rise up when they jump.
Ölüdeniz (Blue Lagoon) and the
countryside around Fethiye are a wonderful sight from the air.
Scuba Diving:
There are many diving training centres
and clubs in Fethiye which organise diving trips.
Rafting:
Several companies organise rafting and
canoe trips on
the Eşen and Dalaman
rivers.
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