Destination Guides Turkey

Oludeniz is a small resort village in the Mugla Province on the South West coast of Turkey on the Aegean Sea to the south and the high, steep sided Babadag Mountain, 14 km (9 mi) south of Fethiye. The town is a beach resort. Oludeniz remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of Oludeniz, on a blue lagoon. The lagoon is a national nature reserve and building is strictly prohibited. Oludeniz is famous for its shades of turquoise and aquamarine, and is an official blue flag beach, and is frequently rated among the top 5 beaches in the world by Travelers and Tourism Journals alike. The resort is also famous for its paragliding opportunities. It is regarded as one of the best places in the world to paraglide due to its unique panoramic views, and the Babadag Mountains exceptional height

Kayakoy lays on the way to Gemiler from Hisaronu, in a isolated valley and now this village is famous with its restaurants and old houses. Greek people used to live in peace under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. There used to be about 3000 buildings, 5 doctors, 3 pharmacies, 1 school, 2 big churches, more than 10 small monasteries. The settling of this village (the Greek settlement) date the 15th century. The small church downtown, dates 1888. The other church (the bigger one up the hill) said to be built before the small one. In January 30 1923, there was a population exchange agreement between Turkish - Greek governments. According to this agreement, the Greek people living in Turkey would be sent to Greece and the Turkish people in Greece would be sent to Turkey. The Greek people here, by this agreement, went back to Greece; but the Turkish people living in Greece didnt want to come back to Turkey, because the Greek government did not want to pay the indemnity for any of the goods, lands, or the houses they owned in Greece. So that, the houses which were reserved for the Turkish residence, waited for a long time with allowing no one in.

Pinara (Lycian: Pilleñni; Greek: τὰ Πίναρα) – formerly Artymnesus or Artymnesos – was a large ancient city of Lycia (in Asia Minor), at the foot of Mount Cragus, and not far from the western bank of the river Xanthos (Xanthus), where the Lycian hero Pandarus was worshipped. The site is near the modern town of Minare, Mugla Province, Turkey. The city, though it is not often mentioned by ancient writers, appears from its vast and beautiful ruins, to have been, as Strabo asserts, one of the largest cities of Lycia, its chief port city until the harbor silted up to form the reed-filled wetlands of today. According to the Lycian history of Menecrates, quoted by Stephanus of Byzantium the city was a colony of Xanthos, and originally bore the name of Artymnesos, afterwards changed into Pinara, which, in the Lycian language, signified a round hill, the town being situated on such an eminence. Its ruins were discovered by Sir Charles Fellows, near the modern village of Minare (Minara). From amidst the ancient city, he says, rises a singular round rocky cliff (the pinara of the Lycians), literally specked all over with tombs. Beneath this cliff lie the ruins of the extensive and splendid city. The theater is in a very perfect state; all the seats are remaining, with the slanting sides towards the proscenium, as well as several of its doorways. The walls and several of the buildings are of the Cyclopean masonry, with massive gateways formed of three immense stones. The tombs are innumerable, and the inscriptions are in the Lycian characters, but Greek also occurs often on the same tombs. Some of these rock-tombs are adorned with fine and rich sculptures. Pinara was a member of the Lycian League, in which it held three votes. Pinara surrendered to Alexander the Great in 334 BC. After Alexanders death, the city fell to the kingdom of Pergamum. Pinara became a Roman city when Pergamum was willed by its last king Attalus III to the Roman Republic in 133 BC. The city enjoyed prosperity during Roman rule, but was badly damaged by earthquakes in 141 AD and 240 AD. Pinara was Christianized early. Five bishops are known: Eustathius, who signed the formula of Acacius of Cæsarea at the Council of Seleucia in 359; Heliodorus, who signed the letter from the bishops of Lycia to the emperor Leo I the Thracian (458); Zenas, present at the Trullan Council (692); Theodore, at the Second Council of Nicaea (787); Athanasius, at the synod that reinstated Patriarch Photius I of Constantinople (the Photian Council) in 879. Pinara was the birthplace of Nicolas of Myra. Under repeated pressure from invading forces, the city became uninhabited in the ninth century. It remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, Pinarensis; the seat has been vacant since the death of the last bishop in 1974.

Saklikent Gorge is the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey, 18km long and so deep that the sunlight never penetrates the water, therefore, the fast and at times furious waters are deliciously freezing. If you wish to get wet and have some fun, you can try and walk up some of the canyon (only about 4km is walkable). Dont forget to wear some shoes as the bottom of the gorge is pebbly and you will need to have a firm footing to battle the rapidly flowing waters. See how far you can get! If your feeling lazy on the way back you can always let the current carry you. If you prefer to relax and dont like the sound of the freezing water temperatures, or may be just fancy a quick paddle, this place is still for you. Around the gorge is traditional Turkish style cafes, where you can sit back and relax on the cushions, sip a nice cold drink and enjoy some local food, gozleme is a traditional style pancake made by the local villagers. Enjoy watching the fun but stay firmly on dry land.

Telmessos (or Telmessus), later Anastasiopolis, then Makri/Macre was the largest city in Lycia, near the Carian border, and is sometimes confused with Telmessos in Caria. The well-protected harbor of Telmessos is separated from the Gulf of Telmessos by an island. The modern town of Fethiye is located on its site.

Tlos is known to have been one of the most important religious centers of the Lycian region in Antalya province of Turkey. It is known as the city where mythological hero Bellerophon and his winged flying horse Pegasus lived. Determined as the oldest city of Lycian Region by the archaeological excavations, Tlos dates back to the time before 2000 B.C. The graveyard on the natural rocks of the city acropolis was filled with most elaborate house-type tombs Of Lycia. It is known that the king-type tomb in the necropolis is dedicated to Bellerophon. As one of the six principal cities of Lycia (and one of the most powerful), Tlos once bore the title under the Roman empire of "the very brilliant metropolis of the Lycian nation". It is one of the oldest and largest settlements of Lycia (known as "Tlawa" in Lycian inscriptions) and was eventually inhabited by Ottoman Turks, one of the few Lycian cities to continue it existence through the 19th century. There is evidence that Tlos was a member of the Lycian Federation from the 2nd century BC. Two wealthy philanthropists, one of which was Opramoas of Rhodiapolis, were responsible for much of the building in the 2nd century AD. Inscriptions tell us that the citizens were divided into demes, the names of three of them are known: Bellerophon, Iobates and Sarpedon, famous Lycian legendary heroes. A Jewish community is also known to have existed with its own magistrates. Tlos was re-discovered by Charles Fellows in 1838 and he was followed by the explorer Spratt, who thought that "a grander site for a great city could scarcely have been selected in all Lycia" - great praise indeed for a land abounding in grand scenery. Tlos lies on the east side of the Xanthos valley, and is dominated by its acropolis. This rocky outcrop slopes up from a plateau with a charming village, but ends on the west, north and northeast in almost perpendicular cliffs. On its slope are several Lycian sarcophagi and many house and temple-type rock-cut tombs cut into the face of the hill. The influence of many cultures upon Tlos has resulted in an interesting collage of structures. It is a romantic place with lush nature and many of the buildings are vine-covered (especially the large bath), it would have been the perfect location for any romantic painter. Yaka village now co-exists with Tlos and the fields and pomegranate trees make for very picturesque scenery. Tlos is a popular destination for tours from the coastal cities. The whole area it is situated in is beautiful with many small villages. Tours often include a trip to the beautiful Saklikent Gorge and the lovely Yakapark Restaurant. Opposite the acropolis of Tlos are some small cafés with toilet facilities. Tlos is about 4 km. northwest of Saklikent Gorge.

This is the Tomb of King Amynthas. He was believed to be one of the commanders of famous Macedonian King Alexander the Great. The rock tombs are like ships put upside down. This is Lycian style. The door of the tombs were broken by crusaders like other tombs in Anatolia, who were looking for treasure. The tomb was sculptured on a mountain looking Fethiye Bay where sailors can harbor. The dead body is lied on a rock bad (there are 4 beds in this tomb) and there is a cave made by the architect in order to enter inside the tomb. There is a writing in the door of the tomb (this is not a door that you can pass through ) Fethiye was named as Telmessos in the anthic age. Since the region is mountanous and the Bay is closed, Fethiye is a place suitable for sailors and pirates.

Cleopatras Baths, (actually The bay of Cleopatras Baths), is a large bay full of lots of pine trees, and has a dark blue sea which goes to light blue, as you reach the shore. In the south western part of the bay, there are some ruins which came down because of the earthquakes in Fethiye. According to the myth, in one of the visits of Cleopatra to Anatolian coasts, her close friends decided to build a Roman Bath for Cleopatra as a present. Because, they found a hot water spring in this part of the bay. The water here was very good for the skin, with the minerals and elements it contained like Calcium, Magnesium, etc. Some say that the mystery which lies behind the beauty of Cleopatra is the water here (however, it may be true). The water here, was coming from a crater lake (dry now) which was behind the mountain you see at the northern side of the bay. Even today, if you look at the bottom of the sea, where the ruins are, before the wind starts very early in the morning, you can see the sands at the bottom are still a bit moving. This means that there is still a bit amount of hot water coming out today. If you want to try your chance to be as beautiful as Cleopatra and to look 10 years younger, you are allowed to swim around and in the ruins!

Flat Islands, are a group of islands so close to each other, ocated just at the opposite of the Gocek town. The property here, is the salty lake in the middle of the long sandy part of the biggest island in the group. Here is also a charming place with the clear, dark blue, and very deep waters. But there is a passing from the biggest island to the smallest, which you can easily walk (1.5m depth). On the biggest island, further to the north, there is a long, sandy beach leading to the lake. On the shore, there are two families selling pan-cakes and pastries, who come every morning from the Gocek town, and leave in the evening. And there is a big boat used as a restaurant on this island. And if you want, banana, ringo and water skiing is available.

Dockyard Island, is the first Island you will see in the tour which is called the 12 Islands Boat Cruise (the ones before were semi-islands). Here is a shallow bay where the water comes towards the land, just like a lake, and you can not realize that there is bay in the island unless you approach. On the land, there are some ruins which belong to the early Greek people lived here in peace during the Ottoman Empire times. The bay on the island was used to build ships by the people lived here (also Turkish), because the shallow waters were very suitable for this purpose. Thats why this island is called the Dockyard Island.

BEDRI RAHMI BAY is one of the most popular bays in the Fethiye Gulf, which is located opposite Tersane Island (Dockyard) and known as Tasyaka Bay. Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu was a great writer and painter of Turkey. He and his close friends were the first blue voyagers of the country who discovered the beautiful Lycian coast and informed people about these beauties. On one of his cruises, he painted a fish on a rock behind a fountain of the bay in 1973, and ever since the bay has been called by his name. The bay is well protected against the wind and suitable for anchoring. Pine, olive trees and oleander flowers on the surrounding slopes, small beach and crystal - clear water complement the historical remains on the hill and create an idyllic setting. There are many Lycian rock tombs hidden behind the trees, as well as ones shaped like pigeonholes on a great rock. You can also see a rock tomb with an ornamented door and a triple tomb on the slope. According to the ancient historians, the city that is located behind of the hill was the Lycian town Crya

Xanthos (Lycian: Arñna, Greek: Ξάνθος) was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, the site of present day Kinik, Turkey, and of the river on which the city is situated. In early sources, "Xanthos" is used synonymously for Lycia as a whole. The site has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1988.

The sanctuary of Leto called the Letoon, sometimes Latinized as Letoum, near Xanthos, was one of the most important religious centers of the Lycian region in Anatolia. The site is located between the towns of Kas and Fethiye in Antalya province of Turkey, approximately four km south of Xanthos along the Xanthos River. Archaeological finds at the site, which was never a fully-occupied settlement, but remained essentially a religious centre, date back to the late sixth century BCE, before the Greek cultural hegemony in Lycia, which began in the early fourth century. In earlier times, the site was probably already sacred to the cult of an earlier mother goddess— she is Eni Mahanahi in Lycia— which was superseded by the worship of Leto, joined by her twin offspring. In Greek mythology, a claim for an early cult of Apollo in the valley of the Xanthus, unsupported by history or archaeology, was provided by two myths, each connected to an eponymous "Lydus". One sprang from the autochthonous Telchines of Rhodes and would have colonized the region at the time of Deucalions flood; the other Lycus was an Athenian brother of Aegeus driven from Athens, a seer who introduced the cult of Lycaean Apollo, which a folk etymology connected with Lycia and therefore made him its Athenian colonizer. The foundations of the Hellenistic temple dedicated to Leto, and her children, Artemis and Apollo, have been excavated under the direction of H. Metzger from 1962. Archæologists have excavated much of the ruins; discoveries include the Letoon trilingual, bearing inscriptions in Greek, Lycian and Aramaic, which has provided crucial keys in the deciphering of the Lycian language; it is conserved in the Fethiye Museum. The site remained active through the Roman period. The site was Christianised by the construction of an early church, which reused cut stone from the sanctuary, but was abandoned from the seventh century CE.

Cadianda The ancient city of Cadianda is located near Uzumlu Village, about 20 Km. from Fethiye. Fine examples of Cyclops Walls, a sports complex, theatre and Heroon like temple tombs are all worth seeing, as are the magnificent views out over Fethiye.

The island is approximately 9 km. to the south of Fethiye. It can be reached by boat from the Bay of Gemile through Kayakoy. Gemile, or Saint Nicholas Island, situated at the Oludeniz Lagoon Area, known as Sybola in the Middle Ages, was a prominent religious centre, especially in the 5th century B.C. It was a port of call for commercial and cruising vessels from Europe and Eastern Mediterranean, as well as a centre of pilgrimage. In addition to numerous churches and chapels, there were ecclesiastical schools. There are various narratives in connection with the name of the island. For example, in a medieval Portulan, there is mention of the dedication of a church on the mountain top to Saint Nicholas. However, it is not yet certified whether this Nicholas is the same as Saint Nicholas of Demre (Myra), more popularly known as Santa Claus. A certain Nicholas lived on this island, but his identity is not very clear as yet. The significance of this island will, therefore, be open for discussion in future years. Since 1990, a surface survey has been carried out by a Japanese team which unearthed 11 churches on and around the island. Four are on the Gemile Island, one on Karacaoren and the rest at Oludeniz and around the Bay of Karaoren. The Island of Gemile and its vicinity are doubtless a significant centre for Christianity. Besides religious buildings, there are houses for people working or living on the island. Since it is a rocky terrain, the foundations of the churches and the houses are carved into the rocks. The ruins continue within the sea along the shore. The island is declared as a protected area and there is a watchman to meet and guide the numerous visitors. In 1995 a salvage excavation was instigated in collaboration with the Fethiye Museum and a Japanese team, which is still under way, presided by the Director of the Museum.

This place is called the red island (Kizil Ada) for pebbles in the coast of this island colored red when the sun going down.It has only a beacon.

At the West end of the gulf, close Kurtoglu Cape you reach Ag Limani (double bays), which is another secluded bay where you can swim, fish, sunbathe or rest. A Lycian city, ancient Lydae, is easy to reach by a path, taking about an hour.