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Fethiye
Situated on the slopes of MendosMountain, Fethiye was established on top of ancient Telmessos on the shore of Fethiye Gulf. For this reason, the majority of the ruins have remained under this quaint district. Because of the abundance of accommodation facilities, captivatingly beautiful coves and significant development in yacht tourism in recent years, Fethiye represents the center of excursion in the Western Lycian region. Fethiye, which is located 50 kilometers from Dalaman Airport, can be reached by highway from Mugla, Denizli and Antalya and can also be reached by sea. Those staying in Fethiye, which is chock full of history , nature and sea, can easily wander out to the ancient cities in the vicinity, such as Cadyanda, Pmara, Tlos, Sidyma, Xanthos, Letoon and Patara. Here, the temperature does not go below 16° C, and one can frolic in the surf for up to nine months a year.
the city's name was changed to Anastasiupolis in honor of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius 11; by the following century this too gave way to the name Makri, which meant 'far city'. Later on, the city was called Megri, whereas Megri was fmally changed to today's Fethiye in 1934, to commemorate the flrSt Turkish pilot, Fethi Bey.
Oludeniz
Fethiye reminds most of us of Olüdeniz, world famous and one of the most beautiful wonders in the world, worth traveling to for miles and miles, to see its turquoise blue waters and wonderful lagoon. The crystal-clear water of Olüdeniz is so pure that it is almost cleaner than the water you drink at home, if we omit the salt! Olüdeniz consists of two parts: the first part is Belcekiz (or Belcegiz), which lies along the bay until the lagoon. This part is the wavy part of Olüdeniz. The second part is the real Olüdeniz with the lagoon inside. This part is the calm and shallow part.
Olüdeniz is 12 km from Fethiye. Here, with all kinds of water sports (canoeing, surfing, skiing, banana, parachute), you can also play beach volleyball. Along the Belcekiz beach, -a bit more expensive- you can find everything to eat and drink. The bars and restaurants are ready for your service at all times. The place called the Blue Lagoon, is a National Park, which has an entrance fee. Again, there are lots of things to eat, drink, and do (like water sports and beach volleyball), and there are shower and bathroom facilities. Besides, Olüdeniz is one of the most ideal places in the world for Paragliding.
To try this sport, you don't have to be experienced. All you have to do is choose which company to fly with, among the many agencies, which include the Turkish Aeronautical Association. If you don't have a license to fly, you will have your first experience with a licensed and experienced pilot. The pilots do everything for you. All you have to do is enjoy the beauty of Olüdeniz and take lots of photographs from a 1400-1700m altitude.
Dalyan
Dalyan village is based on a river, surrounded by lush green fields breaking into spectacular mountain ranges. On the opposite side of the river is the ancient city of Caunos that is debatably the second greatest archaeological site in Turkey. Only 10% of the city has been unearthed and every year more and more treasures are discovered. The area around Dalyan has some of the widest variety of wildlife to be found in Turkey, including some species of birds not found elsewhere in the world. The weather in Dalyan is dry and warm all summer, yet we have many large rivers that flow all year round, being fed by underground springs. A short tranquil boat ride away is a four kilometer long beach that is home to the rare Caretta Caretta turtles. With the views, history, culture, wildlife, water and sea topped off by the warm local hospitality, Dalyan is a true world beater of a holiday destination.
Gocek
Set at the north-west end of the Gulf of Fethiye, Gocek is blessed with magnificent scenery. Backed by majestic mountains and substantial pine forests it looks out over the TwelveIslands, which provide shelter for Gocek's almost circular bay that has made the village such a perfect, natural harbor. Lured by such perfection, the yachting community has long made Gocek a favorite, and it is also a popular stop for gullet cruises.
Perhaps this explains Gocek's impressive range of facilities for a place that remains so blissfully unspoiled: there are only a handful of small hotels and pensions, yet all along the wide, landscaped promenade that fringes the quayside, there are plenty of eateries, from simple cafes to excellent restaurants specializing in delicious fresh fish. In the back streets and around the old village square by the mosque, there is a surprising array of interesting craft shops.
Calis Beach
With its magnificent 2 mile stretch of sand and shingle beach and an easygoing, laid back atmosphere, Çalis¸ (pronounced ‘chalish’) Beach is a great place to unwind, watch the world go by and enjoy Turkish hospitality at its very best. The beach itself is set in a wide bay which is protected by 12 small offshore islands. They form an attractive, natural harbour in which you’ll see an array of fishing boats, yachts and water taxis. The latter operate a shuttle service to and from Fethiye, the nearest town of any size, which is just across the bay or 3 miles around the bay by road. An inexpensive dolmus¸ service runs between Çalis¸ and Fethiye every 20 minutes or so and you can also get to Olu Deniz which is only 20 minutes the other side of Fethiye. In Fethiye, there’s a colourful, bustling weekly market, a fascinating museum and a choice of venues for night-owls. In Çalis¸ itself there’s a good selection of shops, bars (some very lively at night) and restaurants lining the pedestrianised sea front and, if you like stunning sunsets and cooling breezes (perfect for those hot, high summer days) then a welcoming, beachfront bar for a pre-dinner drink and views across the bay is the place to be.
SakliKent Canyon
Saklikent is situated near Tauros mountains, between Fethiye and Kas for thousands of years. Situated east of EsençayValley, Saklikent has not been discovered recently. Villagers living in this region discovered Saklikent almost 20 years ago.
Saklikent Gorge ("Hidden Valley") is the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey - 18 km long and so steep and narrow that the sun does not penetrate the water, leaving it deliciously icy-cold in the summer. Once inside, water-sculpted limestone canyon walls soar above you. Saklikent is a Canyon which is unbelievably beatiful, mystic and fascinating. You can walk one kilometer through water to reach Saklikent.
Remember to dress appropriately - you will get wet, and avoid taking big expensive unwaterproof cameras!
Be sure to bring submersible shoes as you will sometimes be walking in shallow water or mud. Plastic shoes can also be rented River Bar. However, after a while water goes beyond one of height. There start the caves. You can see the sky occasionaly. You feel yourself on a different planet among high rocks. You dont feel the Mediterraneans distresting heat in this Canyon.
Kalkan
Kalkan is one of our favourite places and we’re delighted to be able to offer holidays here for the third year running. You may not be familiar with the name – for years it’s been a well kept secret among the yachting fraternity and independent travellers looking for the ultimate unspoiled and relaxing hideaway. It’s been called a “designer fishing village” and that certainly sums up the visual appeal of Kalkan’s maze of winding cobbled streets which rise steeply above the harbour. The old stone harbour. The old stone houses which cling to the hillside have ornate balconies and shady flower-filled courtyards – a photographer’s dream! Many have now been tastefully converted into bars and restaurants. Most feature a roof terrace which gives gorgeous views of the sun dipping into the bay and the night time stars. Back in 1989 the mayor and other residents established the Kalkan Foundation to preserve the town’s historical and architectural heritage. Locals believe firmly in the “small is beautiful” philosophy so you won’t find big hotel’s, noisy discos or thundering traffic early or late in the season.
Kas
Kas was originally called Habesos or Habesa in the ancient tongue of Lycia and later was given the name Antiphellos. It is one of the oldest settlements in the region of Lycia. Most of the ancient settlement is now covered by the modern town of Kas. The rock-cut tombs to the north-east of the town date to the 4th century B.C.On a rise between the open sea and the hill, which was probably the acropolis of the ancient city, lies a rock tomb formed like a Doric structure with Doric triglyphs on the facade. Inside the tomb is to be found a frieze of dancing female figures. The acropolis was surrounded by a fortified wall, of which traces are to be seen on the facade facing the island of Meis Kastellorizon. No traces of fortifications are to be seen on the northern or western slopes. To the west of the modern town stands the ancient theater overlooking the sea. This structure possesses a remarkable view. It was constructed of local limestone and today the tribunes and outer walls are still visible although no trace of the skene is left. On the western edge of the acropolis are traces of a temple. Tombs of the Roman period are scattered about the town and along the coast.
Kekova
Kekova Island and the town of Kale nearby Antalya make an idyllic daytrip for the traveler looking for a combination of sunshine, swimming and fascinating historic ruins. Many operators run trips from Kas but the journey is much shorter from ǡyagzi, the harbor of Demre. Along the stony coastline the boatman may stop at a cave, or point out the occasional goat or the smoldering pyramids of wood used by peasants to make charcoal, the product may sit in plastic sacks at the water's edge, waiting to be taken away.
Along the edge of the island facing the mainland lie the fascinating half-submerged remains of a Lycian sunken city, and probably from Byzantine times later on. Signs warn against skin- diving, so you can not swim here because many foreigners in the past took a piece of ancient relics with them as a souvenir. The boatman will allow the passengers on board off for a swim further to the west, where the remains of a Byzantine chapel stand on the beach
Demre
Some people believe that Santa Claus did not exist but truth is that old Father Christmas did in fact exist as a historic personality. He did not come from beyond the North Pole where Reindeers roam, but lived under the warm Lycian sun as Bishop of Myra. His church and ex-tomb continue to exist as places of pilgrimage in the Turkish town of Demre (known also as Kale, near Antalya).
Saint Nicholas was born in Patara, was elected bishop during Diocletian's persecutions, and died in Myra around the year 350. This stories of his charitable acts took on legendary dimensions during the following centuries.
One of these stories concerned three boys who were hacked into pieces by a greedy butcher, who salted and pickled them for sale in his shop. Nicholas miraculously restored the boys to life. On another occasion, on hearing that the daughters of a poor Myran could not marry for lack of a dowry, Nicholas stole under the man's window at night and left a bag of gold for each girl. This act earned him the reputation of secretly delivering gifts in the black of night.
By the 10th century Nicholas had become the most popular folk saint in the Byzantine realm, counting as the patron of children, poor virgins, innocent prisoners, sailors and Russians. His tomb in Myra became the object of pilgrimages. A church was built around it in the 6th century. After it was destroyed in an Arab raid, the church was rebuilt in its present form with the help of Constantine IX and Empress Zoe in 1043.
Olympos
Though a very ancient city nearby Antalya, in the Mediterranean coast of Anatolia, the early history of Olympus is shrouded in mystery. We know it was an important Lycian city by the 2nd century B.C., and that the Olympians worshipped Hephaestos (Vulcan), the god of fire. No doubt this veneration sprang from reverence for the mysterious Chimeira, an eternal flame which still springs from the earth not far from the city. The town declined in the 1st century B.C. until the arrival of the Romans in the 2nd century A.D. In the 3rd century pirate attacks brought impoverishment. In the Middle Ages, Venetians, Genoese and Rhodians built fortresses along the coast, but, by the 15th century Olympus had been abandoned.
Today the site is fascinating, not just for its ruins that are fragmentary and widely scattered amidst the thick greenery of wild grapevines, flowering oleander, bay trees, wild figs and pines, but for its site, just inland from a beautiful beach along the course of a stream which runs through a rocky gorge.
Chimeira
The Chimarea take its name from the myth of Bellerophon. The Lycian King, Lobates, sent Bellerophon to kill the fire-breathing monster, part lion, goat and serpent. With the aid of the winged horse Pegasus, he succeeded, and returned, after completing other tasks set by Lobates, to Xanthus where he married the king's daughter and became heir of the Lycian throne. Carried away by his success, Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus up to Mount Olympus; for his presumption, he earned a great thunderbolt from Zeus.
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