Places to visit in Turkey

Fethiye, Turquoise Coast, Kayakoy and the Saklikent Canyon

The most famous part of Turkey's Mediterranean Coast has got to be Fethiye for one reason….....its beautiful Turquoise Coast! A ‘must-do’ is to sail along the coast on a traditional Gulet boat.

This picture is the Blue Lagoon at Olu Deniz, a popular holiday resort.

The area of Fethiye has so much to offer. A couple of ‘must-sees’ whilst in this area are;

Kayakoy (Ghost Town)

Kayakoy is a village 8 km south of Fethiye. Years ago the Turks and Greeks lived side by side until in 1923 when they had a population exchange between Greece and Turkey which was based on religious identity. The Greeks were not given much time to pack up their belongings and did not know if they would return. Likewise the local Turks did not know if the Greeks would be returning, so the village of Kayakoy which once had a population of 2000 people is now abandoned.

Today this Greek village serves as a museum and is a historical monument. Around 500 houses remain as ruins including two Greek Orthodox Churches, which remain the most important sights of this ghost town.

Saklikent Canyon

Saklikent is the 2nd largest canyon in Europe and is 50 km from Fethiye. This huge gorge was cut out of the mountain by an earthquake hundreds of years ago. It is 300 metres deep and 18 km long. A river runs through the gorge which you can walk along, following the mountain wall on a suspended walkway. During the summer months you can wade through the icy cold waters from the melted snow on the nearby mountain tops and take in the breathtaking scenery. The name Saklikent means ‘hidden city’ in Turkish.

Visit Fethiye on our Turkish Odyssey for 19 days. A circular journey from Istanbul taking in Gallipoli, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Fethiye, an overnight cruise on the Turquoise Coast, Antalya and Cappadocia.