Places to Visit in Fethiye

Travel notes

Fethiye, Muğla

Çalış Beach

Ölüdeniz

On the way up Babadağ

Fethiye is one of Muğla’s major districts and an important Turkish holiday destination, known especially for the extraordinary beach at Ölüdeniz. My original notes described it as the province’s largest district by area and settlement size; administrative boundaries and rankings can change. Before moving to England, we decided to visit friends and explore Fethiye at the same time. We arrived in winter, after the season, and like many resorts it was quiet—almost deserted in places. But the scenery was wonderful: the colour of the sea, lovely bays, emerald-green pines and forests.

The road to Babadağ

It was a short winter visit, and torrential rain on the first day meant we saw very little. It really was astonishingly heavy, which helped me understand why the area sometimes floods. Luckily, the second day was beautiful and we could explore. Our first stop was, of course, Ölüdeniz. The colour of the water immediately caught my eye: such a lovely blue that I could have watched it for hours. The air felt wonderfully clear and fresh too.

Butterfly Valley

Butterfly Valley

Then there is Fethiye’s famous paragliding. Looking towards Babadağ, we saw people flying with instructors. I am sure soaring above Ölüdeniz would be amazing, but I would need to work up quite a lot of courage first! 🙂

After enjoying the views of Ölüdeniz and seeing the famous Butterfly Valley, we headed towards Kayaköy through Hisarönü, known for its bars and nightlife. Out of season, Hisarönü seemed deserted, while Kayaköy felt a little livelier.

Ölüdeniz

Kayaköy

Kayaköy, also known historically as Levissi or Karmylassos, had grown into a predominantly Greek Orthodox town of around 3,000 people by the late Ottoman period, according to my original notes. Its abandoned hillside houses, further damaged by the 1957 Fethiye earthquake, now draw visitors as a remarkable open-air historic site. The article also described a later settlement on the plain, associated with Muslim arrivals during the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey who found the older hillside infrastructure difficult to adapt to. People call it a ‘ghost village’, and at first glance I understood why. We then tried a quick look around Fethiye’s bazaar, but the downpour returned and sent us hurrying away. The market felt a little disorganised and crowded to me, although the weather hardly helped. Apart from that rain, you were lovely, Fethiye! 🙂

Fethiye bazaar