Are you planning your next travel and wondering about the best things to do in Fethiye? You came to the right place. Fethiye, a beautiful Mediterranean town in Türkiye, is full of opportunities for all travelers. This guide will highlight the must-see attractions and exciting activities that will make your Fethiye experience truly memorable. Get ready to explore ancient ruins, discover hidden coves, experience thrilling adventures, and savor the local flavors in this amazing destination.
Some people know Fethiye for its agriculture — the greenhouses, fertile soil, and fresh produce. Others think of it as a rising star in tourism, with stunning beaches, cozy hotels, and peaceful bays. Beyond tourism, it’s a wonderful place to live, boasting 9000 plant species, a rich history spanning the Lycian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires, centuries of peaceful coexistence among diverse cultures, around 300 sunny days a year, and all the conveniences of modern life.
Tourism is one of the most important economic sources in Fethiye. The town is full of opportunities for new investments and projects, both in popular mass tourism and in alternative tourism activities — a key factor in the continuous growth of this vibrant sector. In addition to tourism and commerce, other notable sources of income include agriculture, forestry, fishing, and beekeeping.
Throughout history, Fethiye has been a growing city, enriched by traces of settlements around this port of call. At present, while projects are drawn up to protect the historical and cultural heritage renovation efforts are carried out, in line with the development of modern city, in infrastructure, transportation, education, health and other social services. It is proud to have acquired the fundamental facilities of a modern city, continuously endeavouring to improve and attain even more.
Climate
Fethiye is a district where the typical Mediterranean climate prevails. The most well-known feature of this climate is that the summer months are hot and dry, and the winter months are cool and rainy. While the temperature reaches 30-35°C during the day in June, July and August, it can reach up to 40°C in late July and early August. At night, the weather becomes relatively cooler thanks to the breezes coming from the coast. There is no rain during this period, the sky is usually clear and sunny. The average daily sunshine duration in the summer season can be up to 12 hours.
In the winter months, especially in December, January and February, the air temperature usually varies between 10-15°C. Although rare, the temperature can drop below 5°C at night. The occasional heavy rains make nature green during this period of the year and contribute to the freshness of the air.
Spring and autumn are the times when weather frequencies are most balanced in Fethiye. The period from March to May and September to November is the period when nature is at its most colorful and vibrant, with temperatures ranging between 20-28°C. This period is extremely suitable for both agricultural activities and outdoor activities.
How to get to Fethiye?
Fethiye is connected to the rest of Turkey by both land and air, and visitors can easily reach the city by any means they wish. The nearest airport is Dalaman Airport (DLM), which is approximately 50 km away from the city. Both domestic and international flights are available, especially during the spring and summer months, which are considered the region’s peak tourist season.
You can reach Fethiye from Dalaman Airport in approximately 60 minutes with the following options:
Airport Shuttles (Havaş or MUTTAŞ): These buses operate regularly between Dalaman Airport and Fethiye city center.
Private Transfers: These can be booked through travel agencies or online platforms. This option is more suitable for you if you are traveling as a group or are short on time.
Taxis: There is a taxi rank at the airport, but taxi fares are usually more expensive than airport shuttles or private transfers.
For those in Turkey, there are regular buses to Fethiye from cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya. Fethiye’s main bus terminal (Otogar) is located close to the city center and offers public transport services to many nearby points.
Here are top 10 Fethiye attractions we have compiled for you:
Old Town
Old Town, known as Paspatur among the locals, is one of the most colourful shopping and entertainment center of the town. There are 7 entrances two of which are on the main streets. It displays an extraordinary panorama for photography enthusiastswith its restaurants, old buildings under protection, streets, bath, mosque, cafes on the sidewalks and bars. Paspatur means “water channel -trench”, named after the irrigation system built for the town in the past. A popular belief about Paspatur is that “those who take a drink of the waters of Paspatur, will come to Fethiye again…”
At the Old Town, shops are open until very late at night, selling all kinds of goods ranging from traditional handcrafts to souvenirs. Some shops are open also during the winter months.
Tuesday Market
Fethiye Tuesday Market is the most comprehensive and largest neighborhood market in the region and is a popular market with fresh fruit and vegetables, food, clothing and daily consumption products, as well as pancakes, meatballs, snow sherbet and other food and beverage sections. Tuesday Market, with its fresh produce, allows both local producers to showcase their products and the public to access them. In the market, which opens regularly every week, various food products are exhibited along with seasonal vegetables.
Ghost Town (Kayakoy)
The current state and the past story of Kayakoy, known as Levissi, which has uninterrupted layers of life in the Fethiye district of Mugla, which goes back to Ancient Lycia and has a history of about 4 thousand years, is extremely sad. Remarkably, even during World War I, Greeks and Turks coexisted peacefully here, a testament to the area’s ancient cultural maturity.
However, leaving their neighbors and homeland was incredibly difficult for them. It has been known as the “Ghost Town” for nearly a century since the departed ones were not replaced.Visiting this village with many names such as Karmylassos, Levisse Village, Kayakoyand Ghost Town opens the doors to a deep-rooted history. However, visiting Kayakoy without knowing its history may leave your trip a little unfinished. Reading its story and coming here can make you feel much more than just seeing a piece of rock. Each stone you touch while visiting the village will make you feel the memories of another family.
Saklikent Gorge
With its unique nature and adventuresome routes, Saklıkent Gorge welcomes visitors all year round. The gorge, formed by the combination of limestone terrain and fault lines, is 18 kilometers long and 200 meters high. The gorge, which gained national park status in 1996, is a geological heritage that is only 2 meters wide at its narrowest point. Entry is via a 200-meter wooden bridge fixed with iron bars. The karstic spring waters encountered after the bridge both cool and fascinate visitors. While maquis vegetation thrives in the lower sections, cedar, red pine, and black pine trees form a rich flora as you ascend. Visitors to the national park can enjoy nature walks, have skin care with natural clay masks, participate in adrenaline-filled zipline and rafting activities, have breakfast in wooden restaurants built over cool waters, and taste local flavors such as gözleme and trout.
Oludeniz
It is one of the holiday resorts that definitely takes place in Turkey’s tourism promotion advertisements. The turquoise national park photo that almost all tourists visiting the region have seen is one of the first holiday spots that come to mind when Turkey is mentioned. The turquoise color and clarity of the sea are admirable. It is also known as Turkey’s most famous beach by far.
You can enter the part of the national park in Oludeniz for a fee. The remaining part is the public beach and is free. You can benefit from the cafes and restaurants located at the back of the beach. This area is also used as a landing point of paragliders. While enjoying the sea and the beach, you can watch the paragliders gliding and landing on the runway right behind you.
Babadag Cable Car
At an altitude of 1936 meters, Babadag hosts tens of thousands of paraglidingflights every year. These flights last 25-30 minutes and land on the beach. These paragliding flights, which have a very important place for adrenaline enthusiasts, are mostly for watching the unique view of Oludeniz from a bird’s eye view.
Babadag Cable Car is also recommended for those who have reservations about paragliding but want to watch these beauties from the summit. In Babadag, which is full of rocks and cliffs, the cable car was put into service after a very difficult construction process. Thus, you can find the opportunity to watch Oludeniz, a tourism paradise, and its wonderful nature.
Amintas Rock Tombs
Amintas Rock Tombs date back to the Lycian period. They are believed to date back to the 4th century BC, are carved from stone. More than 100 steps lead up to Amintas and they are still in good condition. Amintas is interpreted as “the most magnificent of all tombs’’. They are clearly visible from the lower level. As you approach this site, the beauty and majesty of the tombs become clearer. Apart from Fethiye and Knight Island, the sea view is also very clear from where the Amintas Rock Tombs are located.
These impressive tombs were likely built for noblemen or high-ranking individuals, with the stone being suitable for carving and detailed work. Many sarcophagi in this area are open to visitors. Nevertheless, the Amintas Rock Tombs remain one step ahead in terms of popularity. This tomb has two floors, and a Gothic-vaulted lid on the front part draws attention. On the two parts of the cover, there are figures depicting battles. These figures also provide insights into a person’s life. Frescoes are particularly interesting for visitors. Amyntas Rock Tombs, considered one of the symbols of the city, are also the most important ruins of the ancient city of Telmessos.
Very few artifacts from this important city have survived to this day. This situation increases the importance of the tombs even more. Rock tombs can also be found in many parts of Anatolia outside of this region. There are types of monumental tombs such as temples and houses. The purpose of temple-like rock tombs is to ensure that people of high status, such as a king, continue to be venerated after their death. These tombs, in which the rocks are carved starting from the upper point, are the result of great effort.
Calis Beach
Among the blue flag beaches, one of the best is Calis Beach, located in the center of Fethiye. It is one of the most appreciated beaches with its clean sandy beach and comfortable beach.Apart from being one of the longest beaches of Fethiye, Calis is a beach where sea turtles lay eggs in April and November. You can have a pleasant time with many water sports activities such as wind and kite surfing and parasailing.
Butterfly Valley
Butterfly Valley, which is home to millions of butterflies, is protected by a protected area. So much so that this world-famous valley is located at the foot of Babadag. Its pristine natural environment is protected with a no-construction policy. A facility operates within the valley to safeguard its natural life and implement conservation projects.
The facility offers visitors accommodation in tents and tree houses and has a daily capacity of 500 guests. In the Butterfly Valley, located on a 100-acre land, studies are carried out in the fields of ecological agriculture, row treatment, sea cleaning and clean energy.You can join tours and discover butterflies in the valley, which is home to more than 80 butterfly species and tiger butterfly species.
Butterflies like humid, secluded and calm environments. While going deeper into the island, you can explore the valley and watch the butterflies. There are 7 bays around the valley. These are Knight Island, Samanlik, Hilliside, Aquarium, Dalyan, Red Island, and Calis Beach. During your vacation, you can join tours in these bays and enjoy swimming in different waters.
Yakapark
28 Km to Yaka Village where the ancient city is located, Yakapark is a work of art created by natural water sources and nature itself embroidered by the human hand.
As you sip your cold drink at one of the open-air bars in the park, the trout in the canal passing through in the middle of the bar counter seem to joke with you, slipping through your hand playfully.You may wish to stop the time here in this splendid scene that human hand has created in nature with the surrounding pools, original water mill, flowers, trees, and tiny waterfalls among the greens where the summer sun embraces the spring chill.
Fethiye Activities
Don’t just think of Fethiye as a center of sea, nature and historical places. Do you even know that tours are organized just for Fethiye activities? We have prepared a list of the best activities you should do in Fethiye for you. If you are ready to read the list full of excitement, action and adventure, let’s start:
Paragliding
You will float in the blue sky in the unique Oludeniz view by making a tandem jump accompanied by a pilot with a parachute. While soaring in the skies of Fethiye with a parachute, you can easily see not only Oludeniz, but also the wide Esen Plain and Dalaman coasts extending to Patara beach by passing through the clouds. These beauties, which you will hardly see again, will remain as a memory for you after your trip to Fethiye. On the route of this flight, which lasts about 25 minutes, the view angle extending from Butterfly Valley to Kaya Village will take you to very different worlds.
Scuba Diving
Fethiye, one of the best and most popular diving areas preferred by experienced divers, has diving options suitable for all ages. You can explore mysterious caves by diving and drift through the mysterious underwater world. There are also different options for archaeological dives. You can join the diving tours organized every day and discover the wonderful mysterious diving sites on the Fethiye-Kas or Fethiye-Marmaris routes. In special tours, you can enjoy the tour with an experienced instructor diver and equipped diving suits.
12 Islands Boat Tour
It is one of the activities that must be attended for those who vacation in Fethiye. The tour boats in the harbor of Fethiye visit various natural wonder bays on a daily basis and offer unforgettable moments to their guests: 10:30 in the morning and in the afternoon: It ends at 17:30.Tour boats stop by various islands and bays to ensure that you have a good time.Some of these islands are;Yassica Island, Boynuzbuku Bay, Aquarium Bay, Shipyard Island and Red Island
Jeep Safari
The jeep safari tour, which everyone with an adventurous spirit must participate in, is one of the unique opportunities in the dizzying nature of Fethiye. You can enjoy your vacation just like in your childhood by getting covered in dust. You can participate in jeep safari tours organized by many travel agencies by choosing the direction you want. Discovering ruins, witnessing village culture and tasting delicious food are among the bonuses of this wonderful safari.
ATV tours
The favorite of adventure enthusiasts who want to visit the cultural and natural beauties of Fethiye are ATV tours. With these daily tours, you can make your Fethiye trip unforgettable. During the exciting and enjoyable tour, the latest model ATV vehicles, equipment and expert guides will accompany you.
As you can see, the list of Things to do in Fethiye is endless. In fact, there were many other things we wanted to add, but we wanted you to discover them on your own.Fethiye activities start with the first light of day and continue until the evening. Hundreds of tour companies prepare various tour programs for these activities. You can even get detailed information about these tours from the reception of the hotels you stay in. Tours are usually made by reservation. Since there is a lot of demand, you should plan your tour accordingly.
Food & Beverages
All kinds of vegetables and fruit are grown in the fertile soil of this beautiful region and therefore you can find all the delectable dishes of the Turkish cuisine. There are numerous restaurants in the center of the town and in Ölüdeniz, Çalış and Göcek, serving sea food, kebab, spit kebab. hors d’oeuvres, pastriesand vegetarian menus. If you wish to have a different lunch or dinner, you can cook your own meat on a brazier, while enjoying the outstanding panorama of Kaya Köyü, feast on trouts at Yakapark and around Saklıkent, buy your fish or meat from the market place and have it cooked at thesmall restaurants, or have a taste of the pancakes, filled with herbs typical to the region.
For entertainment during the night, you will find bars with a different atmosphere in Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü, Çaliş, Göcek, Old Town andaround the Marina. If you wish to go to these later, you can sit at one of the cafes along the seashore and sip your Turkish coffee while watching the fishermen repairing their nets.
Conclusion
This unique city fascinates all visitors with its peaceful natural beauties and atmosphere full of traces from the past ages. Amazing landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see, hidden natural beauties waiting to be discovered and structures bearing traces of different periods of history make this place truly exceptional. Every moment you spend here will soothe your soul, inspire you and leave a sweet memory in your mind. The experiences you have in this beautiful land will leave an unforgettable mark on your heart and encourage you to visit again.
