Due to its touristic self, Fethiye is not a place to feel the Turkish atmosphere 100%. Ofcourse there are beautiful mosques (I love the architecture!) and bazaars and kebab places but the city is quite similar to any other European seaside resort. However, it is a nice place to relax, see some cultural things and enjoy the sea.
So here is my list with the top things to do while in Fethiye:
1. Walk along Calis beach
We bought some beers from a mini market along the boardwalk and relaxed at the beach gazing the waves and collecting shells. If you want to swim mind that water deepens abruptly and there are pebbles inside that sometimes may be slippery.
2. Visit the local market (pazari) and buy aromatic spices!
There is nothing more traditional while in Turkey than spices. The spices here taste differently. They have a special taste, a special aroma, you can even find weird things non-existent in your country (for example we found black chili, have you heard of it?). My advice is to buy as much as you can. They are of great quality, in general they are cheap and they will definitely spice up your life!
3. Taste dondurma, the traditional Turkish ice cream
But dondurma IS different! First of all it is an experience: the guy serving you is almost a magician joggling with your ice-cream before you take it. He makes tricks and fun things to entertain you (sometimes a complete fail, I saw my ice-cream falling on the street, nothing more heartbreaking). But when you finally get the ice-cream in your hands then you think that it does have a different taste. It is heavy and tastes like a soft chewing ice-cream. Try chocolate and the traditional fystik (pistachio!). Dondurma is usually sold from street vendor carts and you will find it all around. This one is located at Ataturk road in Fethiye center.
4. Walk along the Port of Fethiye
A nice walk to spend an afternoon is to walk along the port of Fethiye and gaze the blue sea with the beautiful boats and yachts.
5. Visit the Lycian Rock Tombs
Ofcourse we could't skip this attraction and we visited the highest and the most important rock tomb, the Tomb of Amyntas. It is actually quite easy to get there: from Fethiye center just take the road off the dolmuş station and you will see the mountain in front of you. Then you just have to climb some steps to reach to the top. The view will compensate any tiredness. All the city of Fethiye will lie in front of your eyes and that is something! Take your time and stay at the tomb gazing the panoramic view of the city. It's not crowded at all, when we went there we were alone and that made it even better!
6. Visit Kayaköy
What can I say about Kayaköy? It is a magical place that takes you back to time, it is like visiting the past. An unmissable attraction, make sure you have read a bit of history beforehand so it will mean more to you than an abandoned ghost village. See more about Kayaköy at this post.
7. Party hard at Grandboozey.. or.. maybe not!
For a night out, the hotel staff recommended us the club Grandboozey located at Ölüdeniz city center. This club is really old style, it reminded me the 90s clubs in Athens. Neon lights are covering the entrance and a sign "Happy New Year" was passing over - yeah, it was April.
Techno music was playing inside and really bad quality of drinks - you pay for an alcoholic drink but there is no alcohol inside. The balcony outside the club is a nice area to relax and save your ears from getting deaf but it doesn't really worth it. The entrance is free so you can go in and have a look to see if this is your style of partying.
Alternatively, I would suggest going out at Calis boardwalk or Fethiye city centre. Much much much better choices!
Techno music was playing inside and really bad quality of drinks - you pay for an alcoholic drink but there is no alcohol inside. The balcony outside the club is a nice area to relax and save your ears from getting deaf but it doesn't really worth it. The entrance is free so you can go in and have a look to see if this is your style of partying.
Alternatively, I would suggest going out at Calis boardwalk or Fethiye city centre. Much much much better choices!
8. See the blue lagoon
Inside the park -although it feels a bit decadent- there are organised facilities like toilets, showers, sunbeds with umbrellas (charges apply) as well as bars and water sports. I would suggest taking a drink before entering the park as everything is overcharged by the time you enter.
The sea is nice, calm and waters are shallow so perfect for families with children. Although the waters are not so turquoise as advertised, the lagoon is a nice place to relax and the view of the surrounding mountains create a nice ambiance.
9. Swim at Ölüdeniz beach
There are many souvenir shops, restaurants and cafeterias so you can stay for a drink or have lunch there. Just have in mind that photos are not allowed at the main square - where buses leave you - as there is a military base and police is shouting at you to delete the photos. It happened to us while making a video of the beautiful scenery and we almost missed the bus on the way back.
10. Paragliding at Ölüdeniz beach
Paragliding here must be a breathtaking experience. I had no idea that it was so common in the area. Then, I read that Ölüdeniz is regarded as one of the best places in the world to paraglide!
Little human drones were flying over our heads and sometimes they were so high we could barely see them. What an envy! The location is amazing for the view not only because of the blue lagoon but also because of Mount Babadag's height. It costs around 50EUR so if you are not afraid of heights (even if you are - face your fears!) I would definitely recommend it!
Where we stayed:
Odyssey Residence at Calis beach
Useful information:
- 1 Euro ~ 3 Turkish Liras
There are many places around Fethiye to exchange money with pretty good exchange rates.
- People are really friendly, helpful and nice. Be prepared! They reach you in order to help you, so do not be scared they are not coming to rip you off.
- Turkey is in general a cheap destination but in local markets you should negotiate the price, it is a tradition here!
Useful information:
- 1 Euro ~ 3 Turkish Liras
There are many places around Fethiye to exchange money with pretty good exchange rates.
- People are really friendly, helpful and nice. Be prepared! They reach you in order to help you, so do not be scared they are not coming to rip you off.
- Turkey is in general a cheap destination but in local markets you should negotiate the price, it is a tradition here!
