In 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak, I decided to take an impromptu trip to Fethiye, Turkey. As sudden as that was, and even quite strange because of the timing; the truth is, I had to see an endodontist and a dentist that resided in that city. Now, you might ask, “don’t you have dentists and endodontist in California?’ mmh! that’s a story for another day!
In short, I ended up planning my trip in just four days. Which, as you can imagine, was no easy task… Despite how quickly it came about though, I was still able to enjoy my trip to Fethiye. So today, I wanted to talk about some of the best things I did while I was there.
Before flying to Türkiye, I had no idea the country has a long and rich history of ancient ruins, monuments, and rock tombs. Fethiye is a tourist town located on the southwestern coast of Türkiye; about 30 miles from Dalaman Airport. From the intriguing Kayaköy ruins, an abandoned church and old houses once belonging to ancient Greeks, to the mysterious ambiance, visiting this ancient city will help you better understand it’s history.
So, let’s jump right in!
1. SEE THE TOMB OF AMYNTAS
The Tomb of Amyntas, or as it’s also known… the Fethiye Tomb, is exactly what it sounds like. An ancient tomb, carved into the side of the cliff overlooking the city of Fethiye. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the city’s ancient past dating back to 350 BC. The Greeks built this many years ago, and it still stands today! You can tell just how much time has passed since it was carved by the way the tomb almost blends-in to be a part of the natural beauty. Once inside the tomb, you get to admire the view of the city of Fethiye and beyond.
2. VISIT KAYAKOY
Kayaköy is another must-see site, in my opinion. It’s rich with history and fun to explore. Plus, the old stone ruins are beautiful to look at as well! Kayaköy is an abandoned village also known as Ghost Town. It looks like it was abandoned far longer ago than it actually was due to the ancient nature of its architecture. It is preserved as a museum village.
The Greek-style houses and churches were once inhabited by Greeks before the First World War. They were forced to leave Turkey after the war between the Greeks and the Turks. In fact, the last of its population only left in 1923! Meaning that it’s just been abandoned for 100 years now.
3. TANDEM PARAGLIDE IN OLUDENIZ
Honestly, this activity was the highlight of my entire trip. The paragliding experience is everything you could imagine. It actually allows you to fly! This is done with a professional paraglider beside you. Which means that there’s no previous experience necessary.
Ölüdeniz and specifically the Blue Lagoon provides you with stunning views while you’re up in the air. You can capture all the beauty of Ölüdeniz sea. Truly a ten out of ten experience.
A fancy shuttle came to pick me up from my Airbnb and we took a 55 minutes’ drive to the top of Babadağ mountain, over 6,500 ft high. The drive to the top was an experience on its own. Once at the top, I was introduced to my pilot who was very nice and friendly. He showed me the ropes-literally and in less than 30 minutes, we were up in the air for an experience of a lifetime!
4. WALKING ON OLUDENIZ BEACH
Obviously, being so close to Ölüdeniz Beach when I was paragliding made visiting this beautiful picturesque beach a must-do activity as well. And I don’t regret my time there one bit! Taking that long stroll along the beach while watching paragliders land on the beach was such a beautiful feeling especially since I had just done the same thing 😊
Specifically the clear, turquoise blue water was calming and refreshing! But if you’re interested in doing more than just relaxing, there are even scuba diving opportunities off of this beach. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have time to scuba dive.
5. TAKING IN THE LYCIAN SARCOPHAGI
Scattered throughout Fethiye are Lycian Stone Sarcophagi, which are essentially ancient tombs carved out of limestone. They’re truly humbling to take in, and there are so many of them located in Fethiye. So they’re fairly simple to find.
But be aware that they’re much larger than you might think based on pictures! They look as though they might be the size of regular tombstones but in reality, they’re several stories tall.
6. WALKING AROUND FETHIYE HARBOR
Fethiye Harbor was another stop on my list, but I feel that Covid may have slightly altered my experience. Since the only people around were fellow tourists, as the locals were advised to stay home. And even the shops and restaurants were closed. But it was still a nice walk, and it took me all the way to Calis Beach…
7. SEEING CALIS BEACH
Calis Beach is quite long but known for its sunsets and sunrises. So, if you plan to take a walk there, you know which times of day you should do so for the best scenery! And I must say, my walk along this beach didn’t disappoint.
Even though my trip to Fethiye was hastily planned, it was everything I could’ve dreamed of. And the activities I did while I was there made me memories that will last a lifetime. I definitely suggest visiting this beautiful city and taking in all it has to offer. And especially the places I listed in this article!
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