If you have been following this trip, you know it started from Antalya, followed by a stop in the picturesque village of Kaş. As we moved easterly along the Turkish Riviera, our next stop was Fethiye. During the previous days the weather was absolutely beautiful (we visited during the first days of January), however we left Kaş with a gloomy grey sky and as we drove, heavy rain started to pour. Our plan for the day was to start the trek along the Lycian trail, followed by a visit to the abandoned village of Kayakoy and watching sunset along the butterfly valley. However the rain was so heavy that the visibility was quite reduced. Consequently, the trek was not an option as it wouldn’t have made any sense going without being able to see the spectacular views. We had to figure out a plan B for the day and unfortunately we had to miss most of what we had planned!
Below is an overview of the complete itinerary of our road trip:
Full Road Trip along the Turkish Riviera
Kaş – Fethiye
Our plan B involved taking a delicious lunch by a cosy fireplace in the outskirts of Fethiye followed by some strolling around Fethiye centre when the rain stopped. The information below was retrieved from the excellent blog Slow Travel guide. This blog has the most exhaustive information about the Turkish Riviera area and I found it very useful while planning this trip. Make sure to check it out if you plan to visit Turkey.
Below are some things to do in and around Fethiye:
Trek the Lycian Trail
We still managed to get a glimpse of the million dollar view over Ölüdeniz. We couldn’t leave Fethiye without trying to do this! This place was one of the main reasons we were visiting the area. I had seen several photos of this place and spent hours on Google Maps trying to find the best place to get a shot of the stretch of sand jotting out into the Mediterranean. Although it was cloudy and the colours of the sea aren’t the ones you usually see in the post cards I was still in awe at what I saw. I took this photo along the Lycian Trail that starts south of the village of Ölüdeniz.
However there are other alternatives for the adrenaline junkies. In fact this place is the top destination in Turkey for paragliding that departs from the top of Mount Badabağ. Reaching the top of this mountain is not an easy drive if you decide to go with your own vehicle so I wouldn’t recommend it. There are ongoing works on a cable car to reach Badabağ and a restaurant that has recently been renovated. However as at January 2020 works were still not finished. You may wish to check the status of this cable car again if you wish to visit.
Step back in time in the ghost town of Kayaköy
This place was in our itinerary, however as I said earlier we had to modify our plans as the weather did not collaborate at all. Kayaköy is an abandoned village that is very picturesque. It is located south of Fethiye and the beauty of this village lies in the fact that it feels like walking back in time. If you wish to have an idea of what it feels like, you may want to take a look at this blog post from Slow Travel Guide.
Watch sunset from Butterfly Valley
There was no sign of sun or sunset so again we had to skip this place. Once again I am linking information on Butterfly Valley from Slow Travel Guide for you to check out. This valley will surely be on the list of to places visit on my next visit to Turkey.
Fethiye Centre
We had more time in Fethiye centre as we decided to skip all the outdoor attractions that we were visiting on the day and spent more time strolling around Fethiye. Although I enjoyed walking around the old town and the shops, what impressed me the most of this coastal town was Fethi Bey Parkı. As we drove along this park, we thought it was a private amusement park. It is huge and there are slides, water fountains and several cafes and restaurants. If you have kids you will surely want to check this place out. This is a free public space and it was the largest playing field we have ever seen. It is located right along the coast and you can also admire several species of birds along the bay.
Apart from this park the old part of Fethiye is also worth a visit. However it is quite touristic and different from other small villages we had previously visited. Fethiye is one of the most popular towns with expats. A lot of British live here and the town welcomes thousands of tourists in summer. We visited in winter and everything was quiet overall. We enjoyed the quietness of this town, however to enjoy a quieter version we had to give up on beautiful weather. Mind you we had awful weather only for 2 days from 11, however as I stated earlier I will surely revisit the area to enjoy more of what it has to offer in better weather.
