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    Dalyan

    Turkey

    Dalyan

    CityNatureBeach

    Dalyan is a town on the river of the same name, located between Marmaris and Fethiye, about 30 km from Dalaman Airport.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Turkey
    7. Lycian Coast
    9. Dalyan
    Dalyan is a town on the river of the same name, located between Marmaris and Fethiye, about 30 km from Dalaman Airport. You come for the Lycian rock tombs above the river, the ancient city of Kaunos, and İztuzu Beach, where sea turtles lay their eggs. Boats connect the town with the beach, Köyceğiz Lake, and the thermal springs.

    Sights in Dalyan

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Kaunos and Rock Tombs
    Historic Landmark

    1Kaunos and Rock Tombs

    The ancient city of Kaunos is located on the opposite bank of the Dalyan River, with boats crossing from the town. Highlights include a theatre with Hellenistic and Roman construction phases, and city walls dating from the 4th century BC. The temple tombs carved into the cliffs above the river are from the same era. Excavations are ongoing.
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    Sultaniye Thermal Springs and Mud Bath
    Spa

    2Sultaniye Thermal Springs and Mud Bath

    The thermal springs are on the shore of Lake Köyceğiz, reachable by boat from Dalyan. The warm pools have a strong sulfur smell, and the complex includes a mud bath. The springs were used even in antiquity.
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    İztuzu Beach
    Attraction

    3İztuzu Beach

    The sandy beach at the Dalyan River mouth is a nesting ground for Loggerhead Sea Turtles. Closed nightly from 8 PM to 8 AM from May into autumn. Wooden stakes mark nests; umbrellas stay behind them. Riverboats go from Dalyan.
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    DEKAMER Sea Turtle Rescue Center
    Point of Interest

    4DEKAMER Sea Turtle Rescue Center

    The centre at İztuzu Beach takes in and cares for injured sea turtles. If you see a hatchling on the beach heading inland instead of towards the sea, do not touch it and call DEKAMER.
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    Restaurants in Dalyan

    1

    Casa Nova

    Riverside restaurant with a wooden deck overlooking the rock tombs. Open from breakfast till late, serving Turkish dishes, fish, and international cuisine.
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    2

    Saki

    Restaurant with a terrace overlooking the river. There's no menu; you choose the Turkish dishes directly from the display case.
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    3

    Dalyan Iz

    Small garden café in Dalyan, popular for its homemade, healthy cuisine. It’s ideal for a light lunch or a break between two boat trips.
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    Food & Drink

    Am Flussufer reihen sich Lokale mit Blick auf die Felsengräber. Gegessen wird Fisch, Meeresfrüchte und türkische Hausmannskost.

    Fish and Seafood

    Grilled fish, calamari and prawns are on the menu at the riverside restaurants.

    Dishes from the deli case

    In traditional Lokanta, you select the stews and vegetable dishes directly from the display case; there's often no menu.

    Turkish Breakfast

    Several cafés on the riverbank are known for their generous Turkish breakfast.

    Zeytinyağlılar

    Cold vegetable dishes in olive oil, such as stuffed vine leaves or green beans, are everyday cuisine all along the Muğla coast.

    Culture & History

    KaunosKaunos was a Carian port on the border with Lycia, settled at least since the 9th century BC. Today, the ruined city lies about 5 km from the sea. Since 2014, Kaunos has been on Turkey's Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage.Rock TombsTombs with temple facades are carved into the cliffs above the river. They date from the 4th century BC and follow Lycian models. The best way to see them is from the riverbank in Dalyan or from a boat.Turtle Protectionİztuzu Beach is a nesting site for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). The DEKAMER rescue center on the beach cares for injured animals.

    Arrival & Exploring

    Getting ThereDalaman Airport is about 30 km away. By public transport you travel by bus and dolmuş via Dalaman and Ortaca, which takes about an hour including waiting time. Dolmuş run regularly from Ortaca to Dalyan in about 10 minutes; a taxi or transfer is easier.Getting AroundRiver boats: Boats run through the reeds to Kaunos, İztuzu Beach and Lake Köyceğiz. They are the usual way to reach the sights.On foot: The riverside promenade with views of the rock tombs is right in the centre of town.Rules at İztuzu BeachNight closure: During the nesting and hatching season from May to September, according to some sources until October, the beach is closed from 8 pm to 8 am.Nests: Wooden stakes mark the nests; umbrellas and sunbeds stay on the land side behind them.Prohibited: Vehicles and animals are not allowed on the beach, and digging in the nesting area is forbidden.

    Accommodations in Dalyan

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    Campgrounds in Dalyan

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    Nearby

    Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Fethiye is a port city in Muğla province at the western end of the Lycian Coast, about an hour's drive from Dalaman Airport. You come for the Ölüdeniz lagoon, the Lycian rock tombs, and as the starting point of the Lycian Way. The city stands on ancient Telmessos; its center is the Old Town Paspatur by the harbor. Ölüdeniz, with its beach and lagoon, is located south of the city.
    Dodecanese

    Dodecanese

    The Dodecanese, a long chain of islands off the Turkish coast, only became part of Greece with the Treaty of Paris in 1947. More than elsewhere, the Knights Hospitaller, Ottomans, and Italians left their mark here, hence the architecture has little to do with the white cube houses of the Cyclades: knightly castles, mosques, fortified monasteries, and Italian administrative buildings.The group ranges from Rhodes, by far the largest and liveliest island, to islets with only a few hundred inhabitants. Visitors will find seaside resorts, ancient sites, and quiet harbour villages often just an hour's ferry ride apart.
    Rhodes (City)

    Rhodes (City)

    The Old Town of Rhodes City is one of Europe's most completely preserved medieval cityscapes and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. It was shaped by the Knights Hospitaller, who ruled the island from 1309 to 1522, with mosques and baths later added by the Ottomans. Behind a roughly four-kilometer-long ring wall lie the Grand Master's Palace, the Street of the Knights, and a maze of alleys. Outside the walls are the New Town with Italian buildings from the 1920s and 1930s and Mandraki Harbor. Walk through the Old Town in the early morning or late afternoon; at midday, it's crowded with day-trippers.
    Symi

    Symi

    Symi is located north of Rhodes, close to the Turkish coast, and is known for its harbor town Gialos, whose neoclassical houses in ochre, pink, and blue climb the hillsides. Restorations are subject to the regulations of the State Archaeological Service, which is why the townscape appears cohesive to this day.The town thrived on sponge diving and shipbuilding, which made the island wealthy in the 19th century and allowed its population to grow to over 20,000. Today, around 2,600 people live here. During the day, many excursion boats arrive from Rhodes; in the evenings, it becomes significantly quieter.
    Lycian Coast

    Lycian Coast

    The Lycian Coast is the mountainous coastal stretch between the Gulf of Fethiye and the Gulf of Antalya in southwestern Turkey. You come for the rock-cut tombs and ancient cities of the Lycians, the bays, and the Lycian Way. Fethiye, Kaş and Dalyan are the main locations.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Unsplash, Pexels, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI