Fernweh: Home
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAll highlightsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    • Neighborhoods & highlights
    • Eat & drink
    • Food culture
    • Culture
    • Getting around
    • Accommodation
    • Plan trip
    • Nearby
    Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Turkey

    Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    CityBeachNature

    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.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Turkey
    7. Lycian Coast
    9. 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.

    Sights in Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Rock-cut Tombs of Amyntas
    Historic Landmark

    1Rock-cut Tombs of Amyntas

    The Tomb of Amyntas is the most famous of the Lycian rock tombs above Fethiye. Its facade, from around 350 BC, mimics a temple with columns. A staircase leads up from the city's edge; from above, you overlook the city and the bay.
    Open in Google Maps
    Ölüdeniz and Blue Lagoon
    Attraction

    2Ölüdeniz and Blue Lagoon

    The Ölüdeniz Lagoon lies behind a sand spit south of Fethiye. It is protected as a nature reserve, and construction is forbidden there. Near Ölüdeniz (Ovacık), the Lycian Way begins.
    Open in Google Maps
    Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi)
    Attraction

    3Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi)

    Butterfly Valley is a narrow gorge with a waterfall that opens to the sea. Its name comes from the many butterflies, including the Spanish Flag. The easiest way to get there is by boat from Ölüdeniz.
    Open in Google Maps
    Ghost village Kayaköy
    Museum

    4Ghost village Kayaköy

    Kayaköy, formerly Livissi, is located about 8 km south of Fethiye in a high valley. The Greek Orthodox residents had to leave the village after 1923; today, about 500 house ruins and two churches are protected. The village is considered the model for the town of Eskibahçe in Louis de Bernières' novel "Birds Without Wings".
    Open in Google Maps
    Babadağ: Cable car and Paragliding
    Point of Interest

    5Babadağ: Cable car and Paragliding

    Rising directly behind Ölüdeniz, Babadağ is one of Turkey's most famous paragliding take-off sites. Tandem flights depart from platforms high on the mountain and land on Ölüdeniz beach. A cable car ascends the mountain in stages; with clear visibility, you can see the lagoon, Kayaköy, and Fethiye.
    Open in Google Maps

    Restaurants in Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    1

    Meğri Restaurant

    Traditional eatery in Paspatur's Old Town with outdoor seating. You select your traditional dishes directly at the counter, plus there are mixed grill platters.
    Show on Google Maps
    2

    Rice Fish

    One of the restaurants at Fethiye Fish Market. You buy fish from the stalls in the middle, and the restaurant prepares it for a fee and serves meze and salads with it.
    Show on Google Maps
    3

    Mori Restaurant

    Mediterranean cuisine on the waterfront promenade next to the Hotel Yacht Classic in Fethiye. The restaurant is considered a relaxed spot for a Mediterranean dinner.
    Show on Google Maps

    Food & Drink

    Fethiye cooks with fish, olive oil, and grains from the hinterland. At the Old Town's fish market, you pick your own catch and have it prepared nearby.

    Fish from the Market

    At the Paspatur fish market, you buy sea bream or sea bass by weight. The surrounding restaurants grill it for a fee. Unsolicited meze appear later on your bill.

    Zeytinyağlılar

    Cold vegetable dishes in olive oil, like stuffed vine leaves, green beans or stuffed zucchini flowers. Enjoyed at room temperature in summer.

    Keşkek

    A wheat and meat stew, prepared in the region for weddings and festivals.

    Ölemeç çorbası

    A regional soup made from grains and yogurt.

    Culture & History

    Telmessos and the LyciansModern-day Fethiye stands on the remains of the ancient city of Telmessos, a settlement in the Lycian heartland. Above the city lies the Tomb of Amyntas, a temple-tomb from around 350 BC. Further rock tombs are carved into the slopes on the southern edge of the city.1957 EarthquakeIn April 1957, severe earthquakes destroyed large parts of the city. Consequently, the centre is largely modern. The rock tombs survived the quakes.Kayaköy and the Population ExchangeIn the mountain village of Kayaköy, formerly Livissi, Greek Orthodox families lived until the early 20th century. Following the Greek-Turkish War and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, the last residents had to leave the village. Today, around 500 house ruins are listed as historic monuments.

    Getting There & Around

    Getting ThereThe nearest airport is Dalaman. Havaş and Muttaş buses run from the airport to Fethiye bus station, from there you can continue by Dolmuş or taxi. Private transfers go directly to Ölüdeniz.Getting AroundDolmuş: Shared minibuses connect Fethiye with Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü and Ovacık during the day; payment is made in cash to the driver.Boat: Butterfly Valley can be reached by boat from Ölüdeniz.Çalış: Çalış Beach is about 5 km from the centre; Dolmuş and taxis go there.TipSaklıkent Gorge is about 50 km inland and 18 km long. From April, about 4 km are accessible, the deeper sections only in summer when water levels are low. Plan half a day for this with a car or an organised tour.

    Accommodations in Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Find perfect stay in Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Booking.com* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Agoda* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Airbnb
    Vacation Rentals

    * Affiliate link: if you book through it, we earn a small commission. The price stays the same for you.

    Campgrounds in Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Find perfect campground in Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Search via Google Maps
    Campgrounds nearby (15km)
    Camping.info
    Find Campgrounds
    Park4Night
    RV Parks & Camping

    Plan your trip to Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

    Save places, build a route and plan your city trip, all in one place.

    1. 1
      Sunrise over alpine peaks and a sea of clouds
      1234

      Round trip

      12 days · 4 stops

      Saved

      Pick a route

      Pick a ready-made one or save places and plan your own.

      Open bookmarks
    2. 2

      Trip to Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

      Live
      • 1Rock-cut Tombs of Amyntas3 days
      • 2Ölüdeniz and Blue Lagoon4 days
      • 3Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi)5 days
      Budget

      Plan your trip

      The planner sorts stops, days and budget. Plan together in real time.

      Start trip planning
    3. 3
      9:41 No signal
      Fethiye & Ölüdeniz
      Available offline

      Use it on the road

      Download the guide to your phone and use it on site, even offline.

    Nearby

    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.
    Dalyan

    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.
    Kaş

    Kaş

    Kaş is a small port town on the Lycian Coast, about 170 km west of Antalya. You come for diving, boat trips to Kekova, and the Lycian tombs right in town. The town itself has around 9,000 inhabitants, its center is located around the harbor. The Greek island of Kastelorizo lies about 6 km off the coast.
    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.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, 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