A Guide to Turkey

Kalkan
Kas
Antalya
Belek

Bodrum

A fishing village until the 1970’s, Bodrum is now one of the liveliest resorts in Turkey. The central harbour is surrounded by shops, cafes and bars and is dominated by the 15th century medieval Castle of St. Peter, now converted to the Museum of Underwater Archaeology containing many remains dating back to the Bronze Age. The historical site of King Mausolous’ Tomb, dating back to the 4th century BC is one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World and located in Bodrum.
Bodrum is a popular centre for yachting and water sports and has a new marina from which you can take a pleasure trip around its attractive coastline on the locally-built Gullets. The nearby resorts of Gumbet and Bitez both have excellent, sandy beaches and favourable winds ideal for windsurfing and parasailing. Away from the shore visitors can take a stroll through the mandarin groves and all these resorts can be reached by local mini buses or dolmus.
Bodrum has a vibrant nightlife with bars, cafes and restaurants along its palm-lined waterfront and a lively shopping district,

Turgutreis

The second largest town on the Bodrum peninsular, Turgutreis is a centre for commerce and from here local produce from the surrounding villages is collected for distribution.
The town is named after the Turkish admiral Turgut Reis and on the outskirts of town visitors will find a waterfront memorial marking the place where he first set sail. Turgutreis has a newly built marina and around the harbour visitors will find many cafes, bars and excellent restaurants serving traditional Turkish speciality dishes.
With a backdrop of mountains and citrus groves, Turgutreis is a growing resort that still retains its peaceful, relaxed atmosphere and the long, sandy beaches offer a variety of water sports and many other leisure activities.

Yalikavak

For many years, Yalikavak has been one of the most important fishing centres on the Aegean coast and home to a fleet of fishermen and sea sponge divers. This picturesque seaside village with its whitewashed houses and cascading bougainvillea has an unhurried and relaxed atmosphere.
Around the harbour the fishing catch is unloaded and distributed to the many restaurants along the seafront and in the town. There is excellent shopping in the traffic-free town centre and a popular weekly street market. The small, beautiful beach with its’ strong sea breezes attract windsurfers and other water sports enthusiasts. Yalikavak is a favourite destination of many Turkish celebrities.

Marmaris

Located on a bay surrounded by mountains and pine forests, Marmaris is where the Aegean and Mediterranean seas meet. A port city and tourist resort, Marmaris boasts two major and several smaller marinas and is a popular sailing centre where many large cruise ships dock. A regular ferry service operates to the nearby Greek island of Rhodes. Marmaris hosts the annual International Yacht show in May.
This is an area of natural beauty with rocky coves, sandy beaches and evergreen forests and makes Marmaris one of the most beautiful resorts in Turkey. It has plenty of nightlife and a variety of shops and bazaars selling traditional goods.
Close by are the waters of Pamukale, often referred to as the “cotton castle”. These ever-flowing natural spring waters cascade down a hill to form calcium terraces contain chalk which gives them a white, snow-like appearance. These waters are reputed to have restorative properties to improve skin ailments. In the nearby village of Ephesus are The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, although only a single column remains from the original temple and The House of Virgin Mary, believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary.

Fethiye

This small port town is situated at the head of a pretty island-strewn bay on the stretch of the Mediterranean known as the “Turquoise Coast”. Here visitors will find crystal clear waters, unspoilt, rocky coves and beaches and pine covered mountains making Fethiye a town of outstanding beauty.
It is home to many ancient sites; beside the harbour is the Roman Amphitheatre and the remains of a medieval castle built by the Knights of St. John and, carved into the hillside above the town, Lycian rock tombs dating back to the 4th century BC.
There is a good selection of restaurants on the harbour front and in the narrow streets of the old town and the traditional bazaar is the biggest in the area, a must for bargain hunters. Day trips on gullets are available from the harbour and this resort offers every type of water sports as well as paragliding and horse riding.
A day trip can be taken by boat from either Olu Deniz or Fethiye to Butterfly Valley, home to many species including the unique Jersey Tiger Butterfly.
Situated on the coast next to Fethiye, Gocek has developed from a tiny fishing village to an important harbour town and holiday resort. This is another area of outstanding beauty nestling at the foot of pine clad mountains and overlooking the bay.
The flower and vine covered old buildings of the village streets and the waterfront lined with bars and restaurants gives visitors a taste of traditional Turkey. The pretty market square dominated by the local mosque is lined with little shops selling carpets, antiques and crafts.

Olu Deniz

Olu Deniz has become one of the most acclaimed resorts in Turkey,famous for its Blue Lagoon of calm, crystal clear waters is ideal for swimming and other water sports. A popular anchorage for visiting yachts, the beaches are wide arcs of golden sand sheltered by pine clad hills and the town itself has excellent bars, restaurants and night life along the sea front.
The long narrow beach known as Turtleis Beach is one of the few remaining locations for the endangered Loggerhead Turtles to breed. The beach is closed from 8pm to 8am to protect the clutches of eggs laid in the soft sand during the night.
A short drive inland will bring you to the villages of Hisaronu and Ovacik. These charming hill towns offer a cooler and more humid climate and benefit from the fresh mountain air and stunning views over the coast. Hisaronu has a vibrant nightlife with a wide range of shops, cafes and bars whereas properties in Ovacik offer stunning views over the surrounding pine and almond forests and orange groves.

Gocek

Situated on the coast next to Fethiye, Gocek has developed from a tiny fishing village to an important harbour town and holiday resort. This is another area of outstanding beauty nestling at the foot of pine clad mountains and overlooking the bay.
The flower and vine covered old buildings of the village streets and the waterfront lined with bars and restaurants gives visitors a taste of traditional Turkey. The pretty market square dominated by the local mosque is lined with little shops selling carpets, antiques and crafts.

Kalkan

This small, peaceful resort and fishing town on the Turquoise Coast has remained untouched by mass tourism. The narrow streets of the old town, lined with whitewashed villas and speciality shops, wind down to the historic harbour where you can sit at one of the many waterside restaurants and watch the fishermen return with their daily catch. Kalkan is said to have the highest number of restaurants and bars per inhabitant on the Turkish coast and the people of Kalkan offer a warm welcome to visitors

 A peaceful resort and fishing town on the beautiful turquoise coast, Kalkan is largely untouched by mass tourism. Situated on a beautiful bay with narrow twisting streets and whitewashed villas, Kalkan is a heavenly spot. Gastronomes will be pleased to know that fine dining has always been a way of life in Kalkan and it is said to have the highest number of restaurants and bars per inhabitant or square metre on the Turkish coast. Quiet and sleepy by day, at night Kalkan bursts into life with locals and visitors alike thronging the streets.

Dalyan

This charming, traditional Turkish fishing village is situated on a river close to the sea. Surrounded by pine covered mountains, cotton fields and bulrushes, this is a national conservation area of unspoiled beauty. Further up the river are the Dalyan mud baths and hot springs, both reputed to be good for skin and health in general. The ruins of the ancient city of Caunos dating back to 3000BC can be found nearby and are well worth exploring. Other activities include jeep safaris, white water rafting and mountain biking.