TÜRKİYE IN COLOUR · CITY GUIDE
🪂 Fethiye & Ölüdeniz in Colour
Rock tombs, the Blue Lagoon and a ghost village
by Fatih Koçoğlu, born in Şanlıurfa, raised in Istanbul
Fethiye is a real Turkish harbour town, with fishermen, a busy market and Lycian tombs cut into the cliff above it. Twenty minutes away is Ölüdeniz, the famous Blue Lagoon, where paragliders float down from a 2,000-metre mountain. Around them are canyons, ancient cities and an abandoned village full of stories.
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At a glance
- Best time
- May, June, September and October. April and November are quiet and still sunny.
- How long
- Three days. A week if you want boat trips and the Lycian Way.
- Airport
- Dalaman (DLM), about 50 minutes by car or airport bus (Havaş).
- Getting around
- Dolmuş minibuses run all day between Fethiye, Hisarönü, Ölüdeniz and Kayaköy. For Saklıkent and Tlos, rent a car or take a tour.
- Where to stay
- Fethiye town for local life, Ölüdeniz for the beach, Kayaköy or Faralya for nature and silence.
The itinerary
DAY 1 · Fethiye town
Lycian tombs, the old bazaar and the fish market
- 09:30
Tomb of Amyntas
A temple-front tomb carved into the cliff in the 4th century BC. Climb the steps for the view over the bay.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 11:00
Fethiye Museum
Small but rich: Lycian sculpture and the Letoon Trilingual Stele, a stone written in three languages.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 12:00
Paspatur, the old bazaar
Lanes full of shops, carpets and cafés under the vines.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 13:00
Lunch at the fish market
Buy fish at the stalls in the middle, then the restaurants around the square cook it for you, with meze.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 16:00
- 19:00
DAY 2 · Ölüdeniz
Blue Lagoon, paragliding and Butterfly Valley
- 09:00
Paragliding from Babadağ
Fly tandem from almost 2,000 metres above the Blue Lagoon. One of the best paragliding spots in the world. Not flying? Take the Babadağ cable car up for the view.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 11:00
Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon
A calm, shallow lagoon in every shade of turquoise. It is a protected nature park, so there is a small entry fee.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 14:00
Boat to Butterfly Valley
A deep green valley that opens onto a hidden beach. Reached only by boat or by a very steep path. Walk in to the small waterfall.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 18:30
Dinner in Ölüdeniz
Watch the paragliders come in to land on the beach at sunset.
📍 Open in Google Maps ›
DAY 3 · Ghost village and canyon
Kayaköy, Saklıkent and Tlos
- 09:00
Kayaköy
Hundreds of roofless stone houses on a hillside. Greek families lived here until the population exchange of 1923. Walk up to the chapels at the top. A quiet and moving place.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 11:30
Saklıkent Gorge
A canyon 18 km long and up to 300 metres deep. Walk into it through ice-cold water. Bring shoes that can get wet.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 13:30
Lunch: trout over the river
Restaurants with platforms over the water serve fresh trout and gözleme.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - 15:30
Tlos
One of the oldest Lycian cities, with rock tombs, a stadium and an Ottoman fortress on the hill.
📍 Open in Google Maps ›
Got more time?
- +
12 Islands boat tour
A full day on a wooden boat from Fethiye harbour, swimming in bays you can only reach by sea.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - +
Lycian Way
Turkey's most famous long-distance trail starts near Ölüdeniz. Walk the first part to Faralya.
📍 Open in Google Maps › - +
🍽️ What to eat and drink
- Fish market mealChoose your own fish, the restaurant cooks it.
- GözlemeFlatbread from the village women in Kayaköy and Saklıkent.
- Trout (alabalık)Fresh and cheap by the mountain rivers.
- TandırLamb slow-cooked in a clay oven, in the mountain villages.
- Turkish ice creamThe stretchy, chewy dondurma, and the sellers who play tricks with it.
✅ Good to know
- Fethiye's Tuesday market is one of the biggest in the region. Fun to walk through.
- Wear water shoes in Saklıkent, the stones are slippery.
- Book paragliding with a licensed company and check the weather. Morning flights are calmer.
- The dolmuş from Fethiye to Ölüdeniz leaves every few minutes in summer.
🗣️ Speak a little Turkish
Locals light up when you try. Tap a phrase for audio and a full lesson.
- Merhaba!mehr·hah·bahHello!Listen
- Teşekkür ederim.teh·shehk·kewr eh·deh·reemThank you.Listen
- Lütfen.lewt·fehnPlease.Listen
- Bu ne kadar?boo neh kah·dahrHow much is this?Listen
- Tuvalet nerede?too·vah·leht neh·reh·dehWhere is the toilet?Listen
- Hesap lütfen.heh·sahp lewt·fehnThe bill, please.Listen
- Burası çok güzel!boo·rah·suh chohk gew·zehlThis place is beautiful!Listen
- Afiyet olsun!ah·fee·yeht ohl·soonEnjoy your meal!Listen
▶ Video lessons
Turkish guides for your trip
What's next
Next destination🐢 Turquoise Coast🧭 Türkiye travel essentials
Istanbulkart, taxi apps, airport transfers, tickets, a SIM, money, 112 and the official e-Visa — plus the Turkish phrases you need.
🎁 Get all 13 guides free
All thirteen “Türkiye in Colour” PDF guides in one go: itineraries, Google Maps links, food and phrases for the whole country.
Information checked in November 2026. Opening hours, ticket prices and visiting rules change often, so check the official site before you go.
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Photo credits
- Paragliders over the Blue Lagoon, Ölüdeniz, Türkiye — dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
- Ölüdeniz lagoon, Fethiye, Türkiye — Hsuparneeuq, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Blue Lagoon, Ölüdeniz, Türkiye — Allen Watkin, CC BY-SA 2.0
