Fethiye

Fethiye seaport with its sheltered natural structure is an important stop for yachtsmen. The marina is located at the eastern side the Gulf of Fethiye in Turkey, just in front of the town. Most ships anchor in the bay of Fethiye. Guests will be taken ashore via ship's tenders. Smaller ships can dock in the center of town.

Fethiye, main town of the region, lies on the Lycian coast about 150 km southeast of the provincial capital of Mugla. The gulf, with numerous islands, is closed by the little island known since 1936 as the Cavaliere, the Island of Knights.

The town, called Megri or Makri during the Ottoman Period, was renamed Fethiye by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in honor of an airman, Fethi Bey, who crashed here. It was devastated by an earthquake in 1856, and after another earthquake in 1957 much of Fethiye had to be rebuilt.

As a result Fethiye is now a modern town with a long sea front promenade and a lively bazaar. In recent years, thanks to its sheltered boating harbor and many beautiful beaches, Fethiye has developed into a popular holiday resort served by the regional airport of Dalaman ( 50km northwest).

Fethiye Museum, very rich in ancient and more recent artifacts, displays and testifies to the successive chain of civilizations which existed in the area, starting with ancient Lycia.

A walk along the marina is fairly long and pleasant, with restaurants, and a shopping district/market close by.

In town, a taxi is cheap, and the fares are regulated. They are easy to find. For long journeys, however, drivers can charge more than the meter reads. So negotiate the fare in advance. The most unusual transportation in Turkey is called Dolmus for routes that buses don't take. The word actually means "To Fill"; thus, the dolumus leaves when it is full! They are usually a minibus, a jeep, or a van so they fill quickly. A bonus is that they will drop you off along the route.

In Fethiye you can take a taxi just outside of the port and go to KayaKoy (a deserted town up in the mountains, which had been inhabited by Greeks before the government mandated population exchange between Greece and Turkey in the 1920's.) It is quite a sight to see this 'ghost town' of 3000+ houses.

The streets of the Old Town of Fethiye (paspatur), Hisaronu & Oludeniz have several pedestrian-only streets lined with shops selling jewelry, carpets, sunglasses, clothes and Turkish Delight. Getting the traditional Turkish products, high quality & fashionable goods at prices much lower than home. Shopping is fun in Fethiye.

Turkish food is amongst the best in the world. With enough climatic zones to grow most ingredients locally, there is a vast array of produce to excite and entice the palate. Besides its famous kebab dishes, there are many other traditional Turkish foods to choose from. Meze (appetizers) for which Turkey is justly famous, are a range of hundreds of small dishes from simple combinations such as cheese with melon to elaborately stuffed vegetables. These are served in all Turkish restaurants and are traditionally accompanied with Raki, a clear anise- flavored spirit claimed to be Turkey's national alcoholic drink

With a credit or debit card, you can withdraw local currency from cash machines which are found in convenient locations in cities, towns and resorts.

Free wireless connections are available at some hotels and restaurants/cafés, especially in big cities.

Emergency Ambulance: 112 (all over Turkey) Police: 155 (all over Turkey)

In tourist and coastal areas, opening hours are quite flexible and during the summer many shops stay open until late in the evening, seven days a week, leaving tourists to browse at their leisure and escape the heat of the day.