Terrific Turkey
Fethiye harbour is a picturesque bay with rows of large and small boats lined up and cafes and restaurants lining the waterfront. It’s a wonderful place to watch the world go by and soak up the atmosphere. Unlike other towns in this area, it does not feel touristy but you will find numerous British people who have moved here to live, or who have holiday homes here- very lucky!
Beyond the harbour the cliffs rise up steeply providing a stunning backdrop, which is made even more spectacular by the Lycian rock tombs sculpted into the limestone cliff face which date back as far as the 4th century BC. It is well worth the steep walk up to visit these as you will be rewarded by far reaching views over Fethiye and beyond. We enjoyed speculating about how these ancient civilisations achieved such feats of engineering without modern equipment- the temple porticos are impressively large and complex.
Our favourite activity in Fethiye is to hire a boat complete with enigmatic captain for the day to take us to quiet coves and beaches nearby. It's a great day trip and not as expensive as you'd think to charter your own private boat. The captain prepares the most delicious fish picnic lunch with delicious bread and salad. We also met up with a scuba dive boat in the afternoon so I could go for a dive.
We hired a car and drove to the Saklikent Gorge, the second-largest (20 km-long) gorge in Europe, about a 40 minutes' drive from Fethiye. It is a spectacular place, with sculpted walls soaring high above. You can walk a fair way into the gorge along boardwalks and then, if it’s dry season, beside the river itself.
From Saklikent we then drove to Patara beach, a 12km long stretch of sandy beach. You can easily see why it is frequently voted one of the top beaches in the world. Part of a national park, it is a key biodiversity area rich in birdlife and the breeding ground of the endangered loggerhead turtle. Luckily the beach has been declared off-limits for development because of the turtles which means it is completely unspoilt.
Once inside the national park area we were surprised to discover the ancient Lycian ruins of Patara. This was the major naval and trading port of Lycia, and what remains are a vast and impressive collection of ruins, including a huge amphitheatre that has only been rescued from the sand in the past couple of years. In fact, excavation is still underway all around the site. The kids enjoyed watching the archaeologists digging for ruins and playing at being gladiators in the massive amphitheatre.
We spent the second week in Olu Deniz and loved our hotel which had a massive swimming pool, was only a few minutes to the beach and had loads of kid’s activities. Whilst the children were entertained we enjoyed a Turkish hammam- lots of bubbles and the most amazing massage! The blue lagoon at Olu Deniz is a nature reserve a 15 minute walk from the town and well worth a visit. This naturally formed lagoon is perfectly still, and the turquoise waters are perfect for swimming and a trip on a pedalo!
Olu Deniz is famous for its paragliding opportunities and you can sit on the beach and watch the brave (or foolhardy!) float down to the safety of solid ground. It certainly keeps the kids busy, watching the skies for the next glider!
Turkey has something for everyone from a classic family holiday such as mine to all out luxury. What I love so much is the mix of old and new. Wherever you go you're never far away from a reminder of Turkey's fascinating history. It’s still a very affordable country to visit as it won’t break the bank to eat out and the food is amazing! If you want to visit Turkey or would like to know more about holidays there please do not hesitate to get in touch.