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Fethiye is a popular resort city on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. It makes a great base to visit Ölüdeniz and other beaches in the area, as well as several archaeological sites.

Fethiye, Turkey
Fethiye

 

History of Fethiye

Fethiye was built atop the ruins of ancient Telmessos (Τελμησσός), which was founded by the Lycians as Telebehi. The city became part of the Persian Empire in 547 BC and briefly became a Greek city-state in the middle of the 5th century BC. After a spell of independence, Telmessos was taken by Alexander the Great in 334 BC. It was later incorporated into the Roman Empire.

Lycian tomb
Lycian tomb

In the 8th century, during the Byzantine period, Telmessos was renamed Anastasiopolis (Αναστασιούπολις). The name had changed to Makri (Μάκρη) by the 10th century and fell to the Turks in the 12th or 13th century. The city became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1424 and until 1934 was called Meğri in Turkish.

Fethiye, Turkey
Fethiye

The city had a large Greek population until they were sent to Greece during the 1923 population exchange with Turkey. The former Greek residents founded Nea Makri in Greece while Turks from Greece repopulated Makri. The town’s name was officially changed to Fethiye in 1934 to honor Fethi Bey, an Ottoman Air Force captain who died on February 27, 1914, while attempting the first flight from Istanbul to Cairo.


 

Getting to Fethiye

Dalaman Airport (Dalaman Havalimanı), which is about an hour from Fethiye, is the nearest airport. Seasonal and charter flights from all over Europe fly there. Domestically, there are frequent flights from both airports in Istanbul as well as flights to Ankara. To get into town, Havaş runs a shuttle between the airport and the Fethiye Bus Terminal (Fethiye Otogarı). It costs 150₺ (as of May 2024).

Dalaman Airport
Dalaman Airport

 

Where to Stay in Fethiye

As a popular resort city, there are accommodation options for all budgets in Fethiye.

 

Belci City Residence

I stayed a few nights at the Belci City Residence. It’s located on a busy street east of Old Town. There’s a small parking lot in the back and a bar in the lobby. Staff is friendly and helpful, and they have a good laundry service as well.

Lobby bar at Belci City Residence in Fethiye, Turkey
Lobby bar

My room was spacious and came with a kitchenette. I had a nice view from the balcony. My only issue was the flooding in the bathroom every time I took a shower.

My room at Belci City Residence in Fethiye, Turkey
My room
Bathroom at Belci City Residence
Bathroom
View from my balcony at Belci City Residence
View from my balcony
View from my balcony at Belci City Residence
View from my balcony


 

Where to Eat in Fethiye

I ate at two different restaurants during my stay in the city.

 

Lime Gurme Restaurant

I had dinner at Lime Gurme Restaurant just a few blocks east of my hotel. They’ve since moved across the street, so the photo below is from the old location. Anyway, I had an Adana dürüm, lentil soup, and shepherd salad. Food was delicious, service was friendly, and the prices were fair.

Lime Gurme Restaurant in Fethiye, Turkey
Lime Gurme Restaurant
My dinner at Lime Gurme Restaurant
My dinner

 

Ruzanna (Permanently Closed)

For lunch, I stopped into Ruzanna with my group. It’s located across the street from the Ece Marina. They had an interesting menu with Turkish cuisine, burgers, sushi, and more. I tried a burger which was decent.

Ruzanna in Fethiye, Turkey
Ruzanna
Ruzanna in Fethiye, Turkey
Ruzanna
Burger at Ruzanna
Burger

 

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What to See in Fethiye

I used Fethiye as a base to visit some of the ancient cities in the area. I was also meeting my tour group there, as it was the last stop on their Blue Cruise from Marmaris. Unfortunately, during my stay in Fethiye many of the attractions were closed for restoration, such as the Fethiye Museum, Fethiye Castle, and Theatre of Telmessos. There weren’t many options. Hopefully these attractions will be open for my next trip and I’ll be able to spend more time exploring the town.

Fethiye Castle
Fethiye Castle

 

Old Town

I was able to take a quick walk through the Old Town on the way to meet my guests. I didn’t see much, but I noticed a lot of souvenir shops; a bazaar selling dried fruits, nuts, and spices; and a few pubs and restaurants geared towards tourists.

Old Town in Fethiye, Turkey
Old Town
Old Town
Old Town
Shops in Old Town
Shops


 

Amyntas Rock Tombs

The prime attraction in Fethiye are the Amyntas Rock Tombs. The site preserves several Lycian tombs carved into a steep mountainside. The tombs were frequently visited by European travelers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Admission to the site for foreigners is €3 (as of May 2024) and it’s open daily.

Ticket booth for the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Ticket booth
Path through the site of the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Path through the site

The most impressive tomb is at the top. It’s popularly known as the King’s Tomb, but thanks to a Greek inscription, we know it belonged to a man named Amyntas. The inscription reads “Amyntas, son of Hermagios”. The tomb was built around 350 BC.

Tomb of Amyntas at the Amyntas Rock Tombs in Fethiye, Turkey
Tomb of Amyntas
Tomb of Amyntas at the Amyntas Rock Tombs in Fethiye, Turkey
Tomb of Amyntas
Column of the Tomb of Amyntas at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Column
Entrance to the Tomb of Amyntas at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Entrance
Burial chamber of the Tomb of Amyntas at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Burial chamber

A large set of tombs sits to the left of the entrance. Some of them are easy to access. Visitors are allowed to climb up and inside the higher tombs at their own risk. This section is best viewed from outside the archaeological site.

Rock-cut tombs at the Amyntas Rock Tombs in Fethiye, Turkey
Rock-cut tombs
Rock-cut tombs at the Amyntas Rock Tombs in Fethiye, Turkey
Rock-cut tombs
Burial chamber at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Burial chamber
Temple-type tomb at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Temple-type tomb
Temple-type tomb at the Amyntas Rock Tombs in Fethiye, Turkey
Temple-type tomb

Another set of toms is down a narrow path to the east of the entrance. There are a couple on the ground level. You can climb up a concrete stairway to access some of the higher tombs.

Tombs to the right of the entrance at the Amyntas Rock Tombs in Fethiye, Turkey
Tombs to the right of the entrance
Ground level tomb at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Ground level tomb
Burial chamber of the ground level tomb at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Burial chamber of the ground level tomb
Stairs to the upper level tombs at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Stairs to the upper level tombs
Upper level tomb at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Upper level tomb
Burial chamber of the upper level tomb at the Amyntas Rock Tombs
Burial chamber of the upper level tomb

 

Ece Marina

While waiting for my guests, I took a walk along the Ece Marina. It has capacity for 460 boats up to 60 meters and there’s a small hotel across the street. There are also a couple restaurants on the property as well as a supermarket.

Ece Marina
Ece Marina in Fethiye, Turkey
Ece Marina
Yachts at Ece Marina in Fethiye, Turkey
Yachts

 

Map of Fethiye

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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