Ideal Pension Kayaköy
Small, charming guesthouse on the edge of the ghost village of Kayaköy. Very quiet, beautiful setting, very well rated. Good breakfast on the terrace overlooking the ruins.
from EUR 45 / night View →
Turkey · Mediterranean · Travel guide
Fethiye
Turquoise lagoons, ancient Lycian rock tombs and one of the wildest gorges in Turkey: Fethiye is more than the most famous paragliding spot in the country.
Photo: Ali (@alispective) / Pexels
What does a trip to Fethiye cost?
Adjust the values to your trip: the calculator updates live (EUR, converted from CHF estimates).
1,541 EUR
≈ 770 EUR per person
- Flights 663 EUR
- Accommodation 375 EUR
- Food 268 EUR
- Local transport 54 EUR
- Paragliding from Babadağ 182 EUR
Estimates for orientation, not booking prices. Flights and hotels vary strongly by season: current prices are behind the links below.
Money & payment: You pay in Turkish lira (TRY). The exchange rate moves a lot, which is why all prices here are given in francs and euros. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; you need cash for the dolmuş, markets and tips. Flight time: 3 to 4 hours.
Recommended hotels
Nine options in three price ranges, each among the best-rated on Booking.com.
Budget
Fethiye Pier Hostel
Well-rated hostel right on Fethiye harbour. Very sociable atmosphere, good location for boat trips, clean and friendly.
from EUR 20 / night View →
V-GO Guesthouse & Yacht Hotel
Cosy guesthouse in the centre of Fethiye with good value for money. Rooftop terrace, friendly staff, close to the markets and the harbour.
from EUR 35 / night View →
Mid-range
Club Belcekiz Beach Hotel
One of the most popular beach hotels in Ölüdeniz: right on the beach, own sunbathing area, pool, very well rated for its location. Good base for paragliding and boat trips.
from EUR 120 / night View →
Ölüdeniz Resort by Z Hotels
Modern resort hotel with a pool, bar and good beach location. Very well rated for cleanliness and service. One of the best mid-range values in Ölüdeniz.
from EUR 130 / night View →
Yacht Classic Hotel Fethiye
Boutique hotel in the Fethiye marina with panoramic views of the harbour and the islands. Stylish interior, excellent breakfast, quiet location.
from EUR 140 / night View →
Luxury
Montebello Resort Hotel
Luxury resort on the hillside overlooking the Blue Lagoon. Infinity pool, spa, fine cuisine. One of the best views of any hotel in the region. Very well rated on Booking.com.
from EUR 300 / night View →
Lykia World Ölüdeniz
Generous luxury resort right on the Blue Lagoon. Several pools, private beach area, lots of sports on offer. Particularly good for families and travellers who want everything in one place.
from EUR 320 / night View →
D-Resort Göcek
The leading luxury hotel in the quiet sailing harbour of Göcek. Elegant atmosphere, private jetty, excellent restaurant with sea views. For travellers seeking exclusivity and peace.
from EUR 375 / night View →
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Experiences worth your time
Paragliding from Babadağ
Tandem flight from the 1,969-metre Babadağ over the Ölüdeniz lagoon. 30 to 45 minutes in the air with a unique view of the turquoise water. One of the best paragliding sites in the world.
12 Islands boat tour
Full-day boat trip from Fethiye harbour with stops at twelve coves, swimming, snorkelling and lunch on board. Book directly at the harbour and negotiate the price.
Saklıkent Gorge
One of the longest gorges in Europe, 45 km from Fethiye. Ice-cold water, cliff walls up to 300 metres high, wading through the canyon. Combines well with ancient Tlos.
Kayaköy ghost village
Abandoned Greek village from the population exchange of 1923. Around 3,500 houses still stand without roofs, overgrown by nature. A special, quiet place away from mass tourism.
Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi)
Remote cove with high cliffs, reachable by boat from Ölüdeniz. Full of tiger butterflies in spring. Simple hostel on site, ideal for a night of nature without tourism.
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Food & drink
Fethiye eats from the sea and the market: fish you pick yourself and have grilled next door, gözleme from the Tuesday market, tahini with grape syrup for breakfast. The cuisine is Aegean, simple and cheap, as long as you do not eat on the beach promenade in Ölüdeniz.
Fish from the Balık Pazarı
The Fethiye fish market works like this: you buy the fish at the stall in the middle (sea bream, sea bass, calamari, prawns) and have it grilled in one of the restaurants around it. Fish CHF 8 to 15 (about EUR 8.60 to 16) a portion, preparation with salad and bread CHF 4 to 6 per person.
Tip:The restaurants around the market all charge about the same for cooking, so choose by the free table, not by the loudest tout.
Meze with the fish
Fish comes with meze: Girit ezmesi (feta with herbs), haydari, atom (yoghurt with chilli), samphire. CHF 3 to 5 (about EUR 3.20 to 5.40) a plate.
Tip:Two or three meze for two people; the fish comes with salad anyway.
Gözleme
Flatbread from the sac griddle, with spinach, cheese or potatoes, rolled out on the spot by women from the villages. CHF 2 to 3 (about EUR 2.20 to 3.20).
Tip:Go on Tuesday morning, the market is the biggest in the region, and eat the gözleme standing with an ayran.
Tahin Pekmez
Sesame paste and grape syrup, mixed on the plate and mopped up with bread. The Aegean breakfast, rich in energy and plain. Included in a köy kahvaltısı (village breakfast) at CHF 8 to 14 (about EUR 8.60 to 15) per person.
Tip:The village breakfast arrives in twenty little dishes, so go hungry and allow two hours.
Kabak Tatlısı
Pumpkin cooked soft in sugar syrup, served with tahini and walnuts. The Aegean dessert of autumn and winter. CHF 2.50 to 4 (about EUR 2.70 to 4.30).
Tip:With tahini rather than kaymak, that is the local way, and a glass of tea alongside.
Ot Kavurması
Wild Aegean herbs (radika, şevketi bostan, samphire), tossed briefly in olive oil, with lemon and egg or garlic. Light and bitter, CHF 4 to 6 (about EUR 4.30 to 6.50) a plate.
Tip:The herbs change with the season, so ask what is in today.
Rakı at sunset
Aniseed spirit with water and ice, milky and cloudy, with fish and meze. A glass costs CHF 4 to 6 (about EUR 4.30 to 6.50), a 35 cl bottle in a restaurant CHF 20 to 28.
Tip:Drink it slowly, with food, and never without water. A small bottle lasts two people all evening.
History & background
Fethiye lies on the Turkish coast where the Aegean and the Mediterranean meet, in one of the most sheltered natural bays in the Mediterranean. The ancient Lycian city of Telmessos stood here as early as the 4th century BC. The Lycians are among the most enigmatic peoples of antiquity: their language and script were unique, and they had the unusual tradition of carving tombs shaped like multi-storey stone houses directly into vertical cliff faces. The most impressive remains of this culture are the rock tombs above the old town of Fethiye, among them the Tomb of Amyntas from the 4th century BC, which is lit up in the evening today. After the Lycians came Persians, Alexander the Great, Romans and Byzantines. The Ottomans called the town Makri. A severe earthquake destroyed much of the town in 1957, and today's Fethiye is more modern than most Turkish coastal towns. The surrounding nature survived largely intact: the Ölüdeniz lagoon, Mount Babadağ, the Saklıkent Gorge and Butterfly Valley belong to the most spectacular coastal landscape in the whole eastern Mediterranean.
Insider tips
Ölüdeniz: go early, stay after 4 pm
The Blue Lagoon of Ölüdeniz is one of the most photographed coastal scenes in Turkey. Turquoise water, a white sand spit, surrounded by pine-covered slopes. Between 10 am and 3 pm the beach is packed with day trippers from the surrounding resorts. Early in the morning or after 4 pm the lagoon is calm and especially beautiful. Admission to the national park (lagoon area) is paid at the entrance. Most guesthouses in Ölüdeniz itself are within walking distance.
Paragliding from Babadağ: the best flight in Turkey
Tandem paragliding flights launch daily from the summit of Babadağ (1,969 metres) over the Ölüdeniz lagoon. The flight lasts about 30 to 45 minutes, and the view of the turquoise water from above is extraordinary. Depending on the operator the price is between CHF 70 and 100 (about EUR 75 to 107). On the ground the site is heavily commercialised; the flight itself is the experience. Compare operators directly and check safety certificates and reviews.
Saklıkent Gorge: cold, wild, unique
About 45 kilometres east of Fethiye lies the Saklıkent Gorge, 18 kilometres long and up to 300 metres deep, one of the longest gorges in Europe. The entrance is at about 500 metres, and ice-cold meltwater runs through the gorge all year round. You wade through the water, in places up to your hips. Waterproof shoes are essential and swimwear is a good idea. Admission costs a few lira. Combines well with a visit to the ancient ruins of Tlos.
Butterfly Valley and the 12 Islands
Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi) is a remote cove with a small campsite and a simple hostel, enclosed by high cliffs. In spring the valley is full of tiger butterflies. Reachable only by boat from Ölüdeniz. The 12 Islands boat tour from Fethiye harbour is one of the most popular day trips in the region: dozens of coves, swimming stops, lunch on board. Negotiate the price at the harbour, between CHF 15 and 30 per person (about EUR 16 to 32).
Kayaköy: the abandoned Greek village
About 8 kilometres from Fethiye lies Kayaköy, an abandoned Greek village of some 3,500 houses and two churches, deserted in 1923 during the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The houses still stand, without roofs, without windows, overgrown with vegetation. A quiet, thought-provoking place. Today it is an open-air museum with a small admission fee. In the afternoon and evening there are hardly any tourists.
Göcek: sailing harbour and silence
Göcek lies 25 kilometres north of Fethiye and is the favourite destination of the sailing crowd in Turkey. No mass tourism, no concrete-block resorts. A marina, a long waterfront promenade, a few good restaurants. If you want a quiet night and a break from Fethiye, go to Göcek.
Frequently asked questions about Fethiye
How do I get to Fethiye from Western Europe?
Most often with a connection in Istanbul and an onward flight to Dalaman (DLM), the nearest airport, 50 kilometres from Fethiye. There are seasonal direct flights from Zurich and other European cities to Dalaman. From the airport, Havaş buses run to Fethiye.
When is the best time to visit Fethiye?
May, June and October are ideal: the sea is warm, prices are below high-summer levels and the beaches are not overcrowded. July and August are hot (up to 38 degrees), expensive and very busy at the main attractions. In winter many hotels and restaurants are closed.
How do I get from Fethiye to Ölüdeniz?
By dolmuş (minibus) directly from Fethiye centre, about 20 minutes, very cheap. Taxis are more expensive but more comfortable. There are also boat connections along the coast.
Can I go paragliding without experience?
Yes. Paragliding from Babadağ is done as a tandem flight with a certified pilot, no prior experience needed. There are age and weight limits (usually up to 110 kg). Prefer operators with good reviews and valid safety certificates.
Itineraries with this destination
Turkey · 3 stops
Lycian Coast
Antalya · Kaş · Fethiye
The D400 along the Lycian Coast is the most beautiful coastal road in Turkey. You drive it in ten days from Antalya to Fethiye, with swimming stops, ruins and three bases instead of packing your bags every morning.
Turkey · 6 stops
West Coast Camper Van Tour
Çanakkale · Izmir · Çeşme · Bodrum · Fethiye · Kaş
Two weeks in a camper between the Dardanelles and the Lycian Coast: Troy and Assos, olive groves, windy bays, beaches where you sleep by the water, and harbour towns where in the evening you simply park the van.
Activities in the region
Events
Oct 13
Ölüdeniz Air Games
SportThe international air festival on Babadağ: paragliders, acro pilots, base jumpers and hang gliders from around the world put on shows over the Blue Lagoon, with landings on the beach and an evening programme on the promenade. Free for spectators; tandem flights are in high demand during the festival days and a bit more expensive.
For travellers: Ölüdeniz and Hisarönü are fully booked during festival week; reserve your tandem flight early or choose the week before or after.
More destinations in Mediterranean
Mediterranean
Antalya
Direct flights from Zurich, turquoise water, a 2,000-year-old old town, and far more than the all-inclusive resort most people book.
Mediterranean
Kaş
What a week in the most relaxed town on the Turkish Mediterranean costs, why no package-tour buses stop here and which experiences are really worth it.
Mediterranean
Alanya
What a week in Alanya really costs, why the castle and the Dim River are more than a resort add-on and how to combine all-inclusive and city cleverly.
Mediterranean
Side
What a week in Side costs, how to combine antiquity and beach in a single day and which excursions from the resort are really worth it.