LOCAL SEAFOOD
Grilled levrek (sea bass) and çipura (sea bream) served with wild sea samphire (deniz börülcesi) and anise-heavy glasses of chilled Yeni Rakı.
The Turkish Riviera.
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST/TÜRKIYE/36.7586° N, 29.9245° E
Pine needles crunch underfoot along the cliffs above Fethiye, giving way to limestone headlands where the Taurus Mountains drop straight into the Mediterranean. From Bodrum's whitewashed peninsula east to the orange groves of Antalya, the coast trades Aegean wind for subtropical heat. You come for fifth-century Lycian stone sarcophagi standing nonchalantly in olive groves, freshly grilled sea bream, and long afternoons anchored in coves that roads cannot reach.
Last updated 4 Sept 2026
Field notes
Photographs · Wikimedia Commons© OpenStreetMap
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What The Turkish Riviera is about
Twelve ways to read the region. Pick a town below and you can turn any of these into a timed 1, 2 or 3 day plan.
ANCIENT RUINS
Fifth-century BC Lycian rock tombs cut into cliffs at Dalyan and the amphitheatre overlooking the open Mediterranean at Kaş.
HIKING
The 540-kilometre Lycian Way follows waymarked sheep paths, coastal ridges, and cedar forests from Ölüdeniz to Geyikbayırı.
BOAT CHARTERS
Traditional wooden gulets motor out of Fethiye and Bodrum to reach roadless bays around Göcek and the sunken ruins of Kekova.
MEZE & SMALL PLATES
Table-filling spreads of smoked aubergine mutabbal, warm humus topped with pastırma, and salted lakerda cured bonito.
CITRUS & ORCHARDS
Finike oranges, Bodrum satsumas, and roadside stalls pouring fresh pomegranate juice pressed right before your eyes.
HISTORIC PORTS
Walk the narrow stone lanes of Antalya's Kaleiçi and the 15th-century Crusader castle guarding Bodrum's twin bays.
COASTAL WALKS
Gentle morning paths between olive groves around Datça and cliff tracks overlooking the turquoise surf of Kaputaş Beach.
LOCAL MARKETS
Weekly pazar stalls piled with Datça almonds, mountain sage (adaçayı), Aegean green olives, and fresh çökelek cheese.
WINE & VINEYARDS
Tasting indigenous Öküzgözü and Kalecik Karası reds alongside crisp Bornova Misketi whites on the Datça and Bodrum peninsulas.
MOUNTAIN VILLAGES
Stone cottages in Kayaköy and the quiet of Ormana with its ancient mortarless button-houses (düğmeli evler).
BEACHES & COVES
Pebbled shores at Çıralı below Mount Olympos and the sweeping eighteen-kilometre sand dunes stretching across Patara.
Where to go in The Turkish Riviera
The bases worth booking. Each one has its own field guide with 1, 2 and 3 day itineraries.
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What to do in The Turkish Riviera
Stretching from the Aegean peninsula of Bodrum to the eastern Mediterranean shores of Alanya, this coast is shaped by the collision of towering Taurus limestone and turquoise water. Days run at the pace of the afternoon boat return, long mezze lunches under olive trees, and sunset swims off sun-warmed rocks. It suits independent drivers, walkers tackling sections of the Lycian Way, and anyone who prefers grilled fish to velvet ropes.
When to go to The Turkish Riviera
May, June, September, and October offer warm sea temperatures and manageable heat, perfect for walking ruins. July and August bring intense Mediterranean humidity, crowded marinas, and packed beaches. By November, rain moves in across the mountains and seasonal restaurants close.
Getting around The Turkish Riviera
Fly into Dalaman for the western bays or Antalya for the eastern coast. Renting a car gives freedom along the scenic D400 coastal highway, where drives between major bases take one to three hours. Dolmuş minibuses reliably link nearby towns, while day boats handle roadless coves.