2022
Unexpected trips are my favorite ones, and this one was one of them. When we found out we'll have couple of free days, we planned this road trip to the southern part of Turkey in less than a week. We spent four days traveling around and seeing the most stunning places Turkey has to offer. And thanks to going in March, we haven't even met that many other tourists, but still had very nice weather.
We started off in the abandoned village of Kayaköy. This once-bustling town was a home to as many as 20,000 Greek residents, who deserted this place for political reasons in the 1920s. We strolled through the narrow cobblestone paths all the way to the highest peek for the view over this ghost town. In total silence broken only by the ringing bells of the grazing goats, we gazed over 800 abandoned houses. Going back downhill, we stopped by in the church, that was completely left to the mercy of all external influences.
The first day was coming to an end and we decided to watch our first sunset on Ölüdeniz Beach. We soaked our feet in cold water, sat down and watched the sun slowly diving into the turquoise sea.
The next morning, we woke up in Fethiye. Took a quick stroll through the town and headed out to see the natural beauty of this region. Straight after leaving Fethiye, we started driving uphill and got probably the most stunning views I have ever seen. Don't miss out on the viewpoint over Ölüdeniz Beach and then continue uphill until you reach the Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi). Be careful not to lose your balance, the cliff is steep and the views are literally breathtaking and knee-shaking. After taking the ultimate Instagram photos, we continued on the same road heading towards the town of Kaş, enjoying the never-ending beautiful views.
Couple of necessary photo stops later and visits of nearby places like the UNESCO World Heritage Site Xanthos ancient city ruins, we reached my (now) favorite beach. It's sandy, just perfectly windy, wide and long and just perfect for scenic romantic walks. Welcome to the beautiful Patara Beach.
In my opinion, there is never enough of beaches, so we finished the day at another one, which was perfect for a peaceful sunset - Kaputas Beach. It is just by the road, but as soon as you get down the stairs, all you're going to hear will be the waves. When the sun drowned in the sea, we hit the road again and headed to Kaş. To be honest, it was quite hard to keep the eyes on the road, because the views were once again amazing.
While being in this region, you should not miss one of their specialities that you won’t be able to find anywhere else - yanıksı dondurma aka burnt ice-cream (we got our in Nur Pastanesi in Kaş). It is made from the particularly fatty milk of local goats that have been fed on the wild thyme growing on the Korkuteli Plains. The taste is very unique for ice-cream. It’s smoky, sharp and very distinctive. And yes, it is literally ice-cream that was burnt during the cooking process. I think you will either love it or hate it, at least we two were pretty parted in our opinions towards this dessert.
After a short morning stroll through the town (which is very pretty btw!), we headed to Demre. The main reason being the Burguç Şifalı Soğuk Su (Burguç Medicinal Cold Water). Expect small ponds with stinky sulfur water which is VERY VERY cold. We managed to dip only our feet and I seriously admire anyone who jumps in. It is said that this water helps with many medical problems, you can try yourselves.
Demre is most known for St. Nicholas and the church built in his memory that also harbors his grave. He was actually born and lived his whole life in the land which is in the present day borders of Turkey. The church is very spiritual and religious or not, it is a place you should definitely visit when around.
Back on the road, heading to Antalya. Majority of people expect big hotel complexes and beaches. That might be true, but this city actually has way more to offer. The city center itself is beautiful and worth a walk. We spent our last day here and except for the walk in the old town, we visited couple of waterfalls. The first one being the Lower Düden Waterfall, which is definitely worth visiting even at night.
There is also Upper Düden Waterfall which is further away from the city, but gives you an opportunity to go to the cave underneath the waterfall and watch it from the other side. And the last but not least (and also my favorite) is Kurşunlu Waterfall. Here you can go on a short walk by the rivulet and enjoy the natural escape. Since we went in late March, the nature was just waking up from the winter sleep, showing off thousands shades of green and it was just beautiful.
Eating locally while traveling is the best way for me. We definitely took advantage of being so close to the sea and enjoyed its delicious treasures. I can recommend a fish restaurant Çıtır Balık in Antalya. They focus on fish sandwiches for a very good price. You pick a type of fish you would like and then put whatever veggies, sauces and other garnishes to complete your own sandwich. We also got stuffed mussels which were super yummy.
And this was the end of our first road trip we went on together. If you are a sucker for beautiful nature, empty beaches, stunning views, romantic sunsets, sea food and pretty little seaside towns, you have to come to this part of Turkey. I am sure you will not leave disappointed.
Author (text & photos): Tereza Rychetska
