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Fethiye

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Overview

Fethiye (Turkish pronunciation: [ˈfethije]) is a municipality and district of Muğla Province, Turkey. Its area is 875 km2, and its population is 177,702 (2022). It is one of the prominent tourist destinations in the Turkish Riviera. It was formerly known as Makri, and Meğri.

Facts

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia1,623 words

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Beyond the blue: the Lycian trail’s quieter spurs

While most visitors tether themselves to the famed coastal walk that links Ölüdeniz to the ghost town of Kayaköy, the Lycian Way extends inland through pine‑clad ridges that few tour groups traverse. Early‑morning treks from Fethuye’s harbor to the small village of Kayaköy via the Kelebek Plateau reveal stone‑built farms, terraced orchards and modest tea houses where locals melt copper kettle tea over open fires. The route is marked by faded Ottoman milestones, offering a tangible sense of continuity. Pack a lightweight rain‑jacket; spring showers can turn the trail’s scree into a slick ribbon, but the reward is a panorama of the turquoise bay framed by rugged back‑country peaks that most beach‑bound tourists never see.

Taste of the market: seasonal produce that defines Fethiye’s kitchen

The bustling Saturday market in the town centre is less a souvenir stop than a living kitchen. Here, the rhythm of commerce follows the agricultural calendar: late summer brings plump figs and egg‑plant stuffed with local feta, while winter stalls burst with citrus, pomegranate and fresh fenugreek. Vendors will often let you sample olives straight from the press, their brine varying from saline to buttery depending on the micro‑climate of the grove. For a genuine meal, head to a family‑run lokanta nearby; ask for the “gözleme” filled with wild herbs collected from the nearby hills – a dish that changes with each season’s harvest and tells the story of the region’s reliance on the land rather than the sea.

When the wind shifts: timing your boat trips for the best sailing conditions

Fethiye’s reputation for steady breezes can lull visitors into a one‑size‑fits‑all itinerary, yet the local wind patterns are nuanced. The “Lodos” from the west builds strength in early autumn, pushing the sea into a lively chop that rewards seasoned sailors with faster passages to the nearby bays. Conversely, the “Bora” from the north becomes predominant in late winter, often quieting the water and providing glass‑like conditions ideal for novice skippers or kayaking among the hidden coves. Consulting the local marina’s daily wind log—frequently posted on a chalkboard—lets you tailor your day’s departure time, turning a routine boat ride into a rhythmic encounter with the Mediterranean’s ever‑changing breath.

Introduction

District of Muğla Province, Turkey This article is about the city and district of Muğla Province. For other uses, see Fethiye (disambiguation). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Fethiye" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) District and municipality in Muğla, TurkeyFethiyeDistrict and municipality LogoMap showing Fethiye District in Muğla ProvinceFethiyeLocation in TurkeyShow map of TurkeyFethiyeFethiye (Turkey Aegean)Show map of Turkey AegeanCoordinates: 36°39′5″N 29°7′23″E / 36.65139°N 29.12306°E / 36.65139; 29.12306CountryTurkeyProvinceMuğlaGovernment • MayorAlim Karaca (CHP)Area875 km2 (338 sq mi)Population (2022)177,702 • Density203/km2 (526/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+3 (TRT)Postal code48300Area code0252Websitewww.fethiye.bel.tr Fethiye (Turkish pronunciation: [ˈfethije]) is a municipality and district of Muğla Province, Turkey. Its area is 875 km2, and its population is 177,702 (2022). It is one of the prominent tourist destinations in the Turkish Riviera. It was formerly known as Makri, and Meğri.

History

[edit] Historic map of Fethiye by Piri Reis Fethiye was formerly known as Makri (Greek: Μάκρη), or Macri. Modern Fethiye is located on the site of the ancient city of Telmessos, the ruins of which can be seen in the city, e.g. the Hellenistic theatre by the main quay. A Lycian legend explains the source of the name Telmessos as follows: The god Apollo falls in love with the youngest daughter of the King of Phoenicia, Agenor. He disguises himself as a small dog and thus, gains the love of the shy, withdrawn daughter. After he reappears as a handsome man, they have a son, whom they name 'Telmessos' (the land of lights).[citation needed] The city became part of the Persian Empire after the invasion of the Persian general Harpagos in 547 BC, along with other Lycian and Carian cities. Telmessos then joined the Attic-Delos Union (Delian League) established in mid-5th century BC. and, although it later left the union and became an independent city, it continued its relations with the union until the 4th century BC. [citation needed] Lycian sarcophagus in the ancient city Telmessos. Very little is known of the city during the Byzantine times. Surviving buildings attest to considerable prosperity during late Antiquity, but most were abandoned in the 7th–8th centuries due to the Arab-Byzantine Wars. [citation needed] The city was fortified in the 8th century, and appears as "Telmissos or Anastasioupolis" ca. 800. By the 10th century, the ancient name was forgotten and it became known as Makre or Makri (Μάκρη, "long one"), from the name of the island at the entrance to the harbour. There are signs of renewed prosperity in the 12-13th centuries: the city walls were enlarged, a report from 1106 names Makre a centre for perfume production, and geographical works from the 13th century describe the city as a commercial center. The area was conquered by the Turks in the late 12th or early 13th century. Telmessos was ruled by the Anatolian beylik of Menteşe starting in 1284, under the name Beskaza. It became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1424, and was called مكرى Meğri until 1934. From 1867 until 1922, Meğri was part of the Aidin Vilayet of the Turkish Empire. The town grew considerably in the 19th century, and had a large Greek population at that time. Following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, the Greeks of Makri were sent to Greece where they founded the town of Nea Makri (New Makri) in Greece. The town was resettled with Turks from Greece. At nearby Kayaköy, formerly Levissi, the abandoned Greek Orthodox church is still standing.[citation needed] In 1934, the city was renamed Fethiye in honor of Captain Fethi Bey [de], one of the first pilots of the Ottoman Air Force, who died (together with First Lieutenant Tayyareci Sadık Bey [tr]) during an airplane crash on 27 February 1914 near Al-Samra, while attempting to complete the first flight from Istanbul to Cairo. On 3 August 1953, Air France Flight 152, while en route from Rome to Beirut, ditched into the Gulf of Fethiye off Kızılada. Of the 8 crew and 34 passengers on board, four drowned. The survivors were hosted by the residents during their stay in the town. Fethiye has experienced many powerful and occasionally destructive earthquakes, most notably the 1957 Fethiye earthquakes on 24–25 April with 67 casualties and 3,200 damaged or destroyed buildings, which constituted 90% of the buildings in the entire city. The town has been rebuilt since then and now has a modern harbor and a marina. On 14 January 1969, Fethiye was struck by an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2, which caused no deaths, but there were some injuries and significant damage to buildings. On 10 June 2012, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1, struck Fethiye. There was no loss of life, but there were some injuries and many houses and workplaces were damaged.

Tourism

[edit] Fethiye is one of Turkey's well-known tourist centers and is especially popular during the summer. The Fethiye Museum, which is rich in ancient and more recent artifacts, displays and testifies to the successive chain of civilizations that existed in the area, starting with the ancient Lycians. Some of the historical sites worth visiting are: Kadyanda (Cadyanda) ancient city, Kayaköy - the abandoned Greek village, Afkule, Gemiler and Aya Nikola. Fethiye is also home to the Tomb of Amyntas, a large tomb built in 350 BC by the Lycians. The most popular tourist towns of Fethiye are: Ölüdeniz, Çalış Beach area, Hisarönü and Ovacık, Fethiye. Butterfly Valley is in the Fethiye district. The island of Kızılada in the Gulf of Fethiye, 4 mi (6.4 km) off the city, is a popular stopover for boat tours. Alternatively, there are great diving sites, Afkule being one of the most famous. The Kızılada Lighthouse on the island houses a seafood restaurant and a hostel with nine rooms. Marina of Fethiye Fethiye bay The Tomb of Amyntas in Fethiye Ölüdeniz Beach in Fethiye District Butterfly Valley is a popular tourism destination in Fethiye District Telmessos Theatre – the sign on site says it was late Hellenistic, with stage added in c. 200 AD, abandoned with the city, excavated in 1992–95, and with seating capacity for 6,000 spectators on 28 rows.

Climate

[edit] Fethiye has a Mediterranean climate consisting of hot, long and dry summers with an average of 34 °C (93 °F) in the daytime. Climate change is affecting the temperatures with the summers becoming hotter and drier than previously. The winters are mild and rainy with a daytime average of 16 °C (61 °F). The classification for the climate of Fethiye is Csa (Köppen) and Csal (Trewartha) Climate data for Fethiye (1991-2020) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 16.3(61.3) 17.0(62.6) 19.5(67.1) 22.6(72.7) 27.0(80.6) 32.1(89.8) 35.1(95.2) 35.4(95.7) 31.9(89.4) 27.2(81.0) 22.0(71.6) 17.6(63.7) 25.3(77.5) Daily mean °C (°F) 10.5(50.9) 11.4(52.5) 13.7(56.7) 16.7(62.1) 21.0(69.8) 25.8(78.4) 28.7(83.7) 28.8(83.8) 25.2(77.4) 20.4(68.7) 15.3(59.5) 11.7(53.1) 19.1(66.4) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 6.0(42.8) 6.7(44.1) 8.4(47.1) 11.2(52.2) 15.4(59.7) 19.5(67.1) 22.4(72.3) 22.6(72.7) 19.0(66.2) 14.6(58.3) 10.2(50.4) 7.4(45.3) 13.7(56.7) Average precipitation mm (inches) 174.4(6.87) 116.9(4.60) 74.4(2.93) 49.7(1.96) 30.4(1.20) 4.7(0.19) 0.7(0.03) 1.6(0.06) 17.8(0.70) 72.7(2.86) 119.0(4.69) 181.2(7.13) 843.4(33.20) Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 10.5 8.5 6.5 5.6 3.5 1.4 1.0 1.7 2.2 4.1 6.0 10.2 61.2 Average relative humidity (%) 67.3 64.0 62.6 62.5 61.0 55.8 54.8 56.4 57.6 62.8 67.9 70.5 61.9 Mean monthly sunshine hours 139.1 151.6 215.5 248.0 300.7 344.6 367.8 338.0 294.1 238.7 171.6 128.0 2,927.9 Source: NOAA Climate data for Fethiye Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 16.0(60.8) 16.3(61.3) 18.9(66.0) 22.0(71.6) 26.4(79.5) 31.4(88.5) 34.3(93.7) 34.4(93.9) 31.3(88.3) 26.5(79.7) 21.1(70.0) 17.2(63.0) 24.7(76.4) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 5.3(41.5) 5.7(42.3) 7.2(45.0) 10.1(50.2) 13.8(56.8) 17.6(63.7) 20.3(68.5) 20.2(68.4) 16.9(62.4) 13.1(55.6) 9.1(48.4) 6.6(43.9) 12.2(53.9) Average precipitation mm (inches) 159.8(6.29) 128.4(5.06) 80.1(3.15) 49.0(1.93) 25.8(1.02) 4.8(0.19) 3.1(0.12) 2.6(0.10) 17.6(0.69) 66.7(2.63) 123.3(4.85) 174.1(6.85) 835.3(32.88) Average rainy days 12.1 11.3 9.0 8.0 4.4 2.2 1.4 1.6 2.5 5.7 8.3 12.1 78.6 Mean monthly sunshine hours 145.7 156.8 213.9 237.0 300.7 342.0 359.6 344.1 294.0 244.9 165.0 127.1 2,930.8 Source: Devlet Meteoroloji İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü

Areas

[edit] The overall metropolitan area of the city of Fethiye stretches inland from the harbor for more than 11 km, incorporating several villages into the city. To the north of the city center is the area of Çalış Plajı (Beach), which incorporates the main street of Barış Manço Bulvarı alongside an extensive promenade along the coast, on which a lot of hotels are based. This beach serves as Fethiye's beach in its own right, since Fethiye does not actually have one itself. To the east, lie the areas of Günlükbaşı, Çamköy, Cumhuriyet, and also Esenköy to the south-east. The city center is defined as the area between the Marina and the Fethiye Market near the football stadium. Approximately 4 km to the south-west and south respectively, lie the towns of Kayaköy and Ölüdeniz, the latter being world-famous for its beach spit and associated Blue Lagoon. The opportunity for paragliding is available from the mountain of Babadağ in Ölüdeniz, from various extreme sports companies located in the area.