Things To Do in Fethiye and Oludeniz

Ancient History

Not much remains of ancient Telmessos, atop which modern-day Fethiye is built. In spite of centuries of destructive earthquakes, the cliffside Lycian tombs and majestic sarcophagi never fail to draw a gasp.

The city was independent until Alexander the Great's arrival in 334 B.C. Three hundred years later the city came under Roman rule as part of the Lycian union.

The antique theater in the center of town dates to Roman times, although its open disposition on the hill indicates Greek influences. The amphitheater was picked apart for the reconstruction of the city after the devastating earthquake of 1957, and in 1994 restorations and further excavations to the site were begun. To the east of the municipal building is a two-story sarcophagus topped with a Gothic-style lid and decorated with war scenes. Remains of this type of tomb are scattered about the city and hidden in private gardens.

On the hillside east of town stands the ruined Crusader castle tower, constructed by the Knights of St. John out of the Hellenistic and Roman stonework of an earlier acropolis.

Rock-cut tombs spot the cliff side, the most notable of which is the Tomb of King Amyntas in the form of a Greek temple dating to 350 B.C. The steps of the facade get a bit crowded around sunset, the favored time for a visit because of the tomb's position on the hill. Price of admission is 8TL or free from afar.

The nearby Fethiye Archaeological Museum, Kesikkapi Mah. Okul Sokak in the Fethiye Müze Müdürlügü Building (tel. 0252/614-1150), is small and regrettably unimportant; exhibits consist of stones and columns from the acropolis that should have been left in place. Interesting, however, is the stele uncovered at Letoon, with inscriptions in Lycian, Aramaic, and Greek. It proved indispensable in cracking the code of the ancient Lycian language. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30am to 5pm, admission is 3TL.

Drinks Are on the House

Just some years ago, Kayaköy was little more than a forgotten pile of stones. Now, along with pensions, villas, and cottages, the village once known as Levissi has not one, but two, wine houses. Mind you, these are not wine producers, however, the Kaya Wine House (Gökçeburun Mah. 70, Kayaköy; tel. 0252/618-0454; www.kayawinehouse.com) collects its fruit wines, reds, and whites from small, private vineyards, some of which are local. The Levissi Garden (tel. 0252/618-0108; www.levissigarden.com) keeps a wine cellar of more than 2,000 bottles from all over Turkey. Both take advantage of centuries-old stone buildings, the latter occupying a 400-year-old stone house that in 1859 housed the mayor. You can wander through the wine cellar (Levissi's is in the old stables), enjoy wine tastings, or have a multiple-course meal (with wine, of course), all for about 35TL.