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Guide to Turkey
Kusadasi-Altinkum-Akbuk-
Bodrum peninsula
The Aegean Coast has been considered
beautiful since the time of Homer. Its waters;changing colours – from
Indigo during the day, to pink during dusk, from turquoise and ultramarine,
to occasional green – have captured the imagination for thousands
of years, and do so still. The scenery is breath-taking, from the pure
mountains in the istance to the clear waters of the shore. All the
beaches are large and clean, and are bordered by olive and pine groves.In
the Aegean,five thousand years of history looks down at you, inspires
you, and conspires to fascinate with mythology and culture. Accommodation
is plentiful, of good quality, and of a range to suit everyone. Restaurants
and bistros abound, truly something for all…
Kusadasi
Kusadasi, one of Turkey’s principal family holiday
resorts, is situated on the west coast of Turkey
90km south of Izmir. It is close to the historical
Ephesus, Didyma, Priene and Mileto. Kusadasi has a
typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and
mild winters which provides a long tourist season.
There is a wide variety of restaurants, bars and discos.
Altinkum
Altinkum is situated on the southern Aegean coast.
Simpler than Kusadasi, Marmaris and Bodrum, it is the
ideal resort to relax in.
This area is well known for its ancient ruins, the most
important being Ephesus. The temple of Apollo at
Didyma, Miletus and Priene are just a few kilometres
away.
Altinkum has three beaches with golden sands, ideal
for families and children, and daily boat trips to visit
beautiful local bays.
Just 10 minutes down the road is the small harbour
village of Akbuk an idyllic quiet resort with pretty
beach-front restaurants, surrounded by olive trees. Still
very Turkish in atmosphere and unspoilt by heavy
development it is rumoured to be the next big thing..
Bodrum with its traditional cobbled streets, bustley
atmosphere, is very popular with the Turkish and tourists
alike. The Marina with its Yacht Club is considered very
chic. It has plenty of western amenities, yet the region
still retains its Turkish style. There are great public
transport links, dolmus buses and water taxis to every
town, giving people a chance to take in the fantastic
scenery.
The modern town of Bodrum today has fragments of its
ancient ruins littered all around and often incorporated
into the fabric of the buildings, which you can spot for
yourself. Bodrum is a mere stones throw from
everything and would suit every kind of holidaymaker.
Gumbet. Twenty
years ago, Gumbet was the closest beach to Bodrum and was
only a large campsite. Now with its
many street markets and shops and
its great lively nightlife, it’s a resort in
its own right.
Gumusluk, Gumus means
silver in Turkish, which
suggests that this area would
have once been covered in silver
mines. Gold and silver is still
very cheap in Turkey and you
can buy yourselves fantastic
bargains within the many street
boutiques.
You can even walk on water in
this unique destination; the old
village has now become an
island where you can walk
across the stones that are at
sea level creating an altogether
religious experience! This is
probably one of the oldest parts
of the Peninsula, quiet and
quaint with lovely beaches.
Yalikavak the St. Tropez
of the peninsula! Yalikavak used to
be just a cluster of houses on
the quay. Now a brand new multi
million-dollar marina has
recently been constructed. As
with most coastal regions this
was originally a fishing village
but has since developed into the
most popular area for property
purchase, mainly because of its
chic atmosphere and high
quality local shops/restaurants
and beaches. The volcanic
characteristics of the landscape
are obvious and quite beautiful.
Torba, is considered
a jet set destination full of the high society of
Istanbul. Traditionally a fishing village,
the whole region is covered in rich
foliage with the traditional white
houses dotted in between the pretty
rolling hills.
Bitez once covered in
mandarin orchards is now famous for its clean
seawater and beach; this is a great
location for water sports. Colourful
windsurfing sails flit across the water
in the warm afternoon breeze.
Not far is the village of Ortakent with its long stretch of sandy beach,
which slowly descends into deeper
water. Its location is very much
central on the peninsula, and famous
for its 17th century ‘Tower houses’.
Turgutreis Facing the island of Kos this pretty
location has plenty to offer and is a
popular area for tourists with its
fantastic beach. It is important to keep
in mind that most of this area is a
military zone and property can only be
purchased by setting up a company. If you head west you
will then reach the
evermore-popular
town of
Gundogan. This
region has definite
signs of antiquity with
ruins hidden around
the inland cliffs. Large
hotels have now
appeared and plenty
of new housing.
Marmaris-Icmeler-Turunc-
Gokova-Armutalan-Beldibi-
Datca-Dalaman-Dalyan-
Koycegiz-Sarigerme-Gocek
The climate along this coast
is similar to Southern California with sea temperatures around 16º centigrade.
The whole region is hemmed in by vertiginous peaks and blanketed with
virgin pine forest, the coast is still considerably wild. When it comes
to entertainment there’s plenty to do whether you like lazing
on the beach, enjoying water-sports, sightseeing from a boat, exploring
ancient buildings or admiring wildlife.
Turunc
The fishing port of Turunc is 15 minutes
drive from Marmaris, and because of strict
building restrictions it has escaped the mass
tourism of other places.The bay has 500 metres
of sand, shingle and clear blue water.
On offer is a wide selection of water sports
including surfing, water skiing, speed boats
and scuba diving.
Large numbers of restaurants and bars offer
fresh sea food and traditional Turkish cuisine.
The scenery in and around Turunc is beautiful
with many coastal walks with mountains nearby.
Private fishing boats are available for hire.
Datca is a delightful
fishing village approx, one hours drive from Marmaris centre out along
the peninsula. Lovely bays, rolling hills largely untouched by man-
you can spend long lazy days watching the sunset over the crystal clear
water. Icmeler,
situated on a big bay with a beach that goes all the way to Marmaris,
its biggest neighbour 8km away, Icmeler used to be a village, and after
starting slowly, has developed into a large town. Between 1990 and
the present it has been transformed with many hotels, restaurants,
bars, shops and apartments,which make it a top-class resort. Despite
all the building it remains pleasant, green and low-rise which gives
a feeling of spaciousness.
Marmaris
Well known for its natural beauty, pine clad mountains and a fantastic
coastline, full of pretty coves and inlets. A modern town, Marmaris
is well able
to cater for tourists with plenty of restaurants, cafés, shops
and bars with a
good nightlife, as well as provision for water sports and sunbathing.
Armutalan is
the residentail suburb of Marmaris, as building in the centre
of town is mainly commercial. The old quarter has traditional Turkish
crafts
amidst its cobbled streets and is always good value for money. Its
long sandy
beach has one of the best marinas in Turkey.
Beldibi just
a few minutes drive up the mountain from Marmaris, is
surrounded by lush forest in all
directions. Mainly residential, the area
is clean and tidy and offers the only
international school. Gokova & Akyaka
The village of Gokova with its pretty little harbour and unspoilt beach is typically
Turkish and relatively unknown by English tourists. Property is of a traditional
white and dark wood style. Its location is just 30 minutes from busy Marmaris
and you will find regular dolmuses travelling back and forth to the busier locations.
The little shores along the gulf of Gokova provide a spectacular setting for
long relaxing walks. Dalaman is
typically a
residential area conveniently located near to the airport, often people bypass
the region without realising the beautiful surrounding areas such as Dalyan /
Koycegiz and Sarigerme with
its stunning sandy beach just minutes away. A new golf course is due to be built
in this area and will bring trade to the region; we are predicting this part
to be flourishing in activity in a few years time. Anyone looking to purchase
a property should seriously consider this area as a good, long-term investment.
Dalyan
Dalyan is near the pretty Dalyan River
(the ancient Calbis River). First stop is
the mudbath which is said to be very
therapeutic for your skin because of the
minerals and the lements it contains
such as Calcium, Magnesium and
Sulphur. It will take only 10 minutes from
Dalyan by boat to visit the Iztuzu Beach
(The Turtle Beach), after a 30 minutes
boat trip among the plants, birds and the
turtles, this beach is one of the rare
beaches in the world where the Marine
Turtles come and nest.
If you follow the River inland you will
discover the beautiful town of Koycegiz which is built around a
tranquil lake which feeds the river.
Property here is traditional and rustic
and has all the same benefits of Dalyan,
as well as having the fabulous fish
restaurants and mountain views. See
the ancient city of Caunos on the way
back to Dalyan town centre.
Gocek, a small
up market marine resort located between Dalaman and
Fethiye. It is considered to be very
stylish, you will often find various yachts
and gulets moored in these tranquil
waters.
Calis-Fethiye-Olu Deniz-Hisaronu-Ovacik-Ciftlik-
Uzumlu-Kas-Kalkan-Kemer-
Belek-Side-Alanya
This stretch of the Turkish
coastline is known as the Turkish Riviera or Turquoise Coast and stretches
from Fethiye in the west right through to the Syrian coastline in the
east. Without doubt one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline
anywhere in the Mediterranean. The area from Fethiye to Kemer is known
as Lycia and has Turkey’s most dramatic coastline with mountains
falling away into crystal clear seas. Summer temperatures average 30–40ºC
with a winter average of 15ºC. The village of Hisarönu and
Ovacik are located on a plateau 1,000ft above sea level under Mount
Babadag. All
around there are magnificent views of pineclad mountains with a cooling
breeze coming from the sea in the summer.
Fethiye
Once a minor market town and fishing village, Fethiye has become a thriving centre
in recent years, mainly due to the fast growing popularity of the nearby resort
of Oludeniz. This dates
back to the 6th Century BC and traces of the ancient settlement can be seen
around the town. This area is now very popular with the English, in particular
the urban
area of Hisaronu partly
because it’s a working town and is open all year
round.Uzumlu The village of Uzumlu
is one of spectacular natural beauty, set in a valley surrounded by dense pine
forests and rugged hillsides. It has managed to retain all the
natural charm and
character of a traditional Turkish Village and yet still has the convenience
of a modern town like Fethiye, which is just twenty minutes drive away. Ciftlik Pine
clad hills surround this rural location near to Calis. It is an ideal place for
people who want to ‘get away from it all’, yet still just a short
drive from the tourist attractions that Fethiye offers.Calis Time really does stand still!
At least that’s what it feels
like in the delightful little
resort of Calis
which just oozes Turkish
charm with its laid-back and
friendly atmosphere.
The resort comes alive at
night with its many bars and
restaurants offering both
Turkish and international
cuisine, but for those
seeking a little more
adventure a short ten minute
taxi ride will take you into
the bustling town of Fethiye.
Kas
A small photogenic town, first
mentioned in Lycian times as
Antiphellos, Kas still has
typical
Turkish scenery – small white
houses with wooden
balconies, the traditional
market on Fridays, boats that
take you to different places
like Kekova or the Greek
island of Kastellorizon, from its
lovely small harbour.
Kalkan Once
the most important trading port in the Teke Peninsula for the caravans
of the old Silk Road, Kalkan is a smallish town. A meeting place between
the Mediterranean,
Syria, ebanon and the east, it is now a tourist centre with many waterways– popular
for oating.Tourism has been made easier by the modern road linking it with Fethiye.The
perfect little Turkish port town. Kemer Kemer
is situated 55KM from the airport in Antalya. On the way from Antalya you will
drive
partly through the forest while enjoying breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.
Kemer is a new holiday destination, and is still one of the smaller and quieter
locations on the popular sunny south coast. Kemer has something to offer everyone
who prefer quietness instead of a hectic night life. Whether that be relaxing
on one of the cleanest and tidiest beaches around or participating in the many
water sport activities.
Side,
ancient Pamphylia’s
largest port, is steeped in
history and remains
unspoiled. It retains its many
Archaeological sites, many in
the process of being
restored. The climate is
warmer on the Mediterranean
coast creating a longer
season and with all year
access to Antalya airport,
just 40 mins away, it’s a
peaceful, attractive, and
cultural resort, with many fine
sandy beaches and golf
courses nearby. Belek Belek
is a modern resort situated 35km from Antalya.
Boasting six championship
golf courses and many more
in construction, this area is
most famous for its high
quality golfing.
Most hotels lead down to the
beaches, which are long and
golden. Pine and eucalyptus
forests create a beautiful
backdrop to this new resort. Alanya A
large popular resort Alanya, lies at one end of a rocky
promontory which juts into
the Mediterranean.
It boasts one of the
impressive 13th C fortresses
of Selijuk. The city’s walls are
punctuated by 150 medieval
towers. Alanya is a beautiful
holiday centre with modern
hotels and many fish
restaurants, cafes and bars.
With great night life, Alanya
also has the added
advantage of being close to
the all year round airport at
Antalya.
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