FETHIYE MARINA & RESORT

During the Lycian period the town was called Telmessos, meaning the land of lights, where the torrent of civilizations created in the time tunnel and gliding from inaccessible summits of wild Taurus Mountains meet the foamy blue waters of the Mediterranean. Fethiye transformed from an ancient port to a relaxing beach side heaven. Fethiye lies on a semicircular bay protected by a ring of twelve islands. However it has kept its Turkish character with a host of bazaars, shops and restaurants, with red tiled roofs in picturesque, cobbled back streets, where you will find men playing a game of backgammon in the shade, or offering you a cup of refreshing apple tea whilst explaining the history of the famous Turkish carpets. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, cafes and nightclubs along with the markets, banks, cash points, chemists and doctors in the resort. With its majestic mountain scenery and superb, island-strewn bay, modern Fethiye is a lively town which thrives on a growing tourist industry, while the atmosphere in the picturesque old quarter is surprisingly laid back, reminiscent of a traditional fishing village. Nearby are Oludeniz, Turkey’s most celebrated beach, and Cold and Hot Bay - the name just about sums up the experience, for the water on the surface can be cool - almost chilly - but dive half a metre down and you can luxuriate in hot spring water, reputedly good for rheumatism and arthritis.