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| The Area |
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Being in the Xanthos valley gives the villa access to everything from Lycian ruins to the modern town of Fethiye and a range of wonderful beaches. The Xanthos valley was at the centre of the Lycian kingdom in pre-Greek times. The signs of this civilisation are still visible at Tlos and Xanthos. Xanthos itself was one of the main cities of Lycia and is famous for being burnt to the ground twice by its citizens to avoid its being captured by enemies. Between the villa and Xanthos lies the Saklikent Gorge where you can have lunch on a platform built over the river, walk up the gorge or float down the river on a rubber ring. In the opposite direction is Tlos, another of the Lycian federation cities. Above Tlos is a trout farm where you can watch trout swimming around your drink and choose the fish to be cooked! You even have to move your drink to allow the trout to get past your glass. Beyond Xanthos there are beaches at Patara (about 45 min. by car) and at Kalkan. As you approach Patara beach, you drive past ancient ruins to reach 15 km of sandy beach some of which is a turtle nesting area. Kalkan is a town on a steep hillside overlooking the sea. The nearest main coastal town is Fethiye (about 45 min. by car) with a number of beaches within easy reach. Fethiye is a bustling working town and port. The port has everything from yachts through Gulets, which take you on trips round the bay, to freighters. As you would expect there is a permanent fruit and vegetable market. The fish market whilst small has the advantage of being surrounded by restaurants to which you can take your freshly purchased fish to have cooked for you. Tuesday is market day in Fethiye and is well worth a visit for the range of things on offer. Also within reach is Ölü Deniz with its white beaches and clear sea. If you're feeling adventurous, the hang-gliding at Ölü Deniz is spectacular.
"I have enjoyed my surprise at finding such beautiful countryside. I did not expect the mountains and the green lushness" - Moira Bennett
"We've had a wonderful time in this beautiful area of Turkey - full of surprises, especially all this historic interest, which we weren't expecting in such profusion" - Parkins |
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