A late winter birthday weekend in lovely Kaş allowed us to finally scratch that itch. And it didn’t disappoint!

It wasn’t Barry’s first time heading along these (very) undulating roads on foot with splendid Mediterranean views.

Should you choose to take part in one of Turkey’s running events, the Kaş Half Marathon, both the 12k and the 21k races head off around the Çukurbağ Peninsula.

He’s done the 12k twice and raved about the amazing views of the sea, the surrounding hills and the ever-changing angles of the Greek island of Meis…

Running and huffing and puffing up and down hills is not quite the same as a leisurely walk, however, is it?

A leisurely walk where you can take your time, stop, take photos, breathe in the natural beauty.

The world famous long distance path, the Lycian Way, heads through Kaş and surrounding areas. But the Çukurbağ Peninsula is suited to those of us who appreciate a good leg stretch coupled with amazing views.

Around the Kaş Çukurbağ Peninsula

The start and end point for our walk is the old town square in Kaş.

Everyone knows where it is. And by the end of our circular stroll around the Çukurbağ Peninsula, we’ll have cleared 12 kilometres (just short of 7.5 miles).

The same route as the 12k event in the Kaş Half Marathon (see map at the end of the article for the full route).

And with the harbour to your left and the statue of Atatürk to your right, we’re going to set off out of the square, passing the old mosque on the left.

Ancient Ruins

Cross the main road and head straight up the steep hill facing you. Get used to this undulation. There’s a lot of it!

As you clamber up this hill, there’s an interesting bit of ancient history on the left hand side. Interesting because it is thought to be a 1st Century BC temple but it isn’t know which god it was dedicated to.

A few scattered Lycian tombs lie here, too.

And then, of course, continuing along this road, eventually, to your right, you will pass the ancient Antiphellos Theatre.

Depending on the time of year, the giveaway here will be the parked cars and tour minibuses along the road.

It is worth a detour for a few photos, here. The views from the top are great.

Marina Views From The Peninsula

But let’s press on to the rest of the Kaş Çukurbağ Peninsula…

And not too far after the theatre, we get our first glimpses of our almost constant sea view – the Turkish Turquoise Coast.

The linear organisation of the modern Kaş marina is just to the left of this shot. But we love the winter colours in the sea around this first sighting of the turquoise waters.

And the boatyard on the opposite shore with gülets in dry dock and a few small yachts and motorboats moored up around the rocks.

Inceboğaz Views

As the road gently climbs, we’re eventually rewarded with views of one half of the lovely pebble beach, Inceboğaz Plajı.

It was the final day of February when we were walking but it was a pleasant sunny day. And, as you can see, a few people were out there enjoying the water.

Inceboğaz is just one of the many Kaş beaches that fills with sun loungers and gets so crowded in summer. We love being around here in winter when all is calm and peaceful.

Inceboğaz literally translates as ‘thin throat’ and what we have here is a road that cuts through opposite sides of the bay – you can see how the Çukurbağ Peninsula narrows here in the very top photo.

On our right, we can sit and view – and swim in – the calm, sheltered waters of the marina.

On our left, just across the road, we can sit and view the Greek island and enjoy slightly more open waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Take your pick.

No sun loungers on this side of the beach in summer. This is a DIY zone.

And Up Again

From here, the road once more gradually climbs, serving up stunning views of the coastline and peeks through the trees down to Kaş Halk Plajı (public beach) before opening up to the enticing views of Hidayet Koyu.

Again, in the summer months, this is a popular beach club.

But on this sunny winter’s day, it was a perfect reason to stop for a moment and take in the beauty of the coastline and the first wildflowers of early spring.

Left Or Right?

Just as when you’re walking around the Fethiye Peninsula where you can choose a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, after passing Hidayet Koyu, you’ll see a fork in the road ahead.

This is where your loop begins and you can choose to take the left or the right fork.

We choose the right fork and head anticlockwise because we prefer how the the views open out ahead of us.

The peninsula is a prime location for luxury boutique hotels and residences. And at this fork, you’ll see the signs listing these hotels and the direction you can take for the quickest route.

Favourite View Incoming

Once you’re on the loop on the anticlockwise route, your views are now to the right of you. So we’re overlooking the gulf that shelters the Kaş Marina.

And, eventually, as we head onwards, uphill towards the tip of the Kaş Çukurbağ Peninsula, we are rewarded with this fabulous view.

Villas and boutique hotels with private pool and ‘beaches’ for easy access to the calm sea.

We should point out that we took this particular photo above on a previous drive around the peninsula in the month of June, hence why everywhere is set up for the season.

Rounding The Çukurbağ Loop

As we get to the tip of the loop and round it to the other side, the undulations are steep.

And, as with so many other places around the country that are in a stunning setting, the peace and quiet is temporarily interrupted, here.

And as the years progress, no doubt construction will take place elsewhere on the peninsula. We’re not in an undiscovered area, here.

But we were walking for the exercise and the views. Down the hill and back up high again – just to the right as you can see in the photo.

As we reach the top of the hill, the views once more open out over the Mediterranean and we’re looking over islets and islands and the deep blue sea.

A Bit Of Greek

First, we’re looking across to the uninhabited Greek island of Ro.

Ro holds a significant place in history due to its famous inhabitant, the Lady of Ro – Despina Achladiotou.

Born in 1890 on the Greek island of Kastellorizo, she was a Greek patriot who rowed over to live on the uninhabited island with her husband.

She remained there after the passing of both her husband and mother, raising the Greek flag daily.

You can read more about Despina Achladiotou online. But she passed in 1982 at the age of 92 and her actions led to her being given a burial on the island with full military honours.

There’s a monument to her and a few artefacts in the archaeological museum on Meis (Kastellorizo).

And then, just a little further along the road, at this point, it feels like you could just reach out across the water and touch Meis with your fingertips.

This is the side of Meis island where the airport is – somehow, planes do come in to land, here – and it’s amazing how, despite having walked just a few kilometres along the peninsula the angles and the proximity of this island change so much.

A Bit Of Peninsula Solitude

From here, the road is high and there’s more of a feeling of solitude as you look out over the sea to the islets between Kaş and Meis.

If you’re anything like us, you’ll be feeling the effects of the undulations of the road by now.

But the everpresent beautiful Mediterranean views more than make up for this and keep you on the move – after you’ve stopped a few times to take numerous photos.

It’s an easy road to follow, as you can see in the photo above.

And don’t worry about the fact that it is a road. Remember, this is a winter walk – out of season. There are precious few people or vehicles around here at this time of year.

It’s (mainly) just you and the glorious scenery.

As we were following the coastline, a couple of boats carrying scuba divers anchored in one of the small bays – easy to see why when we looked down at the azure waters.

We were slowly getting closer to completing our loop of the Çukurbağ Peninsula.

Eventually, over the rocky coastline, we get our first sighting of the centre of Kaş in the distance.

We continue our walk and complete the loop before once more heading back along the road to town, passing the beaches and the ancient theatre.

And then that steep road that we climbed right at the beginning of our walk…

That is now the steep road to trundle down and onwards back to the square.

And at the square, you’ll find oodles of places where you can park yourself for quenching your thirst and/or getting something to eat.

Perfect reward!

Kaş Çukurbağ Peninsula – Useful Info

• We did the walk in winter which meant roads were quiet and the weather was cool. There are still places to swim if it’s a warm day.
• From the square in Kaş, the walk around the peninsula is 12 kilometres with a total elevation gain of 182 metres. (Check out the map below where you can click on points of interest.)
• You’ll need comfortable footwear and water.
• The walk took us just short of 3 hours, including stops for photos. Allow extra time if you want to swim or stop at the ancient theatre.
• If you are staying in Kaş in season, the Çukurbağ Peninsula has numerous hotels, villas and a campsite.
• There are also standalone restaurants of various styles from pizzas and burgers to fine dining establishments. When we walked in February, these were closed but there was a small market half way round for buying refreshments. Many of these places are perfect for viewing the sunset.
• In season, there is also a dolmuş service (bus) that heads around the peninsula to the various hotels and complexes.

The post Walking The Çukurbağ Peninsula, Kaş appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

Summer = Heat = Wildfires

Sadly, the last few days of July were dominated by wildfires within the Fethiye environs.

And what’s even more sad – and this is the case for other countries around Europe, too – is we are at the point where we’re almost expecting large scale wildfires to hit somewhere in the vicinity by this time of year.

Seydikemer & Yeşilüzümlü

Our first clue that all wasn’t well, somewhere, was on the 28th when two firefighting planes flew low over the top of our house and skimmed over the bay, taking on water.

And then the news started to filter through online that the fires were in Seydikemer just to the east of Fethiye.

By mid afternoon, the wind direction meant that resorts, Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü and over Fethiye centre were darkened with smoke and falling ash and another fire had started in Çiftlik.

The following day, fires started in the hills of Yeşilüzümlü. The Çiftlik fire caused some damage but was fortunately brought under control quickly compared to the others.

We now had two simultaneous major wildfires in the Fethiye area.

Heroic efforts from the firefighters and countless volunteers – both on land and in the air – bringing the fires under control and also having to remobilise when they reignited.

Food and drink supplied by homes and businesses, volunteers rallying together at Seydikemer marketplace to make sandwiches and food packs for those fighting the fires, farmers using their tractors to transport water tanks, TOMAs (police water cannon vehicles) – it’s been a huge community effort for a few days.

For the next few weeks, everyone will be on high alert. And all have been urged to extra careful.

As I type (2nd August) helicopters and a plane are cooling land in Yanıklar where a fire started earlier this morning.

Locals saw it and immediately called 112. Fire teams were on it straight away and have prevented what could have been another major wildfire.

Running Track – No Movement

Remember we told you that the whole of the track that runs along Fethiye harbour and through Şehit Fethi Bey Park is being replaced?

We were hoping to have a photo of a lovely, renewed, springy red running track for this month’s news.

Except nothing has happened. It still looks like this – well, with the loose bits swept up.

Mayor, Alim Karaca, has posted an update that the job went out to tender but the company who got the gig weren’t doing a satisfactory job. So they were taken off it.

It seems there are now legalities to go through before things can once more proceed. So, we wait…

Umbrella Street Spruce Up

But there has been movement on Umbrella Street in the town centre!

Just across the road from the old town of Paspatur, the poor umbrellas of Umbrella Street were looking a bit sad and disheveled.

A few weeks ago, the belediye removed them. Along with the awning above.

It took a while for them to be replaced. But here they are – brand new, bright and colourful. New awning protection. And what also looks like new lighting.

A job well done. Who doesn’t love a colourful umbrella scene to brighten the day!

An Aegean Adventure

July is Barry’s birthday so we usually go away somewhere for it.

Three years ago, we headed to the Çeşme Peninsula – taking in Alaçatı, too – and stopped for a driving break in coastal Sığacık for a couple of hours.

We liked the feel of the place. So, this time, we decided to stay in Sığacık as a base and drive around, exploring more of the Aegean coastal areas.

We love this area of the country! We can’t wait to get stuck into our articles and tell you more.

And Not Forgetting Gökçeovacık & İnlice

As is often the case on Barry’s birthday, a heatwave descends.

And, while we were enjoying the cooler air of the Aegean breezes, back home in Fethiye, we were also following news of a wildfire that had started in Gökçeovacık – the hills above Göcek.

Those flames quickly spread and reached all the way down to İnlice before it was brought under control.

As we drove home, a few days later, we passed the blackened, still smouldering hillside as we drove past İnlice village on the D400.

On The Blog

Amidst a short break and constantly following news updates of wildfires both here and elsewhere, we’ve also managed to slot in a few updates to the blog throughout July.

New Recipe

If you love Turkish egg recipes, we’ve added a brand new one to our collection of Turkish recipes.

Kıymalı yumurta makes a great, easy brunch if you have any leftover ragu that you need to use up.

And A Couple Of Updates

After our little break on the Greek island of Halki back in May, we had a quick scoot through our Greek islands blog content.

It had been a while since we went over our article about exploring Kos Town in a day – an easy day trip from Bodrum.

That’s now all up to date for 2026, including some new photos that we hadn’t put in the article previously.

Our tarhana soup recipe has also had a spruce up, too. It might feel a lifetime away at the moment – but soup season will be upon us before we know it and the big pan will be out with various Turkish soups simmering away in it.

Hello Again, Threads

Yes, in mid-July, we suddenly realised that Threads – previously banned in Turkey – was back up and running.

So we’re back up and running there, too.

Do you use it? If so, click here to follow us on Threads.

In Other News

The odd snippet that jumps out at us as the month progresses…

More Archaeological Discoveries

A few years ago, the Heritage For The Future project was set up.

It basically means a lot of investment into archaeology. And, these days, it’s common to visit archaeological sites where active digs are taking place lead by Turkish professors.

They really are a hive of activity. And, as visitors to these sites, we get the benefits.

Until mid-July, we’d never even heard of Tralleis near Aydın.

That was when we saw news that a 37-metre long swimming pool had been found at the site.

Once it is fully excavated, the pool will be refilled with water! Many of the country’s sites are being brought back to life.

And since that news came to light, the same team of archaeologists have now uncovered a large 2,000 year old intact mosaic in the same area. The mosaic depicts Poseidon’s sacred hippocampus.

Don’t dash off up there to explore just yet. The site is temporarily closed to the public whilst the excavations are ongoing.

Precious Photos

Have you ever been to the coastal town of Kaş on the south coast and got the Kaş Meis ferry over to the Greek island of Meis (Kastellorizo)?

We love going over there and have dipped into bits of the island’s history every now and then.

In July, the Instagram algorithm saw fit to put this great set of precious photos into my feed.

The accompanying write up is also interesting, too, explaining what happened to that population.

Into August…

We’re already into August, of course, and we’re all hoping for less eventful wildfire-free month.

Let’s see what the next few weeks bring…

The post July News From Fethiye appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

Kıymalı yumurta is a juicy, saucy meal of beef mince, partially held together by gently poached eggs that have cooked in those spicy flavour-packed juices.

It’s also enjoyed in Eastern European countries – especially Bosnia in the Balkans – as well as here in Turkey.

And whilst lots of people here like to enjoy it as a Turkish breakfast, it’s a more substantial meal for us. We prefer it as a late, light lunch.

Which, granted, can still be part of a late, leisurely weekend breakfast!

It’s not uncommon to walk past restaurants in Fethiye around 3pm at the weekend and see lots of people still enjoying their breakfast.

How To Make Kıymalı Yumurta – Turkish Minced Beef & Eggs

The good news is, if you’re looking for an easy meal with simple ingredients, you’ve come to the right place.

There are no hard and fast rules to what you should add to the ground meat mix.

But if you want an extra delicious dish (and why wouldn’t you?) we like to add a few herbs and spices.

Just for richness and a bit of a kick.

TIP: Kıymalı yumurta can be a really quick and easy egg dish to make the following day if you have some leftover ragù from that spaghetti bolognese you made last night. The eggs will give the already high protein levels a boost and fill you up, too.

We’re making our minced beef and eggs from scratch. And we’re going to be using (please scroll down to the recipe card for the amounts and method):

• Lean ground beef (minced beef)
• Onion
• Red or green bell peppers – we tend to use the long, thin Turkish peppers (sivri biber or kapya biber). If you are using the green sivri biber, check whether they have any heat to them before you add any extra chilli as they can sometimes be fiery hot!
• Ripe tomatoes – we use the large, juicy Turkish pembe tomatoes but ripe beef tomatoes or a tinned tomatoes will do the trick
• Fresh garlic
• Tomato paste
• Herbs and spices – we like to use dried kekik (thyme), ground allspice, sweet paprika and chilli flakes
• And of course, salt and freshly ground black pepper

We start off with our peppers and onions.

Saute them, first, in olive oil or sunflower oil in a large saute pan.

A good surface area will give you more room to make space for your eggs when the time comes.

When they start to sweat, we add our meat and cook it over a medium heat until it is cooked through. Then we add our tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, herbs and spices.

Taking It Slowly

At this point, if we have time on our hands, we’ll add some hot water or stock, give it a stir and cover with a lid.

We’ll then leave the meat to simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes or so. Just to let it really tenderise and all the flavours to infuse.

A spoonful of tomato paste, afterwards, will thicken your sauce and add richness of flavour and colour.

And then you can make your wells for your eggs and crack each into the wells.

We replace our pan lid so that we reduce the time it takes for the whites to cook on top.

TIP: If you want a runny yolk, make space for your egg whites to spread out thinly and cook quicker and turn to a medium-high heat. Remove from the heat as soon as your egg whites are ready.

And when you’re ready to serve, don’t forget that fresh crusty bread for dipping. And a glass of çay (Turkish tea) or icy cold ayran to wash it down with.

Afiyet Olsun!

Kıymalı Yumurta – Turkish Minced Beef & Eggs Recipe

Let’s cook!

Print

Turkish Minced Beef & Eggs – Kıyamlı Yumurta

Kıymalı yumurta is a delicious, protein-packed, one pan dish of minced beef and poached eggs that can be enjoyed as part of a hearty turkish breakfast or as a light lunch on its own.

Don't forget some chunks of fresh crusty bread to dip into your yolks and juices!

Course Breakfast / Brunch

Cuisine Turkish

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 468kcal

Author Turkey’s For Life

Equipment

• 1 frying pan large
• 1 sharp knife
• 1 chopping board
• 1 grater
• 1 wooden spoon or spatula

Ingredients

• 150 grams minced beef lean
• 4 large eggs free range
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 large tomato roughly chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper deseeded & finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic peeled & crushed or grated
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste or as needed
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil for frying
• salt & pepper to season

US – UK

Instructions

• First of all, place your frying pan over a medium heat and gently heat your oil before adding your onion and pepper.
• Stir around for a few minutes until they start to soften and your onion is becoming translucent before adding your minced beef.
• Mix and stir, breaking up any bits of beef that clump together and continue until your meat has mostly browned.
• Now add your tomato, garlic, salt and pepper, herbs and spices and stir them into your beef mixture before adding a good splash of water or stock and stirring again.
• Turn the heat down to low, cover your pan with a lid and leave the meat to simmer for around 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, remove the lid stir in your tomato paste. Depending on how much sauce you want with your minced beef and eggs, you can also add another splash of water at this stage, if you like.
• Make sure everything is mixed well together and now make 4 wells in your beef mix.
• Crack an egg into each of the wells, being careful not to break the yolk – it's not a disaster if the yolk does break.
• Now turn the heat to medium high and tease your egg whites to spread a little so that they cook quicker.
• Put your lid back on your pan and let the egg whites poach for 3 minutes or so depending on how hard or soft you want them.
• When your eggs are cooked, remove from the heat and serve up 2 eggs per person with the minced beef and fresh crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

• As with all of our recipes, nutritional values are calculated by a 3rd party API and are meant as a guide only. Please do your own due diligence if you have any special dietary requirements.
• It is up to you how much sauce you want for your kıymalı yumurta. We like to add a good amount of water or stock and leave our meat to simmer for a while to let it reduce before adding our tomato paste. 
• Some people like their minced beef and eggs to be quite dry . Other people even stir their eggs into the mix to give scrambled eggs and minced beef mix.
• Turkish minced beef and eggs is a super quick brunch to make if you already have some leftover ragù from the night before. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 425mg | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 892mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4067IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Kıymalı Yumurta – Turkish Minced Beef & Eggs Recipe appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

In a month where the Fethiye weather summer heat has kicked in amidst a bit of an early (welcome) summer downpour, we’ve had quite a slow few weeks compared to our busy May.

June News From Fethiye

So without further ado, before July takes hold and goes into full swing, let’s look back at June…

12th June International Falafel Day

We love food days like this, because they make for a good reminder to make something we might not have made for a while.

Homemade falafel is perfect summer food, we think. If you follow us on Instagram and you see our Stories, you’ll know we didn’t let the day pass. We did indeed make and eat falafel!

16th June World Sea Turtle Day

16th June marked World Sea Turtle Day. And if you know this area of the country, you’ll know the beaches are a major nesting area – particularly the Mediterranean coast between Dalyan and Olympos.

It was announced in June that along Çalıs Beach promenade, bars and restaurants will have to keep their night noise levels lower during the summer season – the season when loggerhead turtles (Caretta Caretta) come ashore to lay their eggs.

Red lighting has also been installed along some parts of the beach because this makes it easier for the turtle hatchlings to find their way to the sea at night.

To mark World Sea Turtle Day, a Caretta Caretta was made by members of the Çalış Association and Ahbap.

It was made from recyclable products and displayed along the beach, representing the importance of nature and recycling – and some of the challenges that loggerhead turtles face.

23rd June Aşure Time

Otherwise known as Noah’s Pudding, aşure is a traditional sweet meal made and served during Muharram – the first month of the Islamic calendar.

Read more about aşure – the traditions behind it and the ingredients.

Cicada Season

And you know the temperatures are properly on the rise when you hear the sounds of the first cicadas of the season.

We heard our first (very loud) cicada towards the end of the month and they’ve been a regular sound, since.

They’re definitely the daytime sound of summer!

Around Town

Other goings on around Fethiye, in June:

• Work started on Umbrella Street with new awnings over the street. Old umbrellas were removed and the belediye (local municipality) said new ones would replace them.
• At night, the Tomb of Amyntas – the highest and most prominent of the Fethiye Lycian rock tombs – used to be illuminated. In June, the lights were once more switched on so you should now be able to see it at night.
• Work has started on renewing the red running track along Fethiye harbour. In the past, small sections have been replaced. But this time, the whole track from Boğaziçi Restaurant to the end of Şehit Fethi Bey Parkı has been dug up and will be renewed.

In The Kitchen

No new recipes to add to our Turkish recipes collection in June. But we have been cooking some of our favourite dishes in Turkish cuisine.

We love seasonal eating and the aubergines on the local markets are great at the moment. So Barry made kızartma.

It’s also bean season so we’ve made the classic Turkish olive oil (zeytinyağlı) plates: green beans in olive oil and barbunya pilaki.

We’re all being encouraged to add more beans to our diet. So, if you’re looking to do the same, these two recipes are perfect for summer.

On The Blog

We’re always doing something to and with the blog, even when new articles are not appearing. But in June, we did add two brand new articles.

The Greek Island of Halki

In early May, we celebrated our wedding anniversary on the Greek island of Halki.

So many photos to sift through and so much information to compile. So it was June by the time the article was completed and published.

If you are an email subscriber, please accept our apologies because, for a few of you, when you received the email, the wrong link was added to the ‘Read More’ button.

So if you missed it, you can use this link to read our guide to Halki island, Greece.

Chez Community

The Fethiye bar and restaurant scene is an ever-evolving state of being. And, as well as many new eateries serving up traditional dishes there are also an increasing number of places coming up with different, international menus.

In June, we wrote our review of Chez Community. We’ve always loved the place where it is, so as soon as Chez opened there, we were keen to see the new design and try to food they were serving.

It’s great to be able to go there again!

In Other News

A few little bits and bobs that jump out at us as the month progresses…

A World First

It’s an airport that many love to hate – not the cheapest place in the world. However, we have a world first!

In June, it was announced that Dalaman Airport has become the world’s first airport to meet 100% of the terminal’s electricity demands exclusively through the solar panels on the roof of the terminal building.

The solar panels further reduce energy demand because their positioning on the roof provides natural shade for the terminal, keeping temperatures cooler inside.

Night Sessions

And we love this initiative started by Turkish authorities.

Special night lighting has gradually been installed in various archaeological sites. And that means, throughout the summer months, it is now possible to visit these sites at night and get a whole different experience.

And, of course, it will be a lot cooler than trudging around in the heat of the summer sun!

Some museums are also open at night.

The list of places that have had the night time treatment and will be open at night between June and October are:

• Nemrut Archaeological Site
• Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara
• Aspendos Archaeological Site in Antalya Province
• Alanya Museum
• Patara Archaeological Site
• Lycian Civilisations Museum in Demre
• Side Archaeological Site
• Temple of Apollo at Didyma
• Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery
• Hierapolis in Denizli Province
• Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum
• Istanbul Archaeological Museum
• Galata Tower, Istanbul
• Turkish & Islamic Arts Museum, Istanbul
• Ephesus Archaeological Site (Wednesday to Saturday)
• Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology
• Marmaris Museum
• Derinkuyu Underground City
• Şanlıurfa Museum
• Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum

It’s difficult to find correct information but Olympos Archaeological Site was also part of the initiative last year so could well be again for 2026.

And that’s about it for the month of June. We’re currently sat hoping for a bit of a breeze – it looks like the rest of July in Fethiye could be a hot one!

The post June News From Fethiye appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

We’re on Yerguzlar Caddesi in Çalış. And people who know this busy street well will know that the building in the photo above was formerly the Akkent Hotel.

In winter and the early spring of 2026, all that changed. The building and the outdoor spaces were given a refurb to become part of the Chez brand – they have a cafe on the 2nd Karagözler in Fethiye centre and an atelier in Taşyaka.

Chez Community

We always loved sitting at the bar and in the gardens at Akkent. We’d missed it for a while, so we kept an eye on progress at Chez.

We’d also missed that unlikely, calm oasis that could somehow exist amidst its busy surroundings.

So, when it eventually opened, we waited a few weeks before venturing in to see what Chez Community is all about…

And we’ve been a few times since. It’s on our route to and from the Çalış Sunday market so it makes a perfect Sunday afternoon pit stop for us.

Something A Bit Different

Certainly something a bit different for Yerguzlar Caddesi, anyway.

Currently, much of the Fethiye area is awash with coffee shops. And at many of them, croissants and avocado toast are seemingly as commonplace as a Turkish simit, these days.

These places are not really our scene.

And Chez Community has a whole host of speciality coffees – and huge croissants with various fillings – and avocado toast.

So what’s different?

Chez Community is also a restaurant. As well as the teas, coffees and soft drinks options, there’s also a full bar and a good-sized food menu.

Not pages-galore but more than enough to keep you interested.

Because there are lots of dishes on there that are different to what we’re ordinarily used to seeing.

And there’s those lush surroundings!

A shaded garden oasis on a hot day? Yes, please!

Natural shade from the mature trees that we’ve loved for so long. And a crowd of parasols plugging those sunny gaps.

This building was always well known for its distinctive decorative wraparound verandah with its elaborately carved wooden pillars.

The traditionalists will be pleased to know that these have been incorporated into the design of Chez Community. A mix of modern and traditional that works to create a chilled out, pleasing ambiance.

Chez Community Menu

If you’re looking for a menu full of Turkish food favourites, Chez is not the place to be.

On the handful of times we’ve been there, it’s been a predominantly Turkish customer base. And they’re customers who are there to enjoy something that’s a bit different.

When we ate, we opted for a late lunch. Typically, the same dish jumped out at both of us.

I took a hit for the team and chose an alternative just so we could swap some bits.

The Community Burger

So my choice was the Community Burger.

And it was a very decent burger. 120g of beef and a homemade burger bun. Caramelised onions, a bit of cheese. And no frozen fries.

I’ve developed a bit of a thing about frozen fries – who doesn’t love real chips?

I don’t mind frozen fries in fast food places or for bar snacks.

But, if we’re eating somewhere that is marketing itself as a restaurant or somewhere a bit more upmarket, and there are potatoes involved, however they may be presented, I like them to be unprocessed.

At Chez Community, the burger was served with this generous side of thinly sliced, homemade potato chips (hot, thick crisps for UK readers).

Very moreish. These are also on the menu as a sharing plate to go with your drinks.

The Seabass Bun

This was the menu option that piqued both of our interests. I was also quite fancying the burger so Barry won the seabass bun choice.

The seabass bun is in fact bao bun. It’s served with a lovely mango salsa and kimchi. Definitely on my list for next time we eat at Chez Community.

We’re aware that we’ve said there’s a lot of different foods on the menu – and then shown you a burger!

Well, see for yourself. There’s a link to the full Chez Community menu in their Instagram bio – we’ve linked to it in the info section below.

And on top of all that, your food and drinks are all served with a smile!

And that makes all the difference!

Chez Community is certainly not bargain basement. But, for us, neither is it overpriced for the atmosphere, the setting and the quality of food and service.

A great place to go for a treat – for that something a bit different…

Chez Community – Useful Info

• Chez Community is at the top of Yerguzlar Caddesi, across the road from the courthouse (see map below).
• The garden restaurant is open daily and serves a range of breakfasts, brunches, sharing plates, Asian dishes, street foods, salads, pastas, mains and desserts. There’s also a large range of drinks of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variety. Get their full menu via the link at the top of their Instagram bio.
• Chez also do occasional events such as live music in the evening and pop ups by other local businesses such as pizza nights.
• Lill Maison is the hotel part of the business. There’s a large pool and massage & exercise area.
• There are lots of places to eat and drink around this area and the rest of Fethiye. For more ideas, check out some of the other Fethiye bars and restaurants where we like to eat and drink.

The post Chez Community, Fethiye – A Garden Oasis appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

And it took us only a matter of minutes for that relaxation to wash over us as we arrived by ferry from the port of Rhodes Town.

Exploring Halki Island

Halki island is the ideal place to chill and unwind!

It was early May and our wedding anniversary – a trip away from Turkish shores was on the agenda.

But where to go?

Well, living in Fethiye, we’re blessed with the fact that we can simply walk along the harbour to the port and get on the high speed ferry from Fethiye to Rhodes.

From there? Well, let’s explore some Greek islands.

We loved neighbouring Symi when we headed there a while back.

So, this time, we plumped for a night in Rhodes Town before making the short trip across a small stretch of the Aegean Sea to visit Halki island.

Also part of the Greek Dodecanese Islands, Halki had been on our radar for some time.

The same-style colourful neoclassical houses framing its harbour, as on Symi and Meis (Kastellorizo). Guaranteed picture postcard prettiness!

Our Halki Accommodation

It being a tiny island, there’s only one hotel on Halki – the Aretanassa Hotel, right on the seafront at the far end of the harbour.

This was the old sponge factory. Because, like other islands in this area, sponge diving was the main driver of the economy until the early 1900s.

The rest of the accommodation is scattered around the hillside of the harbour and only village, Nimporio, in pretty, restored Greek houses. We took this latter option.

No mass tourism, here.

Accommodation is limited. So, even though we were there very early season, we booked ahead.

Halki has its die-hard regular visitors who love the place and stay on the island for weeks at a time. We wanted to make sure we had a bed!

And a very pretty bed – and place – it was, too. Recently renovated, wooden ceilings and a mezzanine bedroom.

And outside, a large, shared terrace overlooking the harbour and the hillside.

Our door and terrace was right next to Halki island’s famous landmark; the historic 19th century stone clocktower which was restored in 2022.

As you can imagine, from just about anywhere where you stand in Nimporio, the clock tower dominates the skyline.

Don’t rely on it for the time, however. Those hands never moved all the time we were there.

Halki Island Beach Life

Whilst we’re not beachy people in the sunbathing sense, we do love a wander, beach scenery – and a beachside taverna.

We only had two nights on Halki island. So on our first full day, we were out early and out wandering.

We had a few sights – and beautiful beaches – we wanted to see. Early May. Sunny and breezy. Perfect wandering weather.

Ftenagia Beach

First stop was Ftenagia Beach which we’d read was just around the tip of the harbour, beyond the only hotel.

The harbour promenade, however, is a dead end. So that gave us the opportunity to climb the stone steps, uphill and through the pretty, narrow streets of Nimporio.

Whilst many of the properties of Nimporio are holiday accommodation, there is also a thriving – if small – population of Halki locals who clearly work very hard to make sure they keep their island in pristine condition.

Down from 3,000 in the late 19th and early 20th century, the permanent population, today, stands at around 330 (just short of 500 if we include Halki municipality islets).

As you might expect, this swells in the summer months with both tourists and returning diaspora.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll take numerous photos as you walk these streets with their occasional vistas of the harbour below.

After a few minutes, we followed the makeshift sign pointing us along a scrubland footpath to Ftenagia Beach.

We’d seen online that the taverna had just opened for the summer season. So we were looking forward to a beachside leisurely breakfast and an ice cold Greek frappe!

Is it possible to feel any more relaxed when you’re the only customers in a beach taverna with just the sound of the calm waters lapping the pebble beach?

The story of Ftenagia Beach is framed on the wall of the stone-built taverna. In 1998, local man, Nikolas Irakleidis had a dream to build a taverna here.

No roads at the time (there are still precious few), no power, no water supply. The stone had to be loaded onto his fishing boat and transported to the site.

Eventually, the power, the water – and one narrow road – came. And, a story with a happy ending, so did we, the people.

Sun loungers and parasols are in a separate, shaded area to the side of the taverna. And no doubt in high season, there are numerous ‘bums on seats.’

But for our morning visit, it was just the two of us. Bliss!

We could have stayed here much longer. But exploring to be done…

Onwards To Pondamos Beach

Aside from cooler temperatures making a good wander much more pleasurable than searing summer temperatures, one of the other great pleasures of travelling in spring is the wildflowers.

As we climbed the road away from Ftenagia Beach and towards the famous Halki windmills, wildflowers lined the roadside and filled the rocky gaps of open land.

Halki island is far from what you would call lush and green. A whole different kind of barren natural beauty, here.

But springtime gives us those pretty pockets of green and splashes of colour from the new growth. Crimson poppies, wild iris, crown daisies…

Via The Halki Windmills

The road from Ftenagia Beach will take you to Pondamos Beach. And you can also make a detour to climb the hill, up to the Halki windmills.

There are apparently great views over Nimborio and the harbour from here.

However, if you do climb up there, don’t do as we did by following the road. This will lead you to what seems to be a helipad right next to the windmills – which are fenced off from here.

So we couldn’t get across. No panoramic views for us!

Instead, keep your eyes peeled for a little footpath that goes directly up the hill to them. How official this path, we don’t know, but we did see people up there in the distance the following day.

And Via The Cemetery

Walking to Pondamos Beach via this longer route will give you beautiful views over the bay where the beach is.

And it will also take you past the peaceful Halki Cemetery.

We just had to pause here for a moment.

A pristine cemetery with neat rows of whitewashed graves all facing the sea.

And just to the right, a small chapel.

From photos we’ve seen online since returning, we’ve seen the chapel in a newly repainted state – encouraging to see as others commented on its neglected state in previous years.

To Pondamos Beach

Pondamos is probably the shortest, easiest walk from the harbour as there’s a quick route over the hill, but our slightly longer route gave us the opportunity to soak up more of Halki island’s unspoiled beauty.

From the amount of beds and umbrellas on Pondamos Beach and the size of the taverna and beach bar, we’d guess its closer proximity to the harbour means it gets busy in high season.

We had a couple of leisurely beers watching the smattering of early summer beach goers brave the sea.

Calm crystal clear waters here and it’s also a very shallow bay. Swimmers waded out for quite some distance and were still only up to their knees.

From photos we’ve seen online, it looks like you can hire boats and pedalos, here, in high season. But for us, in low season, just more blissful calm.

Choosing Kania Beach

A limited time on Halki island meant making choices.

On our last day, before the ferry back to Rhodes, we had a choice to make: a walk over the hill to Kania Beach or a walk to the ruins of the abandoned ruins of Chorio, the old capital of Halki.

This area is a significant part of the history of Halki. Just above the abandoned village, perched high on the hill is also the 14th Century castle of the Knights of St. John.

Despite being an island of sponge divers, the residents of Halki were forced to live here, away from the sea from medieval times up to the 19th century because of the threats posed by pirates.

As the pirate threat reduced, that’s when islanders started to move to the port area we see today.

It’s described as a ‘breathtaking view’ from the castle. But on the day when we had to make a decision, the skyline was hazy.

So we opted to set off on the route to Kania Beach. A climb up and over a hill, seclusion and stunning views.

Don’t be put off by the fact that these are road walks. There are precious few roads on Halki island – and there are precious few vehicles that use them.

No mopeds zipping around. No hire cars. Just the one taxi!

So it was just us and our Halki surroundings. And a couple of goats en route.

Plus a bit more greenery – we saw vines growing here and a good few fig tree saplings. A move towards a bit more self-sufficiency?

As we arrived, Kania Beach looked just perfect – and closed! Not yet open for the season.

We’d brought water and the walk was the most important. So not to worry!

And a walk to the end of the road, further along revealed the island’s boat yard (we’d been wondering where it was) and the all important solar panels.

The Greek island of Halki is self sufficient on energy!

The initiative was launched in 2021. And the Greek government aims to extend this to all of the islands with the aim of gradually turning the islands into 100% green and sustainable autonomous destinations.

Halki does feel different as a result of this. The solar park means islanders can fully cover their energy needs without relying on Rhodes island as they had to in previous years.

Halki Island Boat Service

But don’t worry if you’re not fancying walking everywhere just to get to the beach.

There are local boats available to rent from the harbour that will take you on day trips to these beaches along with two others – Areta Beach and Trachia Beach – accessible only by boat.

These are for the hardcore beach lovers – and we are anything but.

Halki Nimborio Life

We love a good leg stretch – but we also love to wander localities, too. Checking out the streets and alleyways – and the food and the drink!

None of this is overly taxing on Halki island as the harbour area is pretty much it!

The Traditional House Of Halki

Whilst we knew it was a part of the neighbourhood, we stumbled across the Traditional House of Chalki whilst we were exploring the narrow streets and alleyways of Nimborio.

The lady who created this set up is Anthi Fanarakis and the house is a big box of memories – a display of traditional Halli life.

Her Halki life.

Her old family photos, crockery, the window drapes she made herself, the old olive press they used – so much to see in a tiny space.

And it all felt so personal – a lady dedicated to preserving what was, using her own collections. We didn’t take photos inside – we’re sure she wouldn’t have minded – but it felt a bit too intrusive.

Well worth a look.

The Church Of Agios Nikolaos

You can’t miss the clock tower and the huge (in relation to the size of the current population) town hall of Halki just next door.

And right on the seafront is the island’s Church of St. Nicholas (Church of Agios Nikolaos).

This is an active church. And you can enter at the weekend – of course, we weren’t there on a weekend day – but even when it’s closed, it’s possible to enter the courtyard.

This is worth doing as the traditional Dodecanese Chochlaki (black and white pebbled mosaics) is pristine.

And, as you exit via the archway under the bell tower, look up at the colourful mural depicting St. Nicholas – patron saint of children and sailors – leading a boat filled with sailors to safety.

Good Food, Good Mood

Such a small island with much of the population concentrated around the hillside of the harbour. An island whose economy is built on sustainable tourism, small scale fishing and green energy.

A handful of tavernas line the seafront on Halki island and you will eat well!

Whilst some foods are brought over from nearby Rhodes, fresh fish and the famous locally caught Halki shrimps are on the menus.

You’ll see traditional Greek cuisine classics that we all know and love – taramasalata, Greek moussaka, kolokithokeftedes (my favourite)…

But you’ll also see some great seafood dishes and salads that are just a bit different. The sea urchins in the water are huge! One taverna had a sea urchin salad on the menu.

And there was sometimes a distinct crossover with Turkish cuisine, too.

Turkish rice pilaf is pilafi. Nar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses) was on every table as a condiment – and on our salad, as you can see.

The salad was huge and filled with dried fruit and walnuts. Pickled beetroot (yes, that is a huge dollop of smashed fresh garlic on top of it) and hummus.

And, as we said, no mass tourism, here. It’s all very low-key and chilled.

Each night, we were given a free dessert – ice cream and mosaic cake – and, in one place, a free post-meal shot, too.

We went back to that place for our last couple of hours whilst we waited for our ferry back to Rhodes. Return visitor? Here’s a gift.

We’re now drinking our morning coffee from two mugs, gifted to us from a Halki taverna.

If you want to go to a beautiful Greek island and chill and not feel like you ought to be rushing around ticking off sites and sights, Halki island is that place!

Halki Island, Greece – FAQs

Book Accommodation On Halki Island

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Such a busy – but lovely – month with friends over from the UK. And two short breaks for us either side.

So, let’s get cracking with what’s happened amongst all of that…

Bayram(lar)

May was busy for the Turkish national holidays and festivals calendar – and for the Fethiye events calendar, too, for that matter.

19th May

19th May is Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı – Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth & Sport Day. Parades took place in Fethiye and a free live concert was put on in the town square.

We’re obviously behind the times, these days, as we were unfamiliar with the band who were performing – Dolu Kadehi Ters Tut – but they were clearly known to the thousands of excited youngsters who went to watch them!

Kurban Bayramı

Kurban Bayramı is the Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) and as this year’s festival fell on the Wednesday til Saturday, the government declared a 9-day holiday so that the Monday and Tuesday and the weekends either side were included.

Extending the holiday in this way gives the Turkish tourist resorts a big boost for the start of the season.

Whilst it was lovely to see Çalış Beach so crowded, we’re sure lots of people wouldn’t have been too happy joining the snaking queue of cars trying to get down the hill to the resort of Ölüdeniz.

Wrestling & Shopping

And whilst early May saw the now annual oil wrestling event taking place in Karaçulha, towards the end of the month, it was also the annual Çalış Spring Fayre.

Because of our busy month, we were away for both of these local events.

I love a bit of wander through the artisan stalls of the fayre. But we also had a great time where we were, too!

More of that, further below…

Şövalye Island Visit?

Car-free Sövalye Island is that little stretch of land between the Fethiye Peninsula and Çalış Beach.

Complimentary shuttle boats will pick you up for restaurant visits. But if you just want to head to Şövalye Island for a wander and a swim, the Muğla Büyükşehir taxi boat started to run again in late May.

It leaves from Fethiye harbour and there are four crossings, daily, there and back.

More details in our article about Şövalye Island.

Daily Life = Blog

This blog is made up purely of personal experiences. So bits of our daily life naturally become content on here – and it means we get to update and refresh longstanding articles, too.

Things change, don’t they?

Friends To Visit In Fethiye

Two different groups of friends over in May contributed to a lovely busy month.

Some of them love wandering around Paspatur and it’s tradition that we always meet at Deep Blue.

A perfect opportunity, then, to update our article about Deep Blue Bar.

In The Kitchen

And a lot of what we cook also becomes a recipe on the blog – an ever growing list of Turkish recipes and the occasional international recipes, too.

As May progressed, whilst the Fethiye weather was a bit of a mixed bag, the temps were generally climbing.

That means our diet starts to change, too. We naturally stray into a world of meze and making salads and grills.

So the month of May was memorable for lots of helpings of Barry’s homemade chicken liver pate.

Classic grilled köfte has been on the menu. And I also made a huge yeşil tabağı (green plate).

Oodles of health benefits in the yeşil tabağı which is a mung bean salad with lots of other richly coloured green ingredients.

No new recipes in May.

As we said, our feet haven’t touched the ground. We’re thinking June will be a tad more chilled so, hopefully, we’ll have some more kitchen time.

And Some Travels

Last year, on 5th May, we finally decided to get married. And so, despite many years together already, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary this year.

Greece

We decided to mark our anniversary by heading to Greece for a short break – a couple of Greek islands.

So that has paved the way for a few article updates. And also a brand new article that is in progress…

We took the catamaran over from Fethiye to Rhodes and had a couple of nights there.

So an update to our article about the Fethiye Rhodes high speed ferry. And also an update to our guide about Rhodes Town.

We explored more of the ‘new’ town, this time – which we loved – so there’s now a bit more about that in the article.

We also took a ferry from Rhodes and headed over to the island of Halki for a couple of nights.

It’s taken a lot longer than expected to sift through my photos and decide which few will make the upcoming article.

Anyway, that’s all now done.

So work on the writing will start when this news update is finished. For now, this is one of the pics that made the cut.

Dalyan

And then, towards the end of the month, it was the very welcome return of a running event in beautiful Dalyan.

Do keep an eye on our Turkish running events page if you like to take part in road and trail races.

This was a road event and a trail event combined. Barry and a friend did the 10k. Nothing for me at the moment due to injury.

Any running event for us is a happy excuse for at least a couple of nights away. And it’s always lovely to jump on the dolmuş from Fethiye to Dalyan.

Our guide to Dalyan is now also freshly updated.

Make Us Your Preferred Source

If you could make Google show you more content from your favourite travel and food sites (like us), would you?

Google has quietly started rolling out a new ‘Preferred Sources’ feature in their Search and AI results.

It lets you choose the publishers you actually want to see more often when you’re searching for things like travel ideas, recipes and guides – like us!

If you’ve enjoyed our Fethiye & Turkey travel guides, local food spots and recipes over the years – and would like to see more of them when you’re searching on Google – then we’d be really grateful if you could tick the little square box across from our logo on this page.

Thanks a lot!

In Other News

Very short and sweet, this month, because we’ve been out and about so much.

But, right at the beginning of May, this article really jumped out.

Over the years, we’ve visited the Galata neighbourhood of Istanbul a lot. And we’ve stayed there a couple of times, too.

We’ve seen a lot of changes. With lots of local shops and businesses disappearing and tourist souvenir shops and the like taking their place.

This article, The Great Galata Replacement, restores some hope. It celebrates the adaptiveness, inventiveness and determination of some business owners looking to remain in the neighbourhood both by embracing tourism and retaining some of the unique atmosphere of Galata.

Into June…

It’s starting to feel like summer. And our current pace of life is slowing down a little.

We’ve got a couple of recipes we want to add to our list of Turkish salad recipes.

These are great for summer. But if you know Turkish cuisine, you’ll know it’s VERY rare there isn’t a salad of some description on the table even in the depths of winter when everyone’s tucking into hearty stews and casseroles.

And, as it’s June, we might venture to one of the local beaches or a pool. Summer really has started if that happens!

Let’s see what the month has in store…

The post May Life In Fethiye And Beyond appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

The lemon blossom is out, the honey bees are busy and the temperatures are slowly creeping up.

The Fethiye weather still throws a bit of wind and rain around but, generally, there’s a feeling that summer is on its way.

April Festivals & Events

It’s been a month of Turkish national holidays and festivals by way of National Sovereignty & Children’s Day on 23rd April and a trip up to Yeşilüzümlü for the annual Yeşilüzümlü Dastar & Morel Mushroom Festival.

The 3-day mushroom festival is so popular, these days, that we decided to go up on the first day – the Friday – so that we could have a wander around in the sunshine and have a browse of some of the craft stalls without battling through the crowds.

Babadağ Ultra Trail

The weekend of 25th-26th April was another of the fast-growing Turkish running events: the Babadağ Ultra Trail.

Runners from around the country (and the world) set off from Belcekiz Beach in Ölüdeniz taking part in various distances with VERY varying degrees of difficulty.

From a 5k run along the beach road (and back) to the 56k Babadağ Ultra – and various distances of uphill and downhill races – some taking in the summit of Babadağ – in between.

And Some Hardcore Cycling

29th April was the 4th stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey with route running from Marmaris to Fethiye.

As Fethiye was the finish line rather than the start, this year, we decided to go up to Cafe Park Teras to get a view from above of the cyclists coming in.

Summer Season Prep

Amongst the various local Fethiye events taking place, prep has quietly continued for the summer season.

New Benches

If you take a walk along the harbour between Fethiye and Çalış, you’ll notice new seating along the stretch between Denizatı Restaurant and Şehit Fethi Bey Park.

They don’t look brand new. Perhaps acquired from another town or city, elsewhere? But they do look heavy duty.

And they’re double-sided. So you can either sit and look over the bay or you can sit with your back to the sea and watch the world go by.

Interesting how many people we’ve seen choosing the latter option.

What would you be? A sea-gazer or a people-watcher?

This stretch of the harbour now also has new lighting, too, which we presume to be LED lighting like the ones along the main road and the cycle track.

And in the park, the woodwork has had a spruce up. Rotted wood replaced, all other wood sanded and restained.

Çalış Beach Prep

Every winter, storms raise the sea levels so that waves wash up right up to – and sometimes over – the beach wall.

With them, they bring all sorts of debris and rubble – the natural and the not so natural.

Earlier in April, the beach was trawled and bigger stones and boulders removed.

As I type, the parasols are gradually being placed along the beach and beds have quickly followed…

It’s beginning to look a lot like summer...

Boat Prep

And, of course, the Çalış Water Taxi has resumed its services – daytimes only at the moment until the season kicks in, properly.

And whether you’re in Çalış, Fethiye or Ölüdeniz, the local boats are all spruced up for the season and advertising their services for daily boat trips – and longer.

Out & About

Quite a quiet month, April, as far as Fethiye bars & restaurants are concerned.

We were staying in Antalya for a few nights at the beginning of the month for the Runtalya running event so eating out hasn’t really been on the agenda.

We did, however, manage to treat ourselves to a yummy kuşbaşılı pide at Nefis Pide Kordon.

Along Çalış Beach, April has seen Calisto as a usual haunt for us – along with Geyik.

Bar Restaurant News

And just a couple of updates for the local bar and restaurant scene…

• Congratulations to Kanatçı Mert BBQ. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know we love going to eat juicy chicken wings, there. They’re now opening a second branch along Beşkaza Meydanı (the town square). Good luck to them!
• In Fethiye centre, Cafe Park Teras and Deep Blue Bar are now both fully open for the summer season.
• And yet more changes along Çalış Beach as we say goodbye to Motif and George’s Restaurant. We’ve heard tales of what will replace them – but we’ll wait and see what materialises. We never went to George’s but it was very much a part of the fixtures and fittings of the promenade. We’ll miss the food at Motif.

In The Kitchen

No new recipes this month. But it has been a month of easy bakes.

These are great because we can share them with Barry’s mum, too.

A lovely big tray of delicious fırında mücver (courgette fritters baked in the oven). And then, a few days later, we followed that with our Turkish potato cake.

And springtime is just the season of abundant seasonal food.

Whilst we haven’t made any of our old favourite Turkish aubergine recipes, they’re right are in season at the moment.

So we’ve been enjoying them sauteed and then topped with thick, creamy süzme yoghurt!

On The Blog

Because we’re usually in Antalya at least once a year, we can keep our articles about the city fresh and up to date. So April has really been about that.

Karaalioğlu Park has had a spruce up. As has our article about one of our favourite pubs, Dubh Linn Gastro Pub in the old town, Kaleiçi.

We spent a few hours wandering Konyaaltı Beach and surroundings. So we’ve have added a couple of updates to that article.

And, last but not least, if you need to get there, our article about how to get from Fethiye to Antalya by bus is all refreshed and updated.

Fethiyespor

The final match of the season was away to Mardin. And that means all the fixtures and results are completed.

And these are the final league standings.

Another season of hope for the die-hard Fethiyespor supporters will commence after summer…

In Other News

A few of the stories that jump out at us as the month progressed.

Formula 1 Back In Istanbul

We’ll kick off with the news that it was announced last week that Formula 1 is set to return to Istanbul in 2027. Much to the delight of Turkish F1 fans.

This cat didn’t seem over impressed with proceedings, however. The video has gone viral – it casually sauntered into shot while F1 driver, Yuki Tsunoda, prepared to set off through the city in his F1 car.

It’s not an Istanbul event if there isn’t a cat!

Döner Discovery

You can never be too old to try your first döner kebab!

This nun, Sister Irmıngard is 92! She tried her first döner and declared her delight – but she was going to save the rest for later.

We’ve all been there.

It’s Another Significant Statue

Laodicea, between Pamukkale and Denizli has been on our radar for a while. But we are yet to make it there. We need to put that right, this year…

Ongoing archaeological digs recently revealed a large 2 metre statue of the goddess, Athena.

The statue is from the Augustus era which lasted from 27 BC to 14 AD.

Into May

More events to come by way of oil wrestling and the Çalış Spring Fayre – and no doubt lots of other happenings, too.

Let’s see what the new month brings…

The post April News From Fethiye appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

As far as we’re concerned with our own daily life, it’s been a relatively quiet month. Just doing the day to day.

The usual morning exercise, however, despite the very mixed bag of Fethiye weather for March, has been very much brightened up by lots of mimosa appreciation.

But all around us, locally, there’s all sorts underway. So, let’s get underway!

Changing Views

Lots going on along the sahil yolu – Fethiye coast road – at the moment.

New Seaside Mosque

Just to the right of the harbour entrance to Şehit Fethi Bey Park, a new mosque – Sahil Camii – suddenly appeared, as if from nowhere.

It’s become a curiosity because some of the frames arrived readymade.

Whilst the minaret arrived almost completely intact – and was lifted into place by a winch – the metal wall frames were quickly erected before the intact frame of the dome was lifted into position.

The minaret and dome were in situ within a day. Proceedings have slowed a little now the gaps are being filled in with blocks – but it’s an interesting watch.

There’s a lot more focus, at the moment, on earthquake-proof construction. So we could be seeing more frames like this in the future.

New Streetlights

And staying along the seaside road, as I type, new streetlights are being installed all the way along.

These are decorative ones, replacing the not-very-attractive plain lights that were there previously.

And the pattern alternates between the Turkish flag and various images of Atatürk.

Aside from the aesthetics, they’re also serving a practical purpose. Because this is LED lighting.

Pros and cons to everything, of course, but LED lighting has much lower power consumption and has a lifespan of 10-20 years; saving municipalities time and money.

As well as lighting the road, the cycle track and running track are also illuminated.

Significant March Dates

Ramazan Bayramı

The holy month of Ramazan came to an end on Thursday 19th March.

Many Turkish families used the used the half day holiday – Arife – to start preparations for the three day festival, Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr).

This is the festival that is also known as Şeker Bayramı (Sugar Festival) because it is a time when sweets and Turkish desserts are at the forefront.

First Summer Season Flight

Whilst Dalaman Airport remains open in winter for domestic flights and a handful of scheduled international flights, the first charter flight marks the beginning of the summer season for the airport.

Even if some hotels, bars and restaurants in resorts like Marmaris, Ölüdeniz and Çalış Beach are still in prep, that is.

This year, the first summer season flight landed at Dalaman on 23rd March. A Jet2 flight from Manchester carrying 189 passengers.

As is tradition, these passengers were greeted by Dalaman Airport staff and other tourism personnel with flowers and a buffet.

It’s a crazy world we’re living in at the moment. We’ve got fingers and toes crossed for a decent summer season for everyone.

If you’re coming over to this part of the world this summer, check out our recommendations for the best things to do in Fethiye.

Festival Season

Around this time of year in the Mediterranean and Aegean areas of the country, as well as the National Holidays and religious festivals, we get various festivals and events.

Over the weekend, the local crowds headed to the nearby port of Göcek for the Göcek Herb Festival.

We went last year and were hoping to be there again this year – braving potential bad weather – but Barry wasn’t feeling great – newly into a cold – so we gave it a miss.

Great that so many people still went along, despite the threat of rain.

Fingers crossed for great weather and health for the upcoming Yeşilüzümlü Dastar & Morel Mushroom Festival on the weekend of 10th-12th April.

18. Mart (18th March)

In Turkey, 18th March is Şehitler Anma Günü – Remembrance Day for the 1915 Çanakkale War.

This year was the 111th anniversary of the end of the Battle remembrance for those who gave their lives in the Çannakale War; known to many of us as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Gallipoli Campaign.

Out & About

A weekend in Kaş at the end of February/beginning of March and another weekend away coming up means ‘out & about’ has been a bit low key in March.

We hadn’t been for a while. So we took ourselves off to Kanatçı Mert for some of their lovely juicy barbecued chicken wings.

And, on the last day of the month, we needed to do some shopping in town – a lovely bit of mackerel from the Fethiye fish market amongst other errands.

The sun was shining. So we went for the old faithful and had a kuşbaşılı pide at Nefis Pide Kordon. Difficult to beat when you’ve not had one for most of the winter.

On The Blog

A Bit Of Cooking

A busy few weeks but we have managed to get a new addition to our list of Turkish recipes out there on the blog.

Dalyan köfte is a really tender, juicy Turkish meatloaf that is literally stuffed with vegetables.

Trust us, if you like red meat, this tastes amazing. Great weekend food, it can be frozen, refrigerated and/or your leftovers reheated the day after.

We actually prefer it the day after!

And it doesn’t really feel like it. But we did have some warm sunny spring days throughout March.

That always calls for making salads so we went for a big bowl of Turkish orzo salad last week.

And sticking with orzo, the local Turkish markets are brimming with springtime seasonal produce at the moment and we love a seasonal broad bean salad with orzo.

And A Travel Update…

Last month, we spent a while making sure our guide to the Greek island of Meis – as it’s known here – was up to date.

In March, we did a very long overdue update to our article for how to get to the island from Kaş by way of the Kaş to Meis ferry.

Archaeological Declaration

And Göcek made the news again in March. A new one on us – the Kalimce ruins.

These ancient Lycian ruins are underwater, just off the shore. And in March, they were declared a Grade 1 archaeological site.

Apparently, they can occasionally be seen from the shoreline when the sea recedes a little.

It’s good news for the Göcek Culture & Tourism Association. And the Göcek Public Assembly who pushed for the recognition.

Their aim is to prevent uncontrolled construction whilst boosting sustainable tourism.

In Other News

Some little snippets of news that have jumped out at us over the last few weeks…

More EU Recognition

Turşu (Turkish pickled vegetables) plays a significant role in Turkish cuisine.

And if you go to any pickle shop, they often also sell turşu suyu (pickle juice) and şalgam suyu (a tangy fermented drink made from purple carrots and turnip).

Already famous for its spicy Adana Kebab, of course, şalgam also originates from the city of Adana.

And in March, this distinctive drink was given EU Geographical Indication registration; the 45th Turkish product to be given the designation.

A Sporting Fest

Take a breath; March was a successful month for Turkish sports stars:

• At the Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup held in Antalya earlier in March, there was a home win for Turkish gymnast, Adem Asil, on the rings. Gold medal and world champion! Meanwhile, Ferhat Arıcan took home the bronze medal for his routine on the parallel bars.
• And not something we usually associate with Turkish sport; March was the month the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships were held in Montreal in Canada. History was made when Furkan Akar won the Turkey’s first ever speed skating medal. He took bronze in the 500 metres final.
• If you’re someone who likes to keep fit, you might have heard of the move, the ‘Turkish Get Up.’ Quite apt, then, that in March, the World Record for the Heaviest Turkish Get Up was won by a Turkish fitness coach; Burak Yazgı. 116.8 kilograms. Bonkers!
• And last but definitely not least? Of course, you already know that Turkey have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in 24 years.

Back To Food

And just to end with a nice read. We move further east from Adana to the city of Gaziantep. This BBC Travel article is all about how the city’s identity is built on ‘Green Gold’.

It is, of course, referring to Gaziantep’s single most important ingredient: pistachio nuts!

The post March Life In Fethiye appeared first on Turkey's For Life.

But I never did. Until recently, that is…

Barry made a classic meatloaf a few months ago and we loved it. So it jogged the memory. And Dalyan Köfte is now going to be a definite regular on the menu.

It’s tender, juicy, packed with flavour, high in protein (and all the other great nutrients we get from red meat).

And you get to incorporate some vegetables, too. Always a bonus!

Not That Kind Of Dalyan Köfte

Turkish cuisine has a sizable number of dishes that are named after their place of origin.

Tekirdağ köfte, Inegöl köfte, Izmir köfte, Adana kebab, Urfa kebab, Antalya piyaz…and so on…

Dalyan köfte is not one of those dishes.

Many of us know and love the pretty southwest Turkish town of Dalyan. But this is not the place that gives our Turkish meatloaf its name.

As far as we know, our Turkish meatloaf is not named after a place, at all. But more of that as we start to make our dalyan köfte…

How We Make Dalyan Köfte

Simply put, we’re making a large köfte loaf that is going to be stuffed with mixed vegetables.

And it’s a great, easy dish to make as a centrepiece for the dinner table if you’ve got friends or the whole family to entertain on special occasions.

Serve it whole, as in the photo above, garnished with roughly shopped fresh parsley. Or you can cut it into thick slices it up beforehand so that everyone can help themselves.

The Meat Mixture

Because we’re making a meatloaf, we need a minced/ground meat mixture that is going to be pliable – well-kneaded so that it doesn’t crack and break up in the oven.

You can make your mixture in a large mixing bowl. Or, as we do, on a large serving plate.

As well as our solid ingredients, we also add a splash of water to the mixture. That makes our meat more smooth and soft without it becoming too wet.

In Turkish cooking, ‘galeta unu’ is often used in köfte recipes where breadcrumbs are required. Galeta unu is very fine breadcrumbs, like a coarse flour. But you can use regular breadcrumbs if you have them to hand.

Along with salt and black pepper, we love lots of flavour in our dalyan köfte.

A generous helping of herbs and spices:

• Onion and fresh garlic
• Pul biber (hot chilli / red pepper flakes)
• Allspice
• Rosemary
• Cumin seeds

And once we’ve added all of that, we get to bringing the mince mixture together; kneading it all, adding a splash of water as we go along.

Mold The Meatloaf Shape

When we’re happy that everything is mixed well and the mixture feels soft enough to start molding it into shape, we make a rough substantial meatloaf shape.

We don’t need a loaf pan or loaf tin for dalyan köfte. It’s just a case of getting a rough, elongated köfte and placing it onto a sheet of greaseproof/baking paper.

Create A Boat

And then we make a well along the middle to create a boat. The well is going to be the nest for our mixed vegetables which, for a Turkish meatloaf recipe, is usually carrots, peas and potatoes.

For convenience, in Turkish supermarkets, this vegetable mix is called ‘garnitür’ and is sold ready-cooked in jars, packets or frozen packs.

You can make your own if you like so that you have more control over quantities and ratios. But for a quick meal prep, these packs and jars are great.

‘Dalyan’ has different meanings in Turkish. It is used in slang to describe someone who is tall and slender. It is also a long fish net or trap.

Both meanings have relevance to our meatloaf. We have a long, thin köfte as opposed to a small, circular grilled köfte. And we have our encased – trapped – vegetables in their long ‘net.’

We should add that it is common to also add a row of whole peeled boiled eggs into the well at this stage.

While we do love our Turkish egg recipes, we find their addition a bit too much for this Turkish meatloaf recipe. The meat and vegetables are enough for us.

Conceal The Vegetables

Try to resist putting too many vegetables into your meaty boat – like we did the first time we made dalyan köfte.

Because now, we bring the edges and ends of the meatloaf towards the centre to create a big loaf shape.

Our vegetables are packed safely inside.

We did say earlier, you don’t need a loaf pan for your dalyan köfte. That’s because we’re making it into a roll with the help of the baking paper.

Make a tight roll – but not too tight – and then roll another sheet of baking paper around that and close the ends like a parcel.

Time To Cook

Then we bake our Turkish meatloaf in the centre of a preheated oven.

And once it’s done, it’s not quite done.

Because this is the all-important good bit – the bit that gives the dalyan köfte that extra pop of flavour.

For the last part of the baking, we mix a sauce – some tomato paste and olive oil with some hot water…and some tomato ketchup!

The ketchup isn’t traditional for a Turkish meatloaf recipe but is really does make all the difference.

We heat the tomato sauce mixture over a medium heat and then we unwrap our Turkish meatloaf.

Then we pour and brush the sauce over the top and around the sides of the meatloaf. Then place it back in the oven for a short time, uncovered.

Serve Your Dalyan Köfte – Turkish Meatloaf

It’s up to you how thick or runny you want the sauce to be.

We like it to be a consistency that coats the meat and takes on a sweet sticky consistency. However, some people prefer a gravy consistency.

We let our cooked meatloaf rest for a while before slicing and serving.

And you can serve your Dalyan Köfte with an accompaniment of your choice.

For this one, we had some mixed vegetables and some tomato sauce mix left over. So we heated the remaining carrot, potatoes and peas in the sauce.

Then we served them on the side along with a separate bowl of Turkish shepherd’s salad.

Mashed potatoes – patates püresi – or fresh, crusty chunks of bread are also popular.

Make-Ahead Turkish Meatloaf

If you’re someone who likes to be organised by doing meal prep in advance, you can cook your dalyan köfte ahead of time. Just allow it to cool to room temperature and then freeze it or refrigerate it.

To allow it to defrost quicker, before you freeze it, portion your meatloaf out and wrap each portion in freezer safe plastic wrap and foil.

You can defrost it and then bake in the oven when you are ready to eat it.

Freeze it for up to 3 months.

If you are cooking ahead for a meal in the next couple of days, you can store your meatloaf whole in the fridge, covered, for around 3 days.

When it’s cold, it’s easier to slice.

When you’re ready to serve the meatloaf, slice it up and place each slice on a baking sheet or tray. Then bake for a few minutes in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit).

The servings you can see in our photos are individual slices that we sliced and baked the following day. A lovely meal – still succulent and tender and juicy!

Our Dalyan Köfte Recipe (Turkish Meatloaf)

Let’s start prepping and cooking…

Print

Dalyan Köfte – Turkish Meatloaf Recipe

This succulent beefy dalyan köfte is stuffed with vegetables and makes a great weekend meal. It refrigerates and freezes well so you can also make it ahead for batch cooking.

Course Main

Cuisine Turkish

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 346kcal

Author Turkey’s For Life

Equipment

• 1 sharp knife
• 1 chopping board
• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 pestle & mortar

Ingredients

For The Dalyan Köfte

• 400 grams minced beef (ground beef)
• 1 medium onion peeled & grated
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 3 cloves garlic peeled & grated
• 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 100 grams garnitür cooked and diced carrot, potatoes & peas
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt

For The Sauce

• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons tomato ketchup
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

US – UK

Instructions

• First of all, grind your peppercorns and cumin seeds in a pestle and mortar.
• Now, except for your mixed vegetable filling and the sauce, add all of your dalyan kofte ingredients to a mixing bowl, breaking your raw egg over the top.
• Mix and knead the mixture for a couple of minutes, adding a small splash of water as you go so that you have a soft, pliable meat mixture.
• Bring all the mixture together into a rough elongated substantial köfte shape and place onto a sheet of baking/parchment paper.
• Form an oval shape and make an indentation along the centre so that it resembles a dinghy boat.
• Pour your mixed vegetables into the 'boat' and then bring the sides of the meatloaf together so that you make a roll, concealing the vegetables inside.
• Preheat your oven to 200 °C
• Now roll the parchment paper around your dalyan köfte so that it is parcelled and tuck the ends in. Roll this in a second sheet and, again, tuck the ends in.
• Place your parcelled Turkish meatloaf onto an oven tray or rimmed baking sheet and put into the centre of your oven and leave to bake for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, you can make your tomato paste, ketchup and olive oil mixture. Mix these together and add a splash of water to loosen it. You need enough sauce to spread over the top and around the sides of your meatloaf.
• After 45 minutes, remove your meatloaf from the oven and carefully remove the parchment paper.
• Spread your sauce over the top and around the edges of the meat and place the meatloaf back into the oven – uncovered – for a further 15 minutes.
• After this time, remove your dalyan köfte from the oven and leave to rest for around 10 minutes.
• Either serve whole and a centrepiece for the table or cut it into thick slices for individual servings.
• Enjoy with further mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes or salad.

Notes

• As with all of our recipes, our Turkish meatloaf recipe’s nutritional information is meant as a rough guide only. Values are calculated by a 3rd party API. Please do your own due diligence if you have any special dietary requirements. 
• We use a medium fat (orta yağlı) minced beef and sometimes need to drain off some of a little of the juices before we the meatloaf back into the oven for the final 15 minutes. Using a medium fat meat mix keeps your dalyan köfte moist and juicy after cooking.
• If you can’t get readymade ‘garnitür’ mix, feel free to make your own mixed vegetables. 
• We serve our dalyan köfte with leftover garnitür in the same sauce we use to spread over the meatloaf, along with a side salad. Fresh crusty bread and mashed potatoes are also popular side dishes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 784mg | Potassium: 510mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4608IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Succulent Turkish Meatloaf Recipe – Dalyan Köfte appeared first on Turkey's For Life.