Fethiye is a much loved holiday destination, the town enjoys thousands of visitors every year.  There are many things that attract people to this area of Turkey such as beautiful beaches, historical sites and a variety of trips and excursions.  There are many brief synopses of Fethiye, that explain more about this pretty harbour town but here are some little known facts about Fethiye.

The town of Fethiye hasn’t always had this name.  In fact it was only in 1934 that Fethiye came by its current name, it was previously know as Makri and before that in ancient times Telmessos.  Fethiye was renamed by Ataturk after the daring pilot Captain Fethi Bey.  Fethi was one of the first pilots of the Ottoman Air Force, but was killed on an early mission.  The pilot was flying between Istanbul and Alexandria when his plane crashed over Damascus.  The town recently celebrated the centenary of the famous aviator’s death.  Numerous people gathered last month to remember the pilot who was has become one of the nation’s pioneers in aviation history.

The town over recent years has become a popular holiday destination, but has still managed to preserve its roots and traditions, although there are not many visitors that know quite how old this town actually is.  It is thought that the town dates all the way back to the 5th Century BC.  There are relics of Fethiye’s ancient past dotted throughout the town such as a Roman amphitheatre on the harbour, a medieval castle on the hill above the town and Lycian Rock Tombs carved into the cliff face.

The Fethiye area has plenty of attractions but it has been made famous worldwide for the amazing paragliding opportunities that it offers.  BabadagMountain provides the launch point for a breathtaking journey through the skies.  Located 6,500ft above sea level, those that jump from here can enjoy fantastic views out over the turquoise sea, the resort of Oludeniz and the ghost village of Kayakoy.  The area has become so synonymous with paragliding that Oludeniz actually hosts Air Games every year, every September or October thousands of people from all over the world come to take part in seemingly gravity defying stunts.

Fethiye is the start, or finish point, depending on where you begin or end your journey of the Lycian Way.  A world renowned trekking route, it stretches for a whopping 510km!  Parts of the walk are only suitable for the hardy as there is some tricky terrain, but it’s possible to spend a leisurely few hours walking along the trail, which enjoys spectacular views of the sea and countryside.  The Lycian Way Ultramarathon has been running since 2010, a gruelling course it runs over six days for 240km.