Dalyan

Once a somnolent farming town and now increasingly a package-tour colony, Dalyan has so far managed to keep some of its peaceful atmosphere. On top of those who choose to stay here, summer afternoons bring an armada of excursion boats from Marmaris and Fethiye carving a path through the reed beds of the Dalyan River (Dalyan Çayı) on their way to the ruins of ancient Kaunos (Caunos) and İztuzu beach. Above the river the façades of Lycian rock tombs gaze silently down on all this activity. Dalyan may be filling up with identical restaurants and the town centre has become another bland concrete agglomeration, but it only takes a few minutes’ walk to reach the charming old Dalyan of gardens and willow trees.