Villa Feslegen

Surrounded by pine forests and the stunning Sakar Tepe mountains, Akyaka is a scenic town on Turkey’s south-western coast. Once a quiet fishing village, its popularity has grown in recent years, but it retains a relaxed feel.

Akyaka sits on a hill overlooking Gökova Bay, giving it particularly magnificent sea views. The beach area draws plenty of visitors in summer, and offers great opportunities for dining and water sports. The upper village area, away from the beach, offers more amenities, shops and restaurants. A couple of times a week, you will also find street markets, which are good for trying local treats like homemade burek pastries or gosleme pancakes.

Despite its increased popularity, Akyaka has resisted over-development, and is a proud member of the global ‘slow towns’ movement, Cittaslow. It owes its distinctive architectural style to poet, journalist and architect, Nail Çakırhan, who built a much-admired house in Akyaka in the 1980s. The low-rise, wooden house with intriciate details ended up winning a prestigious architecture award, and the style has been much imitated since.

A boat trip along the River Azmak is a lovely way to see Akyaka at its best. You can look right down into the deep waters, spotting colourful fish as you go. Walking along the river is also very pleasant, and there are regular restaurant stops along the way.

You can find lots of outdoor activities around the Akyaka area. In nearby Akçapınar, there’s a great kite-surfing beach – you can book lessons in advance if you want to give it a try. Paragliding and kayaking are also popular.

Another visitor favourite are the cruises out to Cleopatra Island. Departing regularly, you can go and see the ancient remains of the city of Kedrai on the island, which date back to the 6th century BC.  Closer to Akyaka are more places of archaeological interest, as the Carian city of Idyma once stood where the town is now. The rock tombs, on the road from Akyaka to Gökova, are of particular note.

Not so far away, look out for the Akyaka Olive Farm. One of the town’s main attractions, this charming farm offers all sorts of olive oil-based goodies and has a lovely restaurant terrace right beside the river.

Read more about Akyaka

Turkey is an eclectic mix of dramatic scenery, amazing food and a deep history.  A visit to Turkey almost always inspires comment about the hospitality, maybe because the Turkish people believe a visitor is a gift from God. A trip to Turkey will almost definitely inspire you to return. You’ll be following in the footsteps of many a famous person from ancient history.

The South West coast of Turkey offers the perfect climate for your holiday, boasting over 280 dry days a year and an average June temperature of 28C in Akyaka, with sea temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius.  

Akyaka sits where the Kadın Azmak river joins the sea. Enjoying a Turkish breakfast or fish lunch at one of the many restaurants it is difficult to imagine anything disturbing the peace. Ducks and geese jostle for bread, fish swim past and bright green reeds wave in the slow-moving water, fed by cooler waters from the mountains above. Favoured by local day trippers from nearby Bodrum and Denizli, who gather on Akyaka’s wide sandy beach with shallow water meaning you can go a way out and the water is only up to your waist.

In recent years, Akyaka has become Turkey’s centre for kitesurfing and you’ll see all the kites in the sky, above the beach on the head of the gulf. There are several schools so if you fancy a go. Contact them beforehand, so you can get booked in as it is particularly popular during the holidays and weekends.
Akyaka is a member of the cultural Cittaslow organisation, recognising its connection with tradition. The local architecture of wooden balconies and white walled houses with terracotta roof tiles, bow thanks to 70’s architect Nail Çakırhan. The coast up from here has lots of small bays where you can swim and sunbathe, just drive through the forest and along the coast road to find them. Akyaka has a local market on Wednesday, or visit the huge very Turkish market in Mugla, which is the administrative centre of the area. In recent years Mugla has expanded as it’s university has gained popularity, but the centre still shows architectural signs of its Italian occupation last century.

For Turks, breakfast is a key meal, and you see family groups enjoying a feast late morning. Other than the riverside restaurants who serve a hearty feast, go to Sakartepe, at the top the mountain has the most amazing panoramic views.