Villa Kelebek

The villa can be found in the unspoilt area of Faralya, known locally as Uzunyurt, a speedy seventy kilometre drive from Dalaman airport, twenty eight kilometres to the main town of bustling Fethiye, and just fifteen kilometres to the iconic spit of Oludeniz with its beautiful blue lagoon and inviting sandy beaches. Villa Kelebek is set in the hills of Butterfly Valley, and enjoys breath-taking panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and the dramatic Lycian Way coastline. The villa benefits from having access to an adjacent luxury boutique hotel, offering complimentary transfers, use of their beach club, a restaurant and bar, yoga sessions and massages.

There is so much to see and do within a short distance from the villa. Butterfly Valley, so named as it is home to eighty species of butterfly, and if you are lucky enough to be staying in June, you may get a chance to see them all. Take a short trip to Oludeniz, where you will find one of the world’s best sandy beaches, lively seashore restaurants and bars, and exclusive souvenir shops. From here you can hop aboard a water taxi to Gemile Island aka Aya Nikola, a natural protected area, that is now an open-air museum. For the thrill seekers, head up the hill and take the cable car to the top of Mount Babadag, at almost two thousand metres you can jump off and paraglide solo or in tandem and land on Oludeniz beach – go on, we dare you! For shopping and the city Fethiye is your destination, a harbour town with yachts moored the length of the coastline, home to an ancient amphitheatre, historical museum and rock tombs, a foodie-heaven fish market for a catch of the day fabulous feast, shops selling stuff you want to take home with you, and an embarkation point for the obligatory twelve island boat trip.

If it’s history you are after, you’ve come to the right place, hike the Lycian Way and take a trip through time. Trace the past with trips to Xanthos, the ancient capital of Lycia, and home to the oldest republic in the world, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, discover mosaics, amphitheatres, agoras, and an acropolis. Walk the ancient ruins of Patara, the birthplace of St Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus, and loose yourself its twenty kilometres of sandy beach, home to the famous Turkish breeding turtles. Explore the rock tombs of Tlos, carved in the façade of the ancient city ruins, where you will find a necropolis, Roman baths, and an Ottoman basilica. Head for Letoon to see the mosaic of the goddess Leto, as you wander through the Temple of Apollo. Whilst the honeycomb cliffs of Pinara hosts nine hundred rock tombs and a theatre in verdant setting. In Fethiye you will find ancient sites dating back to two hundred years BC, the Lycian city of Telmessos, and the rock tombs of Amyntas, as well as sarcophagi, and a theatre immediately opposite the harbour, built to hold six thousand spectators, climb to the top for some fabulous sea views. Bring all of this together in the Fethiye Museum, full of local history, culture, and ephemera, most notably the Trilingual Stele, excavated at Letoon and inscribed with the languages of Lycia, Ancient Greek and Aramaic.

Read more about Fethiye

Situated on the ancient city of Telmessos, Fethiye is named after one of its most famous ‘sons’, the aviator Fethi Bey. An earthquake in 1957 damaged central Fethiye, so many of its buildings have been built since then.You can, however, see a Lycian theatre, Lycian tombs (including the rock tomb of Amyntas) and visit the Fethiye museum for more history and artefacts. The centre of Fethiye boasts a covered market area, half of which is given over to the local fish market where you can choose your catch from one of the centre stalls and then get it cooked in any of the surrounding restaurants. The whole of the area is shadowed by the mountain of Babadag where paragliders take to the skies, landing on the beach at Olu Deniz.

Fethiye’s Tuesday market is worth a visit. Traders come from the outlying villages to sell the wares from their smallholdings. Furrowed browed men with cloth caps, and ladies in floral bloomers will sell their produce amongst the lads trying to get you to buy their designer fakes! It’s all in good humour. Try a little bartering and see if you can do some good business. Go to the spice stall and you will get some amazing spices. Look for the Kar Serbeti, like a cinnamon slush or Ayran, a salty yoghurt drink both guaranteed to cool you down.

Olu Deniz & Calis are where people tend to flock for a beach but there are now a few private beach clubs along the coast between Olu Deniz and Fethiye which are worth a visit. There are also beach clubs situated around the lagoon, all with sunbeds, restaurants and drinks service. Hisaronu is more commercialised and hosts a large selection of bars, restaurants and gift shops.