Dalyan

The landscape around Dalyan is unforgettable. It is imbued with the spirit of the water. The river, with its myriad channels and waterways through the reeds that only local boatmen know, is a haven for river birds, flashing silver fish and the rare loggerhead turtle.

Upstream, past craggy outcrops, willows and plane trees are the mud baths, restorative sulphur pools and the limpid waters of the deep Köyceġiz Lake, with the ancient Sultaniye Roman Baths on its shore. Downstream is Dalyan’s most famous sight; a handful of elaborate tombs dating from antiquity and dominating the area from their cliff face. Just beyond, on a rocky headland are the ruins of the 5,000 year old city of Caunos, and finally, a vast curve of sand, protected from any development, where the river meets the sea on the glorious İztuzu beach. It is an extraordinary natural landscape, mysterious and beautiful.

Dalyan town is a bright, bustling community, which makes its living from the river. Numerous canopied river taxis and small fishing craft bob along its quayside, and a single minaret is the focal point of a town with its numerous riverside restaurants, small shops and cafés.