A trip to Dalaman and Fethiye: Ali, the best tour guide!
On Saturday, early in the morning, we set off for an adventure into the unknown. It had been a long time since I joined a trip where I didn’t have to prepare anything myself, no planning, no organizing. Everything was arranged for us by our Turkish friend, and I was incredibly grateful for that.
We boarded a small minibus near our Muğla clock tower and headed toward Dalaman. The road led us through breathtaking mountains and winding serpentines. Along the way, we admired the turquoise sea crashing against the coast and the picturesque forests in the distance. The weather was surprisingly warm for autumn – 25 degrees, not a cloud in sight. In Poland, this would be unimaginable. There it’s rainy, the leaves are falling, and the cold settles in. A completely different energy.
Our first stop on this wonderful trip was a small village near Dalaman. We paused there to visit a real Turkish family living in a house with a stunning garden. We enjoyed a traditional Turkish breakfast – simit, menemen, roasted potatoes, tahini paste, honey from the garden, tomatoes with onions, çay, and kahve. After the delicious meal, we even received fortune readings from coffee grounds. And of course, no visit to Grandma’s house would be complete without exploring the garden. We ran around like kids, took photo shoots, picked pomegranates and oranges, and savored their sweetness. We also gathered some fruit to take with us for the road.
Then it was time to move on. Six of us squeezed into one tiny car. Something that seems to happen only in Turkey. No controls, no tickets. Everyone was smiling, even the officers at the toll gate. So we kept driving with Turkish music blasting through the speakers and the wind blowing through our hair.
Our first major stop was Afkule Monastery, an incredible mountain monastery overlooking the sea and surrounding peaks. We climbed over steep rocks, getting our clothes and hands dirty. It was an amazing adventure—challenging but absolutely breathtaking.
Interesting fact : Afkule was built by a hermit monk named Elefterios, who is said to have carved part of the monastery directly into the cliff as an act of spiritual devotion. According to local legend, he lived there in complete isolation for years.
After this exhausting section of the trip, we stopped for refreshing lemonade and water before continuing onward. The area was so beautiful that we didn’t want to waste a single minute. We headed to the ruins of the ancient Greek town of Kayaköy. There, we felt as if we had traveled back in time. Like Greek warriors, we wandered through narrow streets, observing the ruins, nature, rock formations, and stone arches.
Interesting fact : Before it was abandoned in 1923, Kayaköy was home to nearly 10,000 Greek Orthodox residents and had more than 350 stone houses, two churches, and multiple chapels. Many homes were built to ensure that no house blocked another’s sunlight, a rare and thoughtful architectural design.
After many hours of unforgettable adventures, it was time to refuel, both the car and ourselves. We enjoyed a generous dinner: adana kebab, cheese pide, çorba, ayran, and künefe. We filled our stomachs and regained our energy. The cherry on top was watching planes land right above our heads while we sipped tea on the beach.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting golden light over the sea, we sat in quiet awe. The day had been more than sightseeing. It was a journey through history, culture, and the warmth of human connection. Memories of laughter, adventure, and unexpected moments lingered, leaving us with a sense of wonder that would stay long after we returned home.
