Exclusive Escapes is the UK’s top online agent for trips
to the Turkish Riviera. The company’s Felicity Hoad
gives us a few tips…
Şövalye
(
pronounced chevalier) near Fethiye is a
sleepy, entirely pedestrianised island – ideal if you
want peace and quiet to roam the shady walkways
through pine-scented forests.
There’s only one hotel on the island – the
12-
bedroom Ece boutique hotel, which is
surrounded by sea, and this year has a new beach
club and waterside restaurant. If you go canoeing
or snorkelling, you paddle over ancient ruins
directly offshore, which include submerged
houses, an old city wall, churches and a Roman
cistern. There’s also a courtesy boat to the town
of Fethiye.
Chichi Kalkan
is an archetypal Mediterranean
harbour town, with a horseshoe-shaped bay, roof-
terrace restaurants overlooking the sea and a
bustling weekly market.
It’s also home to Hotel Villa Mahal, a waterfront
boutique hotel which was awarded “most romantic
hotel in Europe” by Condé Nast Johansens and
featured in the
Sunday Times
’ (
UK) list of the 100
best hotels in Europe. With just 13 bedrooms, it
boasts stunning sea views from all rooms – suites
have their own pools; everyone else has to put up
with the infinity pool.
exclusiveescapes.co.uk
Find more online
gototurkey.co.uk
lycianway.com
Book your tickets
norwegian.com
Where the
travel agent
recommends
11
In the know
Want to read what an array of
writers say about the Turkish
Riviera? Rupert Scott’s
Turkish Coast: Through
Writers’ Eyes
is an edited
collection of thoughts on
the coast by everyone from
Plutarch and Homer through
Byron to Louis de Bernières.
Fethiye’s fish market is a raucous courtyard packed with stalls. At some you
If you only eat
at one place…
12
giant prawns and plump sardines; others are
basically small restaurants that will cook the
fish for a small charge, and serve with
raki
(
local aniseed-y spirit) and hot Turkish bread,
often to the accompaniment of local bands.
buy a vast array of fresh-caught fish, from sea bream to
CORBIS, AL AMY, REX, GET T Y
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