The Turquoise Coast

The Turquoise Coast, or Turkish Riviera, runs for some thousand kilometres along the Aegean and Mediterranean shores of south-west Turkey, from southern İzmir through Aydın, Muğla and Antalya into western Mersin, where pine-clad mountains plunge to a sea of impossible blue, indented with hidden coves and beaches; two of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, stood on it. Famous for the blue lagoon of Oludeniz, the sunken ruins of Kekova and the long beach at Patara, it is scattered with ancient Lycian tombs and cities, and best explored on a leisurely cruise aboard a traditional wooden gulet.

What you'll find

• The Oludeniz lagoon - the famous blue lagoon and paragliding beach.
• A gulet cruise - the leisurely sail aboard a traditional wooden boat.
• The Lycian ruins - the ancient tombs and cities along the coast.
• Kekova's sunken city - the ruins beneath the clear water.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn for warm seas without the peak heat and crowds; high summer is hot and busy. The gulet cruises and boat trips run through the warm season, and the sea is warmest in late summer.

Things to know

The famous Oludeniz beach and resorts get busy and built-up in peak summer; quieter coves and a gulet cruise escape the crowds. Some resort strips are heavily developed. The best of the coast, the ruins and hidden bays, is reached by boat rather than road.

Nearby

The ancient sites of Lycia, the city of Antalya and the mountains of the interior are close.

Key facts