Turkey (Fethiye)

Turkey (Fethiye) – What you should know

Fethiye has the driest midsummer of all the Turkish destinations covered here: statistically no measurable rain falls in July, and 1 mm in August. In return, highs of 35°C in both months are the highest on the Turkish coast. The bay is enclosed by mountains on all sides, which slows the wind and leaves the heat standing.

The counterpart is a wet winter with 217 mm in January and 167 mm in December. The actual travel months lie between these extremes. For the Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz and boat trips through the offshore islands, June and September are ideal — 31–32°C air and 24–26°C water, without the August heat.

Fethiye is also the western trailhead of the Lycian Way, a 540-kilometre long-distance path along the coast. Summer is unsuitable for it: no shade, 35°C and little water en route. The walking season runs from March to May and from October to November, when temperatures sit at 19–27°C and the landscape is green after the winter rains.