The ancient cities of KAUNOS and KAYAKOY

Boats leave regularly from Dalyan taking tourists to the ancient city of Kaunos. A 10-minute walk from the dock where the boat anchors will bring you to the site of the ancient city's ruins. Some people visit this site by private yacht, anchoring at Delikli Island and making their way by a little boat to the docks here.

As a port city, Kaunos was historically important in terms of trade. As the sea around it filled with alluvium over time, this city lost its special role as a port city. When the Persians took over Anatolia, the city came under the control of Mausolos. And when Alexander defeated the Persians in 334 B.C., the city was ruled first by Princess Ada, then Antigonos and later still Ptolemaios.

Kayaköy, an ancient village close to Ölüdeniz, has been labeled a World Friendship and Peace Village by UNESCO and attracts a great deal of interest from tourists and photographers from all over the world. Tourists arrive by car and bus and can take guided tours of the historical areas of interest. The history of Kayaköy actually stretches back as far as 3000 B.C., and visitors who come here have the chance to see sarcophagi and tombs that belonged to the Lycian civilization.

In the first nine months of 2008 alone, Kayaköy was visited by nearly 55,000 local and foreign tourists.

The province of Muğla has a 1,100 kilometer Aegean shoreline, which boasts some of the world's most jagged, uneven coastal features, with all sorts of large and small bays, gulfs, outcroppings, tiny islands, villages and, of course, the ports of Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris and Güllük. Some of its finest landscape is in the Gulf of Gökova: This is a gulf of unparalleled beauty, with forests and fruit orchards that lie just behind the shorelines almost like lace around a piece of fabric. This is one of the most physically beautiful corners of Muğla, with its islands, sand and sea. Also worthy of note is Ölüdeniz: About 15 minutes from Fethiye, the sea is unusually clear here. Yachts are forbidden from entering Ölüdeniz in order to keep its waters as clear as possible. At Babadağ, which features peaks as high as 1,800 meters, you can parachute from the cliffs all seasons of the year.

DALYAN Strait and the iztuzu Beach

Dalyan, which is located in the district of Ortaca, has an extremely unusual ecosystem thanks to the Dalyan delta, formed as a result of thousands of years of tectonic movement here.

The Dalyan delta is surrounded to its east and west by forested mountains and was formed by the 12-kilometer-long strait that connects Lake Köyceğiz to the sea. This strait is lined by reeds on both sides, making it look like some sort of labyrinth.

The Dalyan Strait reaches the sea at the famous Iztuzu Beach. This beach stretches for five kilometers, and its sands are constantly changing due to the unusual tidal patterns here. This is also a site where the famous Caretta caretta sea turtle lays its eggs seasonally.

Tourists visiting Dalyan also have a chance to see the so-called King's Cemetery, which is an extension of the ancient city of Kaunos. There are 167 stone tombs located here.

Of course, the phenomenon of yacht tourism is also alive and well in Muğla, as there are 131 villages along the Muğla coastline, each more beautiful than the next.

When it comes to yacht tourism, places like Göcek, Fethiye, Marmaris, Dalaman, Ekincik, Datça, Hisarönü, Gökova and Bodrum all stand out. The three marinas located in Marmaris alone have the moorage to anchor 3,000-4,000 yachts. And the four marinas in Göcek have always at least 1,000 yachts in them, in winter and summer. More than 100,000 yachts and boats make their way in and out of the Bodrum, Marmaris, Yalıkavak, Turgutreis, Fethiye and Göçek marinas every year.

Aydin Districts

Area: 8.007 km²

Population: 950.757 (2000)

Traffic Code: 09

Heir to Anatolia's rich historical heritage and natural beauty, Aydın was conquered by the Trallians who founded the city of Tralles on the top of the old city. Known by such descriptive terms as 'Flowered' and 'Mighty', when the city was leveled by an earthquake, the emperor Andronik rebuilt the city and named it Andropolis after himself. After passing into the hands of the Selçuks, the city was called Aydın Güzelhisarı. During the Ottoman empire it was called "Nefs-i Güzel Hisar der Liva-i Aydın."

Districts

Aydın's district are ;Bozdoğan, Buharkent, Çine, Germencik, İncirliova, Karacasu, Karpuzlu, Koçarlı, Köşk, Kuşadası, Kuyucak, Nazilli, Söke, Sultanhisar, Yenihisar and Yenipazar.

Bozdoğan: Founded on the top of foothills of Madran Mountain, which rises up beside plain fed by Akçay river south of the Büyük Menderes river basin. The remains of historical structures found in this town 76 km from Aydın belong to ages long past. One can see the marks of Roman, Byzantine and Selçuk culture as well. The primary examples of this are the village of Neopolis Kavaklı near Koyuncular village, Körteke Castle and the Cisterns and Aqueducts in the villages of Örtülü and Konaklı.

Buharkent: Situated 86 km. from the city, the local economy is totally dependent upon agriculture. The Kızıldere thermal springs are found in there.

Çine: Located 38 km from Aydın, Çine is one of the oldest and most important settlements of the area because it linked the ancient regions of Caria and Ionia.

Gerga: Situated in the north of Ovacık village 6 km southeast of Eski Çine, the ruins of Gerga, a Carian city which can only be reached by walking up the mountain, are definitely worth seeing in spite of the effort required.

Didim: A neighbor of the ancient cities of Miletus and Priene, it is 108 km from Aydın. With transportation from the Bodrum airport via Akbük, it has some of the best sun, sand and sea in the Aegean region.

It has a rich history and is an important tourist vacation spot, among the best on the Aegean coast. A prophetic oracle in ancient times, there is a large temple dedicated to the sun god Apollon here. The ancients' belief in fate was very powerful and they saw Apollon as a god of prophecy who would reveal their fate.

Karacasu: The road to Karacasu passes through Kuyucak and winds through pine trees and olive and citrus groves along the Dandalas Creek. Karacasu was founded on the slopes of the Dandalas valley which leads into the Büyük Menderes valley from the southeast. Located 87 km from Aydın, the climate and geography of the area is quite different from that of the Menderes river basin. It is more like a highland area. Handcrafts such as carpet-weaving, leatherworking and pottery are quite developed and the area has potential in terms of forest products as well.

Karpuzlu: With the introduction of an irrigation system, this town whose economy is based on agriculture is developing quite rapidly. Alinda is an ancient city worth visiting. It is located on a nearby hill. Founded in 340 BC, the city remains include a theater, stadium, stoa, agora and the city walls, all of which are reasonably well-preserved.

Koçarlı: Twenty-two kilometers from Aydın, it is located in the middle of the Büyük Menderes valley on either side of Koçarlı Creek. Most of the arable land is on the Büyük Menderes plain. An old settlement, there is a castle (Amyzon Castle) near the village of Akmescit.

Kuşadası

Kuyucak: Located on the lower slopes of the Aydın Mountains facing the Menderes valley, it is a typical Turkish settlement. The city of Antiocheia, on the banks of Dandalas Creek, was founded by King Antiochus. This ancient city was a resting point for the commercial caravans with their military escorts traveling between Ephesus and Aphrodisias. The mosque found in the market is one of the town's important historical structures.

Nazilli: It is 45 km from Aydın. The ancient city of Mastaura, founded between the highland villages of Bozkurt and Eyeli 3 km from Nazilli, was, in its time, one of the commercial centers in the Menderes river basin.

Söke: Located 59 km west of Aydın, it was founded on the banks of the Büyük Menderes river. A wealthy city with agriculture, trade, tourism and capital, it is located near the famous cities of Didyma, Miletus and Priene. The ancient city of Priene, sits on a natural platform on the southern slope of Mykale Mountain near the town of Güllübahçe 12 km from Söke.

Sultanhisar: Located 25 km from Aydın, it has a view of the Aydın mountains to the north. Nisa (Nyssa) was founded on the slopes of Malgaç Mountain north of Sultanhisar in a place of incredible natural beauty. There is a 3 km asphalt road which leads to the ruins.

Akaraka (Acharake) can perhaps best be described as a health center which still guards its sacred secrets. It is near the village of Salavatlı and according to ancient records was the worship center of a cult devoted to the gods Pluton and Charo (Kore).

Yenipazar: It is 41 km from Aydın. The ancient city of Orthasia (Ortosi) is 5 km to the east in the village of Donduran. It was founded by the Ionians, but was invaded by the Cimmerian horsemen from the steppes of Asia in the 7th century BC. Later it came under the rule of Lydia, Persia, Rome and the Byzantines.

Alanya Sports

Alanya is home to a woman's basketball team, Alanya Belediye, which started in the first division but was relegated after the 2002 season. The city hosts a second level soccer team, Alanyaspor, although soccer fans in the city are mostly divided between the three major Istanbul teams. The club was founded in 1948, and play home games at Milli Egemenlik Stadium. In 2007, the city began constructing a new soccer facility with the intention of hosting winter competitions between major teams. The public Alanya Municipality Sports Facility is located adjacent to Milli Egemenlik Stadium, which is one of thirteen facilities.

Alanya is perhaps more famous for the annual triathlon, part of the International Triathlon Union series, which has been held every October since 1990.[106] Alanya is also the regular host of The Turkish Open, part of the Nestea European Beach Volleyball championship tour, which takes place in May.[107] In 2007, the Turkish Volleyball Federation persuaded the European Volleyball Confederation to build a beach volleyball training facility in Alanya, and make it the exclusive "center of beach volleyball in Europe". The city is also a frequent host to national events, such as the annual beach handball tournament, and the finish of the seven-day Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey. Other cycling events include the Alanya International Mountain Bike Race. Additionally, the European Cycling Union will have its 2010 European road cycling championship and 2010 ordinary congress meeting in Alanya

Alanya Tourism

Since the first modern motel was built in 1958, considered the first year of the tourist industry in Alanya, hotels have raced to accommodate the influx of tourists, and the city as of 2007 claims 157,000 hotel beds.

Damlataş Cave, which originally sparked the arrival of outsiders because of the cave's microclimate, with an average temperature of 72 °F (22 °C) and 95% humidity, is accessible on the west side of the peninsula with trails from Damlataş Beach.[80] Many tourists, especially Scandinavians, Germans, Russians, and Dutch, regularly vacation in Alanya during the warmer months. They are drawn to the area because of property prices, warm weather, sandy beaches, access to Antalya's historic sites, and fine cuisine. Other outdoor tourist activities include wind surfing, parasailing, banana boating and Turkey's largest go-kart track. Hunting season also attracts some tourist for wild goat, pig and partridge hunting in area nature reserves.

Beginning in 2003, with the provisional elimination of restrictions on land purchases by non-nationals, the housing industry in the city has become highly profitable with many new private homes and condominiums being built for European and Asian part-time residents. Sixty-nine percent of homes purchased by foreign nationals in the Antalya Province and 29.9% in all of Turkey are in Alanya. This in turn has put pressure on the city's many gecekondu houses and establishments as property values rise and property sales to locals fall. A height restriction in the city limits most buildings to 21 feet (6.5 m). This keeps high rise hotels to the east and west of the city, preserving the central skyline at the expense of greater tourist potential. The fringes of the city however have seen uncontrolled expansion.

Economy of Bodrum

A quiet town of fishermen and sponge divers until the mid-20th century, Bodrum was popularized among Turkey's educated classes by a group of intellectuals centered around the writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, who himself had first come here in exile. Since then, Bodrum constantly endeavored to attract people with artistic backgrounds, encouraging them to choose the region as a location for their secondary residences and many of the these people gradually became regulars who would stay throughout the year. Bodrum now hosts many poets, singers, artists, as well as commercially-minded investors and package tourists. Differences between the sensitivities of the first groups of residents, adamant in defending Bodrum's heritage and soul, with the interests of the latters is an always imminent issue and one that surfaces frequently. For example, a group of trees felled in Bodrum for any reason is very likely to make local and even national news in Turkey.

The Bodrum region has attracted considerable foreign and domestic investment in real estate, specifically in second homes for customers from across Turkey as well as from Western Europe.

The current permanent population for the town of Bodrum was recorded as 32,227 in 2000 census although it is certainly much higher in reality, and reaches several times that figure in summer.

The sheltered anchorage contains yachts and locally-built gulets used by seafaring tourists.

History of Bodrum

The first recorded settlers in Bodrum region were the Carians and the harbor area was colonized by Dorian Greeks as of the 7th century BC and the city later fell under Persian rule. It was the nominal capital city of the satrapy of Caria. Its location ensured the city enjoyed considerable autonomy.

Herodotus, the historian, (484-420 BC) was born here.

Mausolus ruled Caria from here on behalf of the Persians, from 377 to 353 BC. When he died in 353 BC, Artemisia II of Caria, who was both his sister and his widow, employed the ancient Greek architects Satyros and Pythis, and the four sculptors Bryaxis, Scopas, Leochares and Timotheus for to build a monument, as well as a tomb, for him. The word "mausoleum" derives from the structure of this tomb. It was a temple-like structure decorated with reliefs and statuary on a massive base. It stood for 1700 years and was finally destroyed by earthquakes.[citation needed] Today only the foundations and a few pieces of sculpture remain.

Alexander the Great laid siege on the city after his arrival in Carian lands and its capture was, in all likelihood, completed by his ally, queen Ada of Caria.

Crusader Knights arrived in 1402 and used the remains of the Mauseoleum as a quarry to build the still impressively standing Bodrum Castle (Castle of Saint Peter), which is also particular in being one of the last examples of Crusader architecture in the East.

The Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes were given the permission to build it by the Ottoman sultan Mehmed I, after Tamerlane had destroyed their previous fortress located in Izmir's inner bay. The castle and its town became known as Petronium, whence the modern name Bodrum derives. Conveniently, the word "Bodrum" means basement in Turkish, and a common pun in reference to the town's liberal morals decline its name as "Bedroom".

In 1522, Suleyman the Magnificent conquered the base of the Crusader knights on the island of Rhodes, who then withdrew to Malta, leaving The Castle of Saint Peter and Bodrum to the Ottoman Empire.