Muğla, which has unique islands and landscapes, is between the Aegean and Mediterranean regions in terms of its geographical location. Muğla is among the cities of our country with a rich historical past. The city is the twenty-fourth most populous city in Turkey. Moreover, it has been recorded as having a population of 1,000,773 as of 2020. Muğla, which has gained popularity with holiday destinations such as Ortaca, Dalaman, Köyceğiz, Fethiye, Marmaris, Milas, Datça and Bodrum, is also a famous settlement. So, where to visit in Muğla, which is one of the most preferred locations in the summer months? We have listed 14 places that you must see if you happen to be in this beautiful city, some of which are the subject of legends.
If you are curious about the historical and touristic places in Turkey, our unique country that has hosted many civilizations from east to west and which has historical and natural beauties, each more beautiful than the other! You may be interested in our content of Historical and Touristic Places Must See in Turkey
KNİDOS
Knidos Ancient City has hosted many different civilizations throughout history. Due to its valuable location, it has been subjected to numerous invasions. Known to have been founded by the Carians, this city was plundered and restored by the Dorians and Persians. The city is one of the first places that come to mind when it comes to Muğla touristic places. It is possible to say that Knidos exhibits a rich image in terms of temples and churches. Especially the Roman and Byzantine works in the region reflect the architecture of the period quite successfully. The Aphrodite Statue is one of the most important symbols of this city. Moreover, we can say that it has a great role in gaining the reputation of the city. Let’s also mention that the city reached the most crowded population during the Byzantine period. In the sources, this figure is known as around 70,000.
Sedir Adası
“What are the natural beauties of Muğla?” One of the best answers to the question is undoubtedly Sedir Island. The beach, which is famous for its story, is also very famous for its sands. Legend has it that there was no sandy beach on the island. Here, Roman General Antonius made a gesture for Cleopatra, who was swimming in the sea. The general brought tons of sand from Africa by ships and these sands on the island have been preserved to this day. But the truth of the matter is not exactly like that. It is also among the ideas put forward that the sands emerged as a result of very special geological formations. For this reason, it is said that the sands are under protection. It is forbidden for the guests who come to the island to take the sand out of the island.
SAKLIKENT KANYONU
“Where to visit in Muğla?” Saklıkent Canyon is another place that comes to mind when asked. The land where the canyon is located has the feature of being a calcareous land. The land was easily eroded by the waters and became a canyon by developing fault cracks. The entrance of the canyon is filled with a strong flowing water. For this reason, it is necessary to cross a specially made bridge while entering the canyon. Otherwise, it is impossible to cross the water. You can have a pleasant time in this canyon, which is a truly magnificent natural wonder and enjoy being in touch with nature.
ÖLÜDENİZ
In our list of places to visit in Muğla, Ölüdeniz is another wonderful place. Moreover, the region was deemed worthy of the title of the most beautiful beach in the world in 2006. Oludeniz, whose sea is extremely calm and without waves, is a town of Fethiye district of Muğla and is quite developed in terms of tourism. This magnificent location was defined as the land of light and sun in the Lycians, and as distant lands in the Middle Ages. Ölüdeniz is located on the Teke peninsula in the south-west of Anatolia. It is also known as one of the abalone lagoon formations in Turkey.
BODRUM
In the city, where you can take walks among the untouched natural beauties and historical treasures of Bodrum Peninsula, Datça Peninsula, Bozburun Peninsula, you can visit the uninhabited islands of Gökova Bay and Hisarönü Bay, or you can witness impressive underwater riches by diving into centuries-old shipwrecks with expert divers. While writing the 150 must-see places in Muğla for you, we made use of Instagram tags and prepared a special list with the most tagged places at the top. We have also added the location links of the places on our list so that you can easily access them while browsing. By reading our article, you can immediately start exploring Muğla, which attracts people from all over the world with its ancient structures and deep blue sea.
BODRUM KALESİ
“What is Muğla famous for?” When it is mentioned, the name of Bodrum Castle is definitely mentioned. The castle has almost become a famous symbol of Bodrum. Today, it is used as an underwater archeology museum. The castle, which was started to be built by the knights in 1406, has towers named after different countries. The exterior view of the castle offers an assertive visual feast even in the evening hours.
MARMARİS
Marmaris, one of the popular holiday centers of Muğla, hosts hundreds of thousands of local and foreign tourists every year with its azure waters where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean. In the district, which is highly developed in terms of accommodation facilities, it is possible to find hotels suitable for every budget, from 5-star hotels to quality boutique hotels, from nature hotels to detached villas. You can examine hundreds of local products in Marmaris Büyük Bazaar, one of the indispensable addresses of holiday shopping, while you can watch the view from the walls of the magnificent Marmaris Castle and examine the priceless collections of the archeology museum serving in the castle.
Attracting people every season of the year with its beautiful holiday resorts such as İçmeler, Turunç, Orhaniye, Hisarönü and Selimiye, Marmaris is also home to one of the most important ports of the region. You can go on a blue cruise with boats departing from Marmaris Harbor every hour, and refresh in the fresh air among the Aegean Sea views on tens of kilometers of hiking trails. Blue flag Marmaris beaches such as Uzunyalı Beach, İçmeler Beach and Turunç Beach are ideal for sunbathing and enjoying the sea.
İZTUZU
The most important feature of Iztuzu beach is that it is located between fresh water and sea water. Moreover, we can say that such beaches are very rare. Cute Caretta caretta turtles live around the beach and sometimes lay their eggs on this beach. For this reason, the beach is also called “Turtle Beach” among the people. There is also a charity center set up around the beach to treat injured turtles. Not much known, this beach is generally quite calm and does not attract many tourists. The reason for this is that this natural wonder beach has not yet been discovered. If you enjoy vacationing in unexplored and quiet places, you can add Iztuzu beach to your route.
KIZKUMU
Where to visit in Muğla? We can talk about Kızkumu Beach as a refreshing answer to the question. The beach manages to attract the attention of visitors with its extremely interesting structure. The most important feature of the beach is that it makes you feel like you are walking on water. When the tourists who flock to the region look at the beach from a slightly higher point, they see people as if they are walking on the sea. Of course, this situation causes a great surprise. In this region, which has a pleasant and clear sea in the middle of nature, this walking area in the middle of the sea is actually formed by the combination of rising sands. This walking area has a length of about 600 meters. The beach continues to host local and foreign tourists every year as a natural wonder. Our country is home to many different natural formations in many regions. But Kızkumu Beach is separated from all other natural regions with its structure and calmness. It is known that this region used to be a Greek village. The name of the region also evolves over time. It is known that the name of the beach was Kırvasil before it became Kızkumu.
KELEBEKLER VADİSİ
We mentioned Ölüdeniz, located in Muğla, one of Turkey’s paradise corners, at the beginning of our list. Butterfly Valley; A corner of paradise located within the borders of Ölüdeniz town of Fethiye district of Muğla province. Surrounded by steep cliffs exceeding 350 meters in height, the magnificent valley is home to more than 80 species of butterflies and the particularly popular Tiger butterfly. The waterfall, which has a spring in Faralya Village and pours into the valley from a height of 55 meters, has a breathtaking view. The waters pouring from the waterfall into the sea are mixed with the Mediterranean.
DATÇA
Known as the place where the Aegean and the Mediterranean meet, Datça is known as one of the most frequented destinations by local and foreign tourists. Datça, one of the favorite spots of Marmaris, is very popular due to this feature. Known as one of the important port cities of the past, the city continues to carry the effects of many different empires. Humidity in the region is quite low and oxygen is abundant. With 300 days of sunshine a year, Datça stands out as one of the most influential tourism spots in the region, with its unique history and rich texture.
Moreover, there is a rumor about Datça. Known as the place blessed and favored by the gods even in rumors, Datça hosts the Almond Blossom Festival, especially in February, with its image reminiscent of Japanese cherry blossoms. Datça, whose history dates back to the 11th century, is known as the place where the Spanish ships, which set out to drive leprosy patients away from their country, left these plague passengers to perish on the island. However, these enchanted lands heal the patients who were left to die, one by one, with its sparkling air and nutritious fruits, leaving no trace of the disease. And since that date, people have been whispering with an increasingly stronger voice: “The gods sent their servants, whom they wanted to live long, to Datça”.
AKYAKA
Akyaka, one of the first places that comes to mind in the Aegean when nature holidays are mentioned, is a holiday resort in the Ula district of Muğla, famous for its untouched beauties. Akyaka, which lies between Marmaris and Muğla, at an average distance of 25 kilometers from Muğla, among the fascinating landscapes of the Gökova Gulf, is frequently visited for weekend holidays and day trips.
Akyaka, which was declared a natural protected area in 1988 and taken under protection and selected as one of the quiet cities (Cittaslow) of our country; It is a place worth seeing with its classical mansions with wooden and stone architecture, cobbled streets decorated with flowers, beautiful beaches with blue flags and untouched natural beauties. In Akyaka, which attracts tourists with its reed beds, where you can see many bird species from wild ducks to cormorants up close, as well as the recreation areas and fish farms around the clean Azmak River, it is also among the popular activities to taste romantic dinners in restaurants with sea view, offering popular tastes from Aegean cuisine.
In Akyaka, where you can visit beautiful places such as Akbük Bay, Cleopatra Island and Cleopatra Beach, next to Çınar Beach, which is one of the most beautiful places in Turkey for kitesurfing and windsurfing with its windy weather, there are many bungalow hotels designed in touch with nature and nature hotels to honeymoon hotels. You can also find many accommodation alternatives.
