Datça

Last update October 1, 2026

Datça is situated at the far end of a long and narrow peninsula in south-western Turkey, nearer to the Greek islands than to most of the mainland, and this distance is one of the reasons people enjoy visiting it. It can be reached by road from Marmaris, which is about seventy kilometres to the east, or by ferry from Bodrum to the northern coast of the peninsula; in either case the journey along the road passes through forests consisting of pine, eucalyptus and almond trees, and in late winter the almond blossoms turn the whole hillsides white, which is the source of much of the town’s local pride.

For your first afternoon in Datça you should go to the old part of the town, known as Eski Datça. The narrow streets run past the original stone houses, which have now been turned into small cafés and galleries instead of the souvenir shops that have filled up similar villages in other places. There is a quiet atmosphere which seems to have developed naturally rather than being deliberately created. Although the modern part of the town looks after the beaches and the marina, the evaluations of Datça’s own coastline are mixed, since the main attraction is further along the peninsula at places such as Palamutbükü, accessible by a short drive, where the water is clear and the number of people quickly decreases.

Knidos is located at the very end of the peninsula, some 35 kilometers to the west, and is well worth a full day trip. It was once a important ancient Greek city, and its ruins are situated right along the coast where the Aegean and the Mediterranean meet in fact. If you can arrange it, take a boat there. Sailing round the headland and mooring close to the ruins gives you a different impression of the area than approaching it from the parking lot, and the swim that follows in the bay beneath the old harbour is something you’ll remember better than the ruins themselves.

If your timetable permits, spend three or four days in Datça. Stay in the old part of the town, hire a car for the coves and Knidos, and avoid rushing the almond orchards when you’re coming in or going out. The peninsula is not designed for a single night’s visit; it is something that suits the kind of traveller who is willing to drive a bit further than the main coastal towns expect of him.