Exploring the Turkish Riviera: A Drive from Antalya to Fethiye

The D400 coastal highway from Antalya to Fethiye is routinely listed among the most beautiful coastal drives in the world, and for once, the superlative is not misplaced. The road hugs the western Taurus mountains as they fall into the Mediterranean, swinging around headlands with views of coves that are almost impossibly blue, passing through small resort towns, ancient Lycian cities, and long beaches backed by pine forest. It is approximately 190 kilometres of road — a distance you could cover in two and a half hours on a motorway — that rewards a minimum of two days and ideally three.

Starting in Antalya

Antalya is a large, modern city with an unexpectedly beautiful old quarter — Kaleiçi — built into a Roman harbour. Spend an afternoon here before you leave: Hadrian's Gate, the ancient harbour walls, and the Archaeological Museum (one of the finest in Turkey) are all worth time. The city is also a practical starting point: fuel the car here, stock supplies for the road, and confirm your onward accommodation.

From Antalya, the D400 heads west past Kemer — a resort town backed by the Taurus peaks — and along pine-covered slopes above the sea. The turnoff to Phaselis is worth taking: an ancient Lycian port city with three harbours, a colonnaded main street, and a setting between the sea and the mountains unchanged since the Romans built it. You can be there and back in two hours.

Kaş: The Natural Overnight Stop

Roughly 190 km from Antalya, Kaş is the best base for the central section of this drive. It is a small town that has developed around dive tourism without being overrun: the harbour is still working, the restaurants are good, and the streets of the old town retain a human scale. From Kaş, boat trips reach the submerged city of Kekova — visible through the clear water — and Lycian sarcophagi that stand directly in the shallow sea. The diving is genuinely world-class, with excellent visibility and sites accessible to all levels.

Kaputaş Beach

Sixteen kilometres west of Kaş, a concrete staircase descends approximately 200 steps to Kaputaş Beach: a strip of sand at the mouth of a gorge where a stream meets the sea. The water is a blue that doesn't appear in nature anywhere else quite like this — it is one of the most photographed beaches in Turkey for good reason. It fills up by mid-morning in high season; arrive before 9am or after 5pm if you want to experience it without a crowd.

Patara

Ancient Patara — birthplace of St Nicholas and once the most important city in ancient Lycia — has a beach extending 18 km without interruption, the longest in Turkey. The ruins of the city sit directly adjacent to the beach: a Roman theatre, a granary, triumphal arches, and a lighthouse that functioned in antiquity. The beach is a nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles; sections close seasonally to protect the nests.

Ölüdeniz and Fethiye

Twenty kilometres south of Fethiye, Ölüdeniz is the most photographed spot on this coastline: a turquoise lagoon enclosed by a sandspit with mountains rising behind. The lagoon is a protected nature reserve; swimming is permitted in designated areas. Paragliding from Babadağ Mountain above Ölüdeniz is one of the highest commercial tandem launches in the world, descending 1,969 metres to the beach.

End the drive in Fethiye: a working port city with a Lycian rock tomb cut directly into the cliff face above the main street. The old bazaar is unhurried and worth an hour.

Practical Notes

• Distance: Antalya to Fethiye via D400: approximately 190 km. Allow 3–4 hours driving; 2–3 days with stops.
• Best season: May–June and September–October. July–August are very hot and extremely busy.
• Road: Paved throughout, excellent quality. Some genuinely winding sections — night driving on cliff sections not recommended for unfamiliar drivers.
• Fuel: Fill up in Antalya and Kaş at minimum.
• One-way rental: Auris supports Antalya pickup / Fethiye dropoff — ask at booking.