Around Dalaman: The Modern Ghost Town Of Kayaköy

So you’ve booked your seaside holiday to Turkey, chosen a quaint hotel to stay in Dalaman, even reserved your transfers from Dalaman Airport - but are you still craving an offbeat adventure? You’ve made the perfect choice.

Not many people know that this region is an excellent base for those who want to explore Turkey’s hidden gems. Just an hour away lies the deserted town of Kayaköy, which is an ideal refuge to escape the touristy crowds.

Kayaköy is located by the Taurus Mountains, close to the popular beach destination Olu Deniz. While the stone building ruins and crumbling streets may give the impression that this is an archaeological town, it is actually a modern city that was deserted in the 1920s. The town has a peculiar history, which we’ve tried to explain in a nutshell.

Why Kayaköy Was Deserted

Interestingly, the mystery of why it was deserted lies in a political decision taken decades ago. The town was originally built in the 18th century, and by the early 20th century it was inhabited by over 20,000 Greek Orthodox residents. The fall of the Ottoman Empire following World War I and the Greeks’ loss in the Greco-Turkish War in 1922 led to violence against the Greek residents in Turkey and Turkish Muslims in Greece. To resolve the conflict, the governments devised a unique solution. They set up a mandatory population exchange in 1923, hoping that this would stem the bloodshed between the Turkish and Greek population. As part of this deal, the Orthodox Greek residents of Kayaköy had to move to Greece, which is why the city is deserted to this day.

What to See When You’re There

The sights can easily be covered in a day and in the ghostly town you can almost imagine the richness of the life that once was. Today, you can see the skeletons of about 350 abandoned homes, many of which are roofless. The ruins of fountains and cisterns dot the town, while two Greek Orthodox churches watch over the area like sentinels. These remains of the deserted town reflect the lives and culture of the Greek residents who once lived there. To know more about the town’s history, it’s worth visiting the private museum that explains the peculiar story.

How to Get There

The easiest route to Kayaköy is through Dalaman, which is best reached by flight to Dalaman Airport. To make the most of your time, it’s recommended to book your transfers from Dalaman Airport in advance, helping you reach your accommodation quickly. From the airport, the town is only an hour’s drive away, which makes for an ideal day trip.

This beautiful region offers a holiday experience like no other. With so many historic towns within easy reach of the region, there’s a plethora of archaeological adventures for you to choose from. You will have unforgettable memories of a getaway that took you back to a time in the midst of Turkey’s glorious history.

Author Plate

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for affordable transfers from Dalaman Airport, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.