www.mugla-turizm.gov.tr

Datca Guide

Useful Telephone Numbers

Governor:               0252 712 29 49
Municipality:            0252 712 42 77 – 712 39 20
Police Station:         0252 721 33 57
Gendarmerie:           0252 712 30 19
Border Police Station: 0252 712 30 11
Tourism Information: 0252 712 35 46
State Hospital:        0252 712 88 55

TRANSPORT:

You can get to Datça by road via Marmaris. The distance from Marmaris to Datça is 78 kilometres. The road is asphalted but narrow and winding. From Marmaris there are regular minibuses and buses that run to Datça. The distance between Datça and the Dalaman Airport is 178 kilometres. In summer there are private ferryboats running between Datça and Bodrum. (For further information contact the Bodrum Ferryboat Association Tel: 0252 313 02–05 and Knidos Tour, Datça Tel: 0252 712 24 63.)

Handcraft and marketplace

The most precious handcraft of Datça is the special lace edgings made for headscarves and scarves. The special edging is made of silk and is created by women working from home. From the special thread hand made motives are worked by needle. You can buy these wonderful pieces in the market set up on Saturdays, in boutiques and souvenir shops as well as obtaining them directly from houses there or five kilometres from the centre.

Rug making in the village of Sındı is popular and supported by courses conducted by the office of the governor.

The school building in the old Datça district, built in 1940, was restored by the office of the governor and turned into a handcraft centre. The rugs, material and trims made in the centre by Datça women are sold in the region’s marketplaces.

Aqua sports and diving centre

You can wind surf if you go to Gebekum or Perili Köşk. At Perili Köşk you will also have the opportunity to sail-board. One the diving centres of Datça is in the town centre and the other at Datça Aktur. Those who want to dive can try one either one. Apart from these you can also enjoy the aqua sport activities in the Özbel region.

Bar-Entertainment

Canlı müzik dinlemek isteyenler yat limanına bakan Gitanes, Nabis, Bistro ve Yeşim Bar’larda canlı müzik keyfine varabilirler.

Food-Drinks

Among the traditional dishes of Datça are keşkek (a type of wheat and mince meat dish), yaprak dolma (stuffed vine leaves) and kısır (tabuoli) which are always to be found at weddings. Also in Datça herbal teas are made from many different local herbs such as nettles. And a must try dessert is the famous dessert of figs stuffed with almonds.

The Datça Almond (Badem)

The best and most delicious almonds in Turkey are grown in Datça. There are many types, with names such as "holy", "white" and "row". But the best quality almond is the nurlu (holy light) and the easiest one to break and eat is called dişli (with teeth). Almonds are also eaten when still fresh and green, this type is called çağla. The season for this is in February and April. In addition, there are sellers who offer almonds either on the streets or in bars, displaying their wares on a tray covered in ice. The almonds collected in May-August and left to dry are called kuru badem (dry almonds).

As a dessert Datça locals stuff one or two almonds into figs and bake them in an oven. They call it bademli incir (fig with almond) and they also sell jars of the stuff, preserved in honey.

Events and Festivals

The Nature and Friendship Walk: Between April 15 to 22 the Environment and Tourism Association organise a walk from the Mediterranean to Aegean. Hundreds of Datça locals and foreigners take part in this walk.

Datça-Knidos Badem (Almond) Festival: As its almonds are famous how could there not be an almond festival in Datça? This event is organised by the municipality in the second week of August.

Every year the famous Turkish poet Can Yücel, who was buried in Datça, is commemorated, while in June there is the Reşadiye Keşkek Festival, the Painting Festival in the last week of April and the Rice with Almonds Day is celebrated during Tourism Week in April.

Tours Around and About

There are daily tours either by boat or road to the ancient city of Knidos or the coves in the area. You can obtain information from travel agencies on these trips.

Accommodation

See the Muğla Practical Guide for hotels, pensions and holiday villages in Datça.

Shores with blue flag

Aktur Holiday Village Beach
Aktur Camping Beach
Karaincir Beach
Hastane Altı Beach
Billurkent Holiday Village Beach
Periliköşk Beach 

Snails

We have told you that you would see many interesting things in Datça. One of these is the local dish called karavilla (snails), which is only cooked a few times a year for healing purposes. The snail season starts in March with the snails coming out of the soil and moving up to eat the leaves of plants until the fall of "the rains". The dish is believed to be good for preventing piles and also healing the ailment.