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Ula

Twelve kilometres after Muğla and just before reaching Sakar Geçidi that goes into the Gulf of Gökova, turn left without going into the Sakar Geçidi and continue for three kilometres. This will bring you to Ula, where one can see the source of the beautiful and incredible architecture at Akyaka. Of course, if you enter Ula during the day the number of bicycles parked on side of the footpaths will surprise you. The people of Ula in recent years have been favouring bicycles instead of motorcycles for their city transport needs. They probably owe their clean air and comfortable city life to this form of transport.

Ula Houses

Ula is just as famous for its master builders as it is for its houses. However, most of Ula’s old buildings and houses no longer in exist. Some that are still standing are being protected, with some of these located in the back streets being worth the walk for photographing. One of these Ula houses is the ‘Ula Türk Evi’ used as a restaurant. At this restaurant one can find excellent examples of Ula culinary delights.

Ula bazaar   

If you can arrange it, try to visit Ula on a Friday when the weekly bazaar is held. The traditional bazaar is a unique domestic event you just cannot find in big cities anymore. Here you can purchase fresh herbs freshly picked from nearby fields, fresh and dried vegetables, home crafts, embroidery and wickerwork.

Heading towards Ula on the main road before getting to the factory on your left, turn left and in a couple of minutes you will come across a pleasant small lake and five to ten minutes later a larger lake with a small island in the middle. On the shores of the second lake there is a restaurant.

Excursions nearby

You can see the ‘Ula Canyon’ from a high position that can be reached from Ula via a nearby road. If you wish to enter the canyon taking a guide with you is compulsory. The trip to the Ula Canyon starts from the canyon entrance at the Kızılağaç village located five kilometres from Ula.

Ula houses and architectural style of Nail Çakırhan

While the beautiful wooden houses of Ula are giving way to ugly concrete houses, the architect Nail Çakırhan, himself born in Ula, has built himself an Ula style home at Akyaka. He added his own style and interpretation to the traditional Ula architectural style while building his house. This house was liked by everyone and to top it all off it received the Aga Khan architectural award. In the beginning friends, then a wide cross-section of people including hoteliers and holiday village operators, started to build in the style of Nail Çakırhan and other Ula style architects. Today at Akyaka, on the shores of the Gulf of Gökova, most of the houses are built in this style. The traditional house building style of Ula found life this way in the hands of Çakırhan. The people of Ula started to remember their old houses and began to restore and renovate or even rebuild their homes. The most important aspect of Ula houses is the workmanship that goes into the wood used. Workmanship on doors, ceilings etc are all decorated and carved in Ula houses.