Dalyan in Türkiye: a perfect mix of history, nature and sustainability

Köyceğiz is a picturesque little Turkish town in the country’s Dalyan region. Five years ago, it joined the Cittaslow programme - a network of towns and villages that embrace a slow pace of life and work to prevent the impact of globalisation on local customs. 

Our presenter Cinzia Rizzi visited the region looking to get totally immersed in nature. She rented a bike to tour some of the 740 km of eco-trails created to promote ecotourism.

From there, she hopped on a boat for a ride on the Dalyan Channel to discover Kaunos, an ancient city dating back to the 9th century BC, which has been inhabited by Romans, Persians, and Rhodians over the years. This is an essential stop for tourists to the area, with tombs cut into rock on the mountainside, an Acropolis, and a Roman theatre.

Following the river again, Cinzia finally heads to İztuzu Beach, which is one of the most famous stretches on the Aegean Sea. It is also significant from an ecological point of view, as this is a key spot where loggerhead sea turtles - or Caretta Caretta - lay their eggs. 

Cinzia meets an employee from the turtle sanctuary that is located on the beach and discovers what is being done to protect this endangered species, which comes to İztuzu Beach each summer to breed and nest.