Kayaköy Ghost Town Near Fethiye, Turkey: A Beautiful Village Frozen in Time
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Prior to the 20th century, people of Greek and Turkish descent lived a fairly harmonious existence in the Turkish village of Kayakoy. Referred to as Livissi by the Greek population, the village was home to a Greek Orthodox church, rows of homes, and a school. A cultural rift between Greece and Turkey in the wake of World War I caused the expulsion of Turkey’s Greek population from the country. In the early 1920s, Kayakoy was abandoned and has yet to regain its former population.
Located near the sleek beaches of Fethyie, Kayakoy appears to be an ancient ruin. Rugged crumbling stone exteriors with no ceilings line the once active streets of Kayakoy. Upon closer inspection, structures such as the former Greek Orthodox Church show signs that Kayakoy was a functional village a little over a century ago.
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You can wander the narrow streets of Kayakoy by yourself, or you can join a tour. Several tour companies based out of Fethyie offer walking and horseback tours of Kayakoy. Seeing wild patches of cactus overtake once stately buildings is a reminder that no neighborhood is immune from the tide of history. You may even spot a few camels sauntering in the distance.
Emiralikokal | Dreamstime.com
If you’re a history buff, it is important to note that some tours are more informative than others when it comes to the cultural stand-off that led to Kayakoy ultimately becoming a ghost town. Also, many tours feature time constraints. The best option for true history lovers may be to take a bus from Oludenis or Fethiye and then design your own self-guided tour.
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A few fixed-up buildings on the outskirts of Kayakoy currently house permanent residents. Several food and art vendors live nearby. But, Kayakoy has never been able to attract a sizable enough population to be reborn as a functional town. An earthquake in the late 1950s caused a great deal of structural damage to the village and made repair and renovation financially unfeasible for many people who were considering moving back.
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It may seem like a paradox, but Kayakoy is an excellent spot to explore a turbulent moment in Turkey’s history in stillness and peace. If you’re looking for a break from bustling Fethiye, the quiet streets of Kayakoy are serene in comparison. Walking among the ruins of Kayakoy is a reminder to stay rooted in today, because there is no guarantee that your neighborhood will be the same tomorrow.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Kayaköy Archaeological Site, Kaya Mahallesi, Fethiye, Muğla, Türkiye
- Coordinates
- 36.5781, 29.0875
- Access
- Kayaköy is a ticketed archaeological site spread across a steep, uneven hillside with hundreds of former houses, churches and chapels. Stay on visitor routes and do not enter closed or unstable ruins. The Turkish Museums Ministry listing identifies the site and ticket office; wear sturdy shoes and allow extra effort for uphill paths. Contact Fethiye Museum at +90 252 614 1150 if you need to confirm access or hours.
- Admission
- The current Turkish Museums Ministry listing gives non-Turkish adult admission as €3 for visitors age 8 and over, and Turkish adult admission as 200 TL. It lists exemptions for eligible children, students and older Turkish citizens. Rates and eligibility can change; confirm the official listing or ticket office before travel.
- Time needed
- No official visit duration is published. A recent visitor guide estimates about 1–2 hours for the hillside ruins; allow longer if you explore more of the spread-out settlement. This is an independent planning estimate, not an official itinerary or fixed tour length.
- Best season
- No official preferred season is published. Spring and autumn can be more comfortable for the exposed uphill walk than Fethiye’s very hot summer; this is regional climate-based planning advice, not a site recommendation. Bring water and check weather and the opening schedule before going.
- Opening hours
- The official Turkish Museums page currently shows summer hours of 08:30–19:30 and winter hours of 08:30–17:30, but its page displays the same April 1–November 1 date range for both headings. A separate Ministry notice extended Kayaköy to 20:00 only from May 1 through October 1, 2026; that extension has ended. Because the live official season boundary is inconsistent, do not rely on the old 20:00 extension; confirm the current closing time with Fethiye Museum at +90 252 614 1150 before visiting.
- Location checked
- 2026-10-17
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-21
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This article is misleading (at best). This site isn’t a ghost town, unless the reader considers the mass murder of Greek (and Armenian) men in the early 20th Century to be “interesting historical fodder.” This was in addition to families being stripped of their rights, wives and daughters abused and property stolen. Descendants are still processing the generational trauma that resulted.