River Restaurants on Turkey’s Coast

What is It - The area from Antalya to Fethiye is known as Turkey's Mediterranean Coast. It is famous for beaches, tranquil coves, overnight "blue voyages", and the rock-carved tombs of ancient Lycia. Tourists from Europe and Russia enjoy vacations at large resorts as well as seaside cabins in places like Kemer, Olympos and Kas.

One of the delights of this area are local fish farms and seafood restaurants. These restaurants are built over streams by placing comfortable couches on docks just inches above your waiting dinner. One such restaurant, the Botanik, is located up in the mountains in a place called Ulupinar which I visited with my wonderful guide Aykut Altinisik some years ago. After asking for the fish dinner, my waiter grabbed two trout out of the stream, and threw them to the chef who quickly cleaned them up and cooked them in a stone pot with herbs, spices and cous cous using a brick oven. After a long morning spent climbing some nearby ruins, the succulent meal was a delight that I can still taste today. While some of these establishments cater to package tours to sustain their business, locals usually know the best ones in the area to enjoy a relaxing meal once the buses have left town.

Interesting Facts - The nearby beachfront of Olympos is not your typical resort town. With modest ruins nearby and a sheltered coastline, the area has long been popular with backpackers and young people. It has a bohemian vibe which features not only small bars but simple lodging offerings which range from treehouses to bungalows at locally owned hostels.

How to Get There - Located about 50 miles from Antalya, the restaurant and the town of Olympos can be reached off the D400 highway by following the signs down the mountain towards the water.