Many travelers have long been tired of crowded tourist resorts and are looking for places that still have a tourist-free atmosphere. Just such a city can be found in the province of Mugla, Turkey. Authenticity, the absence of noisy crowds, picturesque mountains and ancient buildings-all this awaits the traveler who has looked into Mugla. How to get there and what you can see, we cover in detail in our article.
General information
Mugla is a city and the administrative center of the province of the same name, located in the south-west of Turkey. It is located 27 km north of the Aegean coast and 55 km from the resort of Marmaris. As of the end of 2017, more than 938 thousand people live in the province, and in the city itself the number of inhabitants does not reach even 100 thousand. The area includes such popular resorts as Marmaris, Bodrum, and the unique Fethiye. The city of Mugla itself covers an area of 1,661 square kilometers. In ancient times, this area was called Karia and was a small settlement that did not play any significant role before its entry into the Ottoman Empire.
Mugla is not considered a resort, and in general it is not popular among tourists. However, on its territory there are many decent hotels, cafes and restaurants, as well as green parks. Mugla can be described as a European rather than an eastern city, which is characterized by a good standard of living. Turkish youth often come to local universities to study, and after graduating, they stay here to live.
The city will appeal to tourists who are tired of standard beach resorts. The authenticity of Mugla can be traced in its many cultural attractions, including mosques and museums, ancient houses and towers. The province also has interesting natural sites, such as mountains and a variety of parks. And the city is also considered a great place for shopping: it has a lot of shops and shopping centers, prices in which are much lower than in the usual resorts of Turkey.
Attractions
Mugla is probably one of the few cities in western Turkey where you can visit attractions that do not have noisy crowds of tourists, and there is a calm atmosphere. Among its iconic objects are:
Mosques
As in any other region of Turkey, the province of Mugla is home to several notable mosques that will be very interesting to visit. First of all, you should visit the Lead Mosque on Kurshunlu Street, built in the late 15th century. Today it is not only a religious sanctuary, but also a valuable historical monument, preserved in excellent condition thanks to restoration work. There is also a wooden mosque in the Jamikebir quarter, as well as a small mosque on Saburkhane Square in the Old City.
Archaeological Museum
Located on the territory of the former prison, the gallery includes the Tyurlian Park, where you can get acquainted with the remains of plants and animals. Some artifacts are more than 7 million years old. It is noteworthy that these exclusive exhibits were discovered quite accidentally: after all, they were found as a result of construction work on Mount Kaklyjatepe.
Saburhane district or Old Town
This authentic part of the city has preserved ancient buildings, among which only partially residential houses are most interesting. Only in Google will you be able to see curious chimneys on the roofs with caps made of tiles. Since the area has an important historical value, local authorities regularly allocate funds to maintain its landscaping. By the way, many owners of old houses are always happy to invite a rare tourist to their yard and treat them to tea.
Carpet Fair and Saatly Tower
While strolling through the Old Town, be sure to check out the Oriental Carpet fair, where you can see original handmade products. And in the old quarter stands the Saatli Tower, built more than a century ago and characterized by an interesting architecture.
Mount Asar
The path to this unusual mountain begins in the Saburhane area. You can climb to the top on foot: there is a makeshift observation deck, which offers a beautiful panorama of the city, hills and ruins of ancient buildings of the Hittite period. Mount Asar, because of its flat surface, received another name-Masadaga, which means “Table Mountain”in Turkish.
Vacation in Mugla: accommodation and meals
Where to stay?
Despite the fact that compared to other resorts in the province, Mugla is not a frequently visited city, there are quite a lot of hotels of different categories located here. A particularly wide selection is presented among 3*hotels. The price of accommodation in a double room starts from $40 per night and on average varies between $50-80. But the choice of apartments in Mugla is not great at all, and the price tags set on them are no lower than in hotels and start from $35. It is best to choose a place to stay in the central streets, where all the sights are at hand.
Where to eat?
Numerous cafes and restaurants can be found in the city center, as well as in remote areas. Some of them belong to the budget category, while others are famous for their service and high prices. Lunch at an inexpensive restaurant here will cost $3-8 per person, but in higher-class restaurants, the average check will be at least $9-12. Among the Mugla cafes that have won the status of the best, we found the following places::
- Gel Dostum İsmail Usta’nın Yeri
- PABLO CAFE (breakfast, burgers, pizza, delicious coffee)
- Burak Restaurant (family-run restaurant with local cuisine)
- Kordon Restaurant (seafood, Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine)
- Selanik (family restaurant with original dishes and delicious snacks)
Climate and weather
Looking at a photo of Mugla in Turkey, we can assume that summer reigns in the city all year round. However, this is not entirely true. The real summer days here come only in June, when the air temperature warms up to 30 °C. July and August also enjoy sunny and warm weather, and precipitation during this period is quite rare, but likely. May could also be considered a favorable period for visiting the province, but this month there are frequent showers (on average, 6 out of 30 days).
If you are not a fan of heat, then September is ideal for you, when the air temperature is kept within 28 °C, and precipitation falls only a couple of times a month.
You can also catch the sun and warmth in Mugla in April and October: the average daily temperature is kept in the range of 19-22 °C. The coldest months in the province are December, January and February, which are characterized by frequent gusts of wind and the maximum number of rainy days. For more information about weather conditions in Google, see the table below.
| Month | Average daytime temperature | Average temperature at night | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.4 °C | 2.7 °C | 17 | 7 |
| february | 11.2 °C | 4.2 °C | 12 | 5 |
| March | 14.2 °C | 6 °C | 15 | 6 |
| april | 18.9 °C | 9.2 °C | 23 | 3 |
| May | 23.4 °C | 13.3 °C | 26 | 6 |
| June | 29.1 °C | 17.7 °C | 29 | 5 |
| July | 33.4 °C | 21.2 °C | 31 | 0 |
| august | 33.1 °C | 21.3 °C | 31 | 3 |
| september | 28.8 °C | 17.7 °C | 28 | 2 |
| october | 22.6 °C | 13.2 °C | 27 | 3 |
| November | 16.1 °C | 8,9 °C | 21 | 3 |
| december | 10.7 °C | 4.5 °C | 18 | 5 |
How to get
Mugla Province has two international airports: Milas-Bodrum and Dalaman. Therefore, we will look at ways to get to the city from both air harbors separately.
How to get from Milas-Bodrum Airport
This air harbor is located 75 km west of the city of Mugla. During the summer period, you can fly here by charter, while the rest of the time-on regular flights with a transfer in Istanbul. Upon arrival in Milas-Bodrum, you have only three options to get to the city – by taxi, transfer or public transport.
You can get a taxi right at the exit from the airport, the cost of the trip will vary from $70. You can also book a transfer online in advance, which will cost you significantly more (starting from $100 for an economy class car). Well, the most budget and quite decent option to get to the city is the Havaş intercity buses, which leave Milas-Bodrum every hour until 22: 00. In general, the journey will take about an hour and a half. You can find the bus in the airport parking lot, which is a 1-minute walk from the exit.
How to get from Dalaman Airport
Another airport in the province is located near the Turkish city of Dalaman, 95 km southeast of Mugla. There are also charter flights during the high season in Turkey, and in winter there are regular flights with a stopover in Istanbul. The ways to get from Dalaman to Mugla are absolutely identical, but the price tag for the trip will be slightly higher.
So, a taxi ride from the airport will cost at least $80, and the cost of a transfer by inexpensive car will be about $90. If you do not want to pay too much for the road, Havaş will always come to the rescue, whose buses are waiting for their passengers in the parking lot at the air harbor from early morning to late evening. The journey time with all stops takes about 1.5-2 hours.
Here are some simple ways you can use to get to the city of Mugla, Turkey.
