Göcek & the 12 Islands

Marina / Harbour

An elegant marina town spared from concrete by protection — twelve islands scattered in the gulf and hidden coves make it the heart of the blue cruise.

Set where pine-clad hills meet the sea on the northwest of the Gulf of Fethiye, Göcek has been spared high-rise development because it is a protected site; with its two-storey white houses, bougainvillea-lined streets and elegant marinas it is one of the Aegean’s calmest harbour towns. This bay, where yachts from around the world moor, is considered one of the most important departure ports of the blue cruise.

The town’s true treasure is the “12 Islands” scattered across the gulf: the shallow turquoise channels of the Yassıca Islands, the Ottoman-era shipyard and abandoned village remains on Tersane (Shipyard) Island, Domuz Island, Zeytin Island and many more… Among them, Bedri Rahmi Cove holds a special place: the fish figure the painter Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu drew on a rock in 1973 gave the cove its name and became one of the emblems of blue-cruise culture. The nearby Cleopatra Bath ruins and the sweetgum forest of Günlüklü Cove are also on the route. Touring the islands by day boat is the finest way to experience Göcek.