Datça Town & Harbour

Datça is a small district town on the peninsula's south coast that grew up around its harbour. Most of its shops, hotels and restaurants cluster in İskele, the harbour quarter, while the stone houses of Eski Datça and Reşadiye sit a little inland. The town's name is thought to derive from Stadia, an ancient settlement on the peninsula. Datça isn't big, but it's the easiest place on the peninsula for everyday needs: supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and fuel.

Daily life revolves around the harbour. In the morning the cafés open as the day-trip boats get ready; in summer they head out to Knidos and the surrounding coves. Yachts line the marina pontoons, and by late afternoon the palm-lined promenade fills with people out for a stroll. Sitting at a harbourside café under the bougainvillea, watching the boats come and go, is Datça at its most characteristic. When the day boats return, the harbour comes alive again: passengers step ashore and restaurant tables are laid for the evening.

The peninsula is known for its almonds, olive oil and thyme honey, which you'll find in the town's shops and at the weekly market, often sold by the producers themselves. Fish and meze restaurants line the waterfront, with simpler places to eat in the backstreets, and most businesses offering boat trips, car hire and diving are based around the harbour. Staying in town means you can enjoy its evening buzz and still head out each day to the villages and coves.

Datça harbour is also an official port of entry. In summer there may be seasonal sea connections to the Greek islands of Symi and Rhodes; because services, days and operators change from year to year, check the current timetable well ahead and remember your passport. Ferries from Bodrum, meanwhile, usually dock at Körmen on the peninsula's north coast, a short drive from town.