Kızlan Windmills

Heading out of Datça towards Marmaris, you reach the village of Kızlan after about 6 km. On the slope beside the road, round stone windmills stand in a line, one above the other. Photos often single out one mill, but they come as a group, following the curve of the hill, and they're hard to miss even from a passing car. Together they are one of the most visible traces of the peninsula's farming past.

The mills date from the days when grain was ground into flour here on the peninsula. In summer the steady northerly meltem provided the wind to turn the sails, which is why they were built on an exposed slope. Similar mills once stood on many windy ridges around the Aegean, and the ones at Kızlan are among the peninsula's surviving reminders of that landscape. As they fell out of use, some crumbled while others were restored and now serve different purposes. Bear in mind that some of the mills are private property.

Kızlan is best known for its sunsets. As the sun drops towards the west, the stone glows warm and the sails stand out in silhouette. On summer evenings photographers often gather by the roadside, so arrive a little early to watch the light change and to find a comfortable spot. The windmills are an easy add-on to an afternoon in Eski Datça or to the drive back from Emecik.