Reşadiye

Reşadiye lies immediately north of Eski Datça, the two villages almost running into each other. With its stone houses, garden walls and narrow lanes it resembles its neighbour, but there are fewer cafés and shops, and everyday life is more on show. The almond and olive trees in its gardens are a reminder that this is a working village rather than a sight, and so are the greetings and doorstep conversations you'll pass on the way.

The village shares its name with one of the peninsula's historical names. In the early 20th century the town and peninsula were known for a time as Reşadiye, after Sultan Mehmed V Reşad, which is why old maps show the “Reşadiye Peninsula”. When Datça became a district, its first administrative centre was here; it later moved down to İskele, today's harbour town, and Reşadiye settled back into village life.

The nicest way to see Reşadiye is on foot, walking over from Eski Datça or linking the two villages on a late-afternoon stroll. In late winter, when the almond trees blossom, the gardens turn white and pale pink and brighten the peninsula's quietest season. The village reveals its details to those who walk slowly: old wooden doors, stone walls and fruit trees in the gardens. There's still time afterwards to head down to the harbour for dinner.