Yazıköy

Yazıköy is the last village on the road from Datça to Knidos, about 28 km from town. Its houses are scattered among olive groves and almond orchards, and life at this end of the peninsula still largely follows the calendar of those two crops. In summer, traffic to Knidos and the coves flows past on the road while the village itself stays quiet. The name recalls the Anatolian word yazı, which can also mean a plain or open, level ground.

What sets Yazıköy apart are its old olive trees. Some of these monumental trees are said to be centuries old, their trunks twisted and hollowed by time into almost sculptural shapes. In late autumn and early winter, the olive harvest brings the village to life: nets are spread beneath the trees, sacks pile up along the lanes and whole families work in the groves. Some of the crop is pressed into oil on the peninsula, so if your timing is right you may find the new season's olive oil.

The village makes a natural stop on a trip to Knidos; beyond it there's hardly any settlement, and the road runs on through the scrub to the tip of the peninsula. Before or after the ruins, a short walk among the olive groves is a pleasant break from the heat of the day. Palamutbükü on the south coast is close by, too, and a good choice if you'd like to end the day with a swim and a fish supper by the sea.