Perched at the top of a peninsula in Muğla, Kıyıkışlacık is a laid-back Turkish fishing town that remains largely undiscovered. It was established in the ancient city of Iassos, which is believed to have been built by the Carians and thrived during the Byzantine era due to its marble but was abandoned by the end of the 15th century.
Things to do in Kiyikişlacik
In the heart of the Iassos Ancient City are the remains of an assembly house with four staircases, as well as a theatre and a large agora. Take note of the Roman stoa dating back to the 2nd century AD and explore the ruined city walls that stretch along the coastline. Overlooking Kıyıkışlacık are the remains of an acropolis fortress.
Stone and terracotta artefacts discovered during excavations at the Iassos Ancient City are on display at the Iassos Fish Bazaar Museum, an open-air complex opened to visitors in 1955. It encompasses a rectangular area framed by arched porticoes thought by Italian archaeologists to have once served as a fish market. Information panels detail the history of the site and the significance of the statues that are on display.
Rent a boat to explore the sparkling bays surrounding Kıyıkışlacık at your leisure or head to Zeytinlikuyu where you can hire umbrellas and sun loungers for a day on the sand. Kıyıkışlacık is particularly renowned for its seafood and you can’t leave town without dining on the day’s catch at one of the harbourside restaurants.
Getting around Kiyikişlacik
Kıyıkışlacık is around an hour's drive from Bodrum and 30 minutes from Milas–Bodrum Airport, which has seasonal flights to destinations across Europe. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting to Kıyıkışlacık and the town is small enough to explore on foot.