Discover Akarca: Landscape and History

Akarca is a useful reference point for a trip with a variety of day-trip options: MUTTAŞ route 8-17 passes through Akarca; nearby are the Akkaya Valley, with its lake and mountain scenery, and activities on the water and on land. In the municipality associated with Octapolis, the ancient settlement extended across the areas of the present-day villages of Elcik, Sabunlu and Kızılkaya. The ancient settlement of Octapolis adds a historical dimension to the nature-focused attractions. When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to distinguish between access routes, nearby places to visit and the wider travel region.

To Akarca on route 8-17

MUTTAŞ route 8-17 runs along a 48-kilometre route from Dalaman Merkez via Gürköy, Karacaağaç, Kayadibi, Akarca, Sabunlu, Karacaören, Kavacık and Çöğmen to Darıyeri. Akarca is one stop on this longer route; 48 kilometres refers to the total route. Check the timetable and fare in advance for a specific journey, as both may change.

Lake and mountain scenery in the Akkaya Valley

The Akkaya Valley is nearby, twelve kilometres north of the centre of Dalaman. Here, lake and mountain scenery come together. Activities on offer include boat and canoe trips, as well as walks, trekking and cycling; availability of individual activities may vary. You can plan your outings based on whether you want to focus on tours on the water or getting around on foot and by bike.

The valley also has a restaurant, a botanical garden and a horse paddock. If you would like to visit any of these facilities, check access in advance.

Octapolis and the history of the municipality

The ancient settlement of Octapolis extended across the areas of the present-day villages of Elcik, Sabunlu and Kızılkaya. Other ruins in the settlement area described date from the Roman and Byzantine periods. The settlement’s spread across several present-day villages and the classification of other ruins provide two different points of reference for understanding Octapolis: the area the settlement covered and the historical periods to which other ruins are attributed.

Hiking, cycling and rafting in the travel region

In the wider Köyceğiz–Ortaca–Dalaman travel region, the ECO Trails are long-distance, marked hiking and cycling routes in southwestern Turkey. They provide a regional framework for longer journeys, offering a different point of reference from the individual activities in the Akkaya Valley. Nearby, the North-East-Dalaman route also ends in the village of Gürleyik, which is considered a rafting centre. This brings together different types of activities: outings in the valley, marked routes across the wider travel region and the village of Gürleyik, considered a rafting centre.

Choose the right holiday apartment based on your day-trip plans

When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to organise your days around your priorities: Akarca as a stop, activities in the Akkaya Valley or longer routes across the wider travel region. Then compare the locations of the accommodation with your main destinations. Someone visiting the valley for its water activities will plan differently from someone mainly interested in walking or cycling routes and the history of Octapolis.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Dalyan, Peksimet Köyü, Marmaris, Mumcular, Milas, Orhaniye Köyü, Kultak, Kumluova Belediyesi

For the overview of the wider travel region: Mugla.