Fethiye, Datça and Marmaris in Winter: November–March Guide

Yes, you can holiday in Fethiye, Datça and Marmaris between November and March — just expect a quiet, lived-in coast rather than a summer resort. Daytime highs typically sit between 13 and 19 °C, the sea stays around 17–21 °C, and you can expect rain on 9–15 days a month. Many big resort hotels shut for winter, but all three towns are home to people year-round, so markets, cafés, chemists and supermarkets keep going.

That makes this stretch of the Turkish coast a popular choice for winter sun seekers and long-stay visitors, especially retirees escaping a British or Northern European winter. Below you will find the monthly weather, what actually stays open, winter walks and day trips, and how to get from Dalaman Airport when charter flights thin out. For the summer months, see our guide to the best time to visit Fethiye.

Fethiye and Marmaris weather in winter: month by month

Winters on the Muğla coast are mild but wet. December and January are the rainiest months; November and March tend to bring more settled, sunny spells. The figures below are long-term averages for Fethiye. Marmaris is almost identical, with roughly one extra rainy day in December and January.

Source: Weather2Travel long-term averages for Fethiye. A "rainy day" is any day with some rainfall.

• November is the last realistic month for a swim, with the sea still above 20 °C.

• December and January are coolest and wettest, but downpours usually come in spells of a few days, followed by crisp, clear weather.

• February and March bring green hillsides, wildflowers and almond blossom in Datça.

• Evenings feel chilly indoors: many Turkish homes rely on air-conditioning units or wood stoves rather than central heating, so pack a warm layer for the evenings.

What's open in winter — and what isn't

It's worth being realistic here. A large share of the coast's resort hotels and all-inclusive complexes close from roughly November to April, as do most beach clubs and seasonal boat trips. Resort-focused areas such as Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü and İçmeler become very quiet.

The town centres are a different story. Fethiye, Marmaris and Datça are working towns with schools, hospitals, banks, supermarkets and local restaurants that run all year. Some town hotels and family-run guesthouses stay open, and winter is the easiest time to find a monthly apartment rental. Always ring ahead rather than relying on an online listing.

Things to do in winter

Walking the Lycian Way and the Carian Trail

Photo: Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Winter is when the region's long-distance trails come into their own. The Lycian Way starts near Ölüdeniz and runs more than 500 km towards Antalya. Culture Routes in Turkey, the team behind the waymarking, recommends February to May and September to November. From January to early April you may find snow above 1,500 m, but low coastal sections around Fethiye are walkable through the winter.

Around Marmaris and Datça, the Carian Trail (about 820 km, opened in February 2013) crosses the Bozburun and Datça peninsulas, and spring, autumn and winter are all recommended for walking it. Start early — daylight runs out around half past five — carry waterproofs and watch your footing on wet limestone.

Kayaköy and Fethiye's Tuesday market

Photo: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The abandoned Greek village of Kayaköy, about 8 km from Fethiye, is at its most atmospheric on an empty winter morning. According to the official Turkish Museums page, winter opening hours are 08:30–17:30 and foreign adults pay €3 (as of 2026; check before you go). Our Kayaköy travel guide covers the history and the walking path down to Gemiler.

Fethiye market runs every Tuesday all year round along the canal by the football stadium. In winter it's piled high with oranges, mandarins, leafy greens and cauliflowers — a good place to stock up if you're self-catering.

Paragliding from Babadağ

Tandem flights from Babadağ continue in winter whenever the weather allows. A lower take-off at 1,200 m was opened in 2014 specifically so that pilots can still fly when the summit is snowy or in cloud. Flights are often postponed for wind or rain, so keep a couple of days spare.

Is Saklıkent Gorge open in winter?

The entrance area is open all year, but in winter the water is usually too high and fast to wade into the gorge itself. Walking the canyon floor generally becomes possible after April, once the snowmelt has passed, and access can be closed at short notice after heavy rain. See our Saklıkent Gorge guide for details.

Thermal pools at Sultaniye

On the south-western shore of Lake Köyceğiz, the Sultaniye hot springs stay at around 39–40 °C in every season — a pleasant contrast to a grey January day. They can be reached by boat from Köyceğiz or Dalyan, or by road via Köyceğiz. Check winter opening times locally before setting off.

Almond blossom season in Datça

Photo: Abdullah Kıyga, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In Datça, February is known as almond blossom month. The town's Almond Blossom Festival was held on 13–16 February 2025 and 12–15 February 2026, with concerts, local produce stalls and guided nature walks. Dates for 2027 had not been announced at the time of writing, and the bloom can shift by a few weeks depending on the weather.

Out of season, the peninsula feels wonderfully unhurried. The stone lanes of Old Datça are almost empty, and bakeries and tea gardens are full of locals. If it's your first visit, our first-timer's guide to Datça covers the essentials.

Marmaris in winter

Photo: Mstyslav Chernov, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forget the summer nightlife image. In winter most of Marmaris's bars and seasonal restaurants close, but the bazaar and the places locals eat stay open. The marina is busy all year with boat maintenance, and the long seafront promenade and old town around the castle make for easy, flat walks. Its mild climate has made Marmaris a long-standing base for British and other European residents who spend the winter here.

Tips for a long winter stay

• Base yourself in town: In Fethiye, Marmaris or Datça centre you'll have shops, cafés and buses on your doorstep.

• Ask about heating and electricity: Check whether the property has heating and whether utilities are included in a monthly rate.

• Negotiate monthly rates: For stays of a month or more, owners are often open to a monthly price.

• Visa-free limit: UK and EU citizens can stay visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period as tourists, so plan longer stays accordingly.

• Health insurance: Make sure your travel insurance covers the whole stay, including walking.

Flights to Dalaman in winter and getting around

Direct charter flights to Dalaman drop off sharply in the winter timetable, so many travellers fly via Istanbul. Turkish Airlines runs the Dalaman–Istanbul route year-round, taking about an hour and a half, though with fewer frequencies than in summer — leave plenty of time for your connection.

Local dolmuş minibuses keep running in winter, but services are less frequent and evening buses stop earlier. If your connection lands late, public transport from the airport can be tricky.

Approximate journey times from Dalaman Airport:

• Fethiye: about 48 km, 50–65 minutes — Dalaman Airport to Fethiye transfer

• Marmaris: about 95 km, 70–80 minutes — Dalaman to Marmaris transfer

• Datça: about 164 km, 150–165 minutes — Dalaman to Datça transfer

When we checked on 2 November 2026, Mavi Transfer's shared shuttle page listed several Dalaman–Datça departures for that day. The page doesn't state operating months, so select your travel date in the calendar to see whether a shuttle runs. There is no shared line to Fethiye or Marmaris, so a private airport transfer is the simplest option there. Live prices for every route are on our routes page.

A winter break on this coast is about walks, markets and slow mornings rather than sunbeds. Once your flights are booked, reserve your transfer with Mavi Transfer: your driver meets you at desk no. 4 in Dalaman arrivals, and we track delays around the clock, which matters when an Istanbul connection runs late.