MUĞLA: THE POINT WHERE JOURNEYS MEET Muğla is located in the southwest of Türkiye and is the only province with coastlines on both the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. It is an important hub where some of the country’s most popular holiday routes intersect, such as Bodrum, Datça, Fethiye, Marmaris, Köyceğiz and Dalyan. With a 1,480-kilometre coastline, it has the longest shoreline in Türkiye. The city centre of Muğla stands out with a calmer and more local lifestyle behind the busy coastal resorts. Although it is not located directly by the sea, it sits at the centre of the roads leading to the coast, ancient cities and forested areas. The city functions both as a genuine urban centre where daily life continues, and as a starting point for the surrounding holiday routes. In the city centre, you see old Muğla houses with whitewashed walls, wooden bay windows and distinctive chimneys. In the narrow streets, you find neighbourhood bakeries, coffee houses that have preserved the same local culture for many years, and small artisan shops. Rather than large shopping malls, the rhythm of city life is shaped by the market, the greengrocer, the barber and the herbalist. MENTEŞE: THE HEART OF MUĞLA CITY Menteşe can be considered the heart of Muğla city, where daily life flows in a calm yet distinctive way. With its stone houses, cobbled streets, coffee houses and historic bazaar, it is essentially what we refer to as “Old Muğla”. One of the strongest focal points here is, of course, Saburhane. With its stone-and-wood mansions built by Greek master builders, courtyard houses, old coffee houses and preserved street texture, it is one of the places that carries the memory of Menteşe. Until 1923, this area was home to both Turkish and Greek communities; today, through restored houses and its square, it is transforming into a centre of culture and tourism. Another characteristic face of Menteşe is its chimneyed Muğla houses. The special chimney form rising above the whitewashed walls, wooden bay windows and rooftops makes the silhouette of the district instantly recognisable. In everyday life, Menteşe is a place where the smell of fresh bread rises from the bakeries in the morning, shopkeepers open their shutters around the Arasta, coffee house tables fill up in the afternoon, and in the evenings conversations continue in the squares and under the plane trees. A GUIDE TO EXPLORING MENTEŞE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS Saburhane Square and Old Muğla Houses Saburhane Square is a historic neighbourhood where listed stone and wooden Muğla houses from the 18th and 19th centuries are concentrated. Narrow streets, courtyard houses and the well-known Muğla chimneys make Saburhane one of the best places to explore the old urban fabric. Arasta Bazaar and Clock Tower Arasta Bazaar is an Ottoman-period market area. It is a traditional commercial centre with coppersmiths, small shops and shaded narrow streets. At the entrance to the bazaar stands an old clock tower dating back to 1895. Kurşunlu Mosque Built between 1493 and 1495, this is a single-domed Ottoman mosque. With its courtyard and central location, it is a good point to see both the traces of historical architecture and the flow of city life. Ulu Mosque (Grand Mosque) Dating back to the 14th century and the period of the Menteşe Principality, Ulu Mosque is one of the city’s oldest religious buildings. Konakaltı Inn and Yağcılar Inn Both inns date from the 18th century. Konakaltı Inn is currently used as a cultural centre and exhibition space, while Yağcılar Inn has been restored and is kept alive with shops. Muğla Museum Muğla Museum was created by converting a former prison building into a museum. With its archaeology, ethnography and natural history sections, it sheds light on the region’s past. Vakıflar Bath This historic Turkish bath dates back to the 13th century. It is one of the city’s oldest buildings and is still in use today. Muğla Culture House Muğla Culture House is a mansion from the 1800s that bears the architectural traces of both Turkish and Greek traditions. It offers insight into traditional Muğla domestic life and house culture. Karabağlar Plateau Karabağlar Plateau is a highland area located very close to the city centre. It offers countryside tea gardens under the trees and walking paths worth exploring.