5 Best Bars in The Turquoise Coast, Turkey

Perched over the Mediterranean next to the ancient Hıdırlık Kulesi, the clifftop Castle Café and Bistro is a great place to watch the sun set with a drink in hand.

Behind the ruins of Fethiye’s ancient theater and offering beer-garden-like seating on its small patio, Minimal has a laidback vibe, a well-stocked beer fridge, and good music on the stereo, with occasional live acts on the weekends. It’s a refreshing change of pace from some of the tourist-trap nightspots in nearby Paspatur.

The white terrace here offers gorgeous views of the moonlit beach, making it the perfect place to cool down with a frozen cocktail or fruit smoothie after a day in the sun. The staff is courteous, and the food menu is eclectic (albeit pricey). Note that the terrace closes for winter at the end of November, but the bar is open year-round.

A Kaş nightlife stalwart since 2007, dimly lit and sultry Echo is in a stone building—a former stable for camels—by the harbor. Nightly in summer, it hosts live bands and DJ sets, with music ranging from funk, blues, and jazz to Turkish rock and pop classics.

Part of a small Turkish chain of café-bars (the first one was in Eskişehir), Varuna Gezgin has a cozy multistory interior lined floor-to-ceiling with books and travel-related ephemera. It also has a big back garden, making it a suitable option for all seasons. There’s an international menu and a good list of local beers.