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The Mediterranean is home to some of the most popular beach destinations in the world.
It is a region that benefits from a fantastic climate all year round, fine sandy beaches and turquoise seas.
You’ll also find cities with tons of ancient ruins and impressive artwork to explore, meaning the Mediterranean is an ideal destination for culture lovers.
The best known Mediterranean countries are Italy, Spain and Greece. But in reality, the Mediterranean Sea has 22 countries, including underrated destinations like Montenegro, Albania and Slovenia.
Here’s why Americans should check out this lesser-known Mediterranean beach destination:
Why visit Mugla?
Mugla is a beautiful region of Türkiye located along the Mediterranean coast.
It is extremely popular with visitors from the United Kingdom, Russia and wider Europe, but not as much with American travelers. Again.
In the first 9 months of this year, a huge 2.9 million tourists visited the Mugla region. The majority of these visitors came from the United Kingdom, with 1.12 million travelers in the region.
This is followed by 311,000 Russian visitors, 187,000 German visitors, 157,000 Polish visitors and 92,000 visitors from the Netherlands.
The region is relatively unknown to American travelers, but there are many reasons why you should consider exploring this lesser-known part of Turkey.
The beautiful resort towns of Marmaris, Gümbet, Turgutreis and Bodrum are all in Turkey’s Mugla region and these beaches are a big draw for visitors.
But Mugla province is also full of heritage attractions. These include the ancient city of Knidos, the dominating castle of Bodrum and the ancient settlement of Stratonikeia.
Bodrum is one of the most fascinating cities in Mugla. The siege of Alexander the Great took place here and the ruins of one of the ancient 7 wonders of the world are located here. Although now only remains, it is possible to explore the ruins of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Bodrum.
It’s also in the heart of the Turkish Riviera, with the other popular hotspots of Antalya, Dalyan and Marmaris along the same coastline.
Marmaris is one of the most popular resorts on the Turkish Riviera. Its incredible coastlines and intense nightlife are the main attractions of this seaside resort.
Marmaris has a beautiful old town with its own castle built in the 11th century. It is also perfectly placed for day trips to other popular places in the Mugla region.
Icmeler is around 15 minutes away by car and the beautiful coastal town of Turunc is just a little further.
Being a port city, Marmaris is also a great place to take boat trips to many of the surrounding islands dotted just off the bay. Many of these sites are ideal for divers of all levels.
Where do American travelers go?
Although you may not have heard of Mugla, Turkey is certainly it is not an unknown Mediterranean destination.
At its peak, some 51 million foreign tourists visited the country, and in 2022, 6.1% more U.S. tourists visited Turkey compared to the pre-pandemic peak.
The top Turkish destination for American travelers is the city of Istanbul. Tourists are drawn to Istanbul for its magnificent Blue Mosque, covered bazaars and the Hagia Sophia Mosque, which is the city’s most visited attraction.
Americans are also drawn to Cappadocia’s iconic hot air balloons.
It’s in the Anatolia region, and the temples, delicious vineyards, and rock-cut houses also make Cappadocia a popular destination for American tourists.
But perhaps the beaches and ancient architectural wonders of Mugla will soon feature on that list too.
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This article was originally published on TravelOffPath.com
