The Island of Şövalye

Peace and quiet reign supreme. Away from the water, the only noticeable noise comes from the island’s wildlife – birds in their hundreds, and a non-stop cacophony of cicadas. 

Şövalye is an entirely pedestrianised island with shady walkways through scented pine forests. No traffic means no roads: you cross the land by tracks, beaten or otherwise. A leisurely walk from end to end takes 45 minutes or so, along a coastline dotted with sand and shingle coves and overlooked by private residences. 

In the crystal-clear water you can make out the ruins of earlier settlements dating back to late Roman times. Inland, hidden amid the pine and carob trees, are the remains of a crusader castle, built by the Knights of St John after they crossed over from nearby Rhodes. Legend has it that the island became a base in the Middle Ages for renegade knights-turned-pirates.  

You can circumnavigate Şövalye by canoe in about an hour or swim in two. The experience is just unique – paddling or swimming over submerged houses, an old city wall, churches and a Roman cistern that was converted to a chapel during the Byzantine period. Elsewhere, old olive-oil pots and amphorae can be seen scattered across the seabed.

Just as the peacefulness of Şövalye makes it a favourite retreat for writers, so the quality of light has a special lure for artists: sharp; clear and shimmering.  

Şövalye provides the opportunity to enjoy the most glorious of locations with easy access to the harbour town of Fethiye and the Lycian coast beyond.

Please note:  the island of Şövalye lies in the Gulf of Fethiye - protecting the harbour of Fethiye - and is circled at the top-right of image 4 above.