Villa Gulseren

Rustic three-bedroomed Villa Gulseren offers a relaxing family-friendly retreat in a rural, unspoilt part of the Turkish Lycian Coast. Located above the village of Bayir on the Bozburun Peninsula; surrounded by a thicket of pine trees. The villa boasts romantic views of the canyon which elegantly slopes down to meet the sparkling Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea.

Along forest track, the villa is entirely private and exudes a traditional, farmhouse feel. There are extensive mature gardens, with established shrubs and fruit trees and beds lined with thyme, mint and rosemary, surrounding the property. You can go on serene walks or book a private trekking experience through the villa's owners to explore the area.

The main feature outside – aside from the tranquil vistas – is the freshwater pool, set beneath a wooden pergola and bordered by intricate stonework. It's slightly separated from the villa by a myriad of beautiful paths and steps leading down from the alfresco dining terrace. On lazy days, you can pour yourself a cooling drink, pick up your favourite book, and curl up in a prime sunbathing spot or under the shade on one of the several outdoor seating options.

Inside the villa, the marriage of stone and wood continues to a charming effect. The comfortable sitting room has hardwood floors with a feature fireplace and scattered with Turkish artefacts and elegant soft furnishings. There's also a twin bedroom with a separate shower and toilet on this floor, alongside a fully-equipped kitchen with an oven, washing machine and dishwasher.

Taking the stone steps up onto the first floor, you'll find a master double and the second twin bedroom. Both are equally seductive and stylish and share a bathroom with a bath, handheld shower and toilet. The master bedroom opens onto a fantastic terrace furnished with tree-stump table and chairs — the perfect spot for taking your breakfast while enjoying the magnificent views across the valley and sea below.
Villa Gulseren is overgoing a refurbishment in winter 23/24, new photos to come soon.
For smaller groups or families travelling together Villa Syrna, also in Bayir village is close by.

Features

Ground Floor

• Village kitchen
• Large sitting room
• Dining area
• Twin bedroom
• Shower/WC
• Door to Terrace

First Floor

• Double bedroom with door to terrace
• Twin bedroom
• Bathroom with hand held shower as well as bath

Outside

• Various Terrace and Paths
• Rural garden, with various paths and terraces
• Sunbeds
• Hammocks
• Free form pool 3x 10m, 1.4m deep

Other

• Washing Machine
• Dishwasher
• Hob
• Kettle
• Iron and ironing board
• Airconditioning
• Small Oven
• Coffee Machine
• Iron & ironing board
• Barbecue
• Mosquito plugs

Location

Located above the sleepy village of Bayir in the centre of the Bozburun Peninsula in Turkey. Villa Gulseren boasts a wonderfully remote location but is still ideally positioned for exploring the towns and beaches below. The house has a rustic path into the villa centre, great for a morning stroll. Surrounded by gardens and pine tree-lined forests, you can go on scenic walks under the shade of the canopy or take advantage of the Owner's horse trekking service.

In Bayir itself, 3km from the villa, there are a handful of mini-markets for picking up your daily essentials, alongside a few friendly local restaurants for trying traditional Turkish cuisine. The nearest sandy beach is at Delik or Ciftlik, just 10 minutes' drive. More unspoilt beaches, harbours and fishing villages of Hisaronu, Selimiye and Sogut are a 25-30 minute drive away. All these spots boast fabulous restaurants where you can experience traditional Turkish fayre and the freshest catch of the day. There's a cooling waterfall and also The Carpet Weaver's Association at Turgutkoy. Osmaniye has a Bee Museum showing the local methods of an age-old trade, still practised by the villagers in Bayir.

For a fun day trip, you could head to the small seaside town of Bozburun, known for building the traditional wooden gulets. There you'll find a quaint yacht-lined harbour and pristine swimming spots and coves. Slightly further afield is also the port town of Datca where the traditional Saturday market is worth a visit as well as the ruins of Knidos. There, the cultures of Lydia, Persia, and the Byzantine and Ottoman empires stud the landscape, and there are church ruins, ancient cisterns and tombstones for exploring.

If you're a keen walker or want to discover more of this beautiful part of Turkey, you can walk some of the Carian Trail, Turkey's 500-mile long-distance path. It winds through the peninsula, with many places where you can enter it for a short stroll. The tracks on the hillsides around Bozburun have a red and white flash painted on stones every 50 metres, so you shouldn't get lost.