Muğla is not only the name of the province but also a cozy mountain town that is easy to visit for a day from Akyaka. The town is located on the slopes of Asar Mountain at an altitude of about 670 m above sea level, so it is noticeably cooler here in the summer than on the coast.
The old center of Muğla, the Menteşe district, is an officially protected historical area. Here you can find white houses with tiled roofs, wooden bay windows and balconies, narrow streets, and small squares that are pleasant to stroll through on foot.
The heart of the city is the old Ottoman Arasta bazaar with caravanserais and khans (inns for merchants): Yağcılar Hanı, Konakaltı Hanı, and other historical trading courtyards that once served the caravan route, and today they house shops, workshops, cafes, and a cultural center. Nearby is the 15th-century Kurşunlu Mosque with a large lead dome, a clock on the old tower, an ancient bath, and several restored houses open to visitors.
Today, Muğla is a calm administrative center and also a university town: thanks to the campus of the local university, there are many young people, street cafes, and a more 'local' life than in the resorts. If you are resting in Akyaka, you can consider Muğla as a cultural pause between beach days: arrive in the morning by bus, stroll through the bazaar and old streets, visit the mosque and caravanserai, have lunch at one of the family lokantas (inexpensive establishments serving homemade Turkish cuisine), and return to the sea in the evening.
The road to Muğla goes along the picturesque mountain serpentine Sakar Geçidi: it is about 9 km of ascent with stunning views of the
Gökova Bay and Akyaka at every turn. At the end of this serpentine is the famous viewpoint
Sakartepe. It is very easy to reach Muğla without a car: buses depart every 30 minutes from the stop in Akyaka.
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