Fethiye is home to several remarkable ancient sites. The most conspicuous are the Lycia rock tombs dating from the 4th century BC carved in the hillside above the town. The Fethiye Museum is also highly regarded for its collections of ancient artefacts. Beside the Fethiye harbour is the Roman amphitheatre and the crumbling remains of a medieval castle built by the Knights of St John. Gulets (sturdy wooden yachts) can be hired in Fethiye's harbour for day trips around these coastal waters. The beach resort of Oludeniz is just 25 minutes away by dolmus (the local minibuses) and offers numerous activities, including parasailing, pedaloes, banana boating, diving, snorkelling water-skiing; and most famously paragliding. Butterfly Valley and Kabak are nearby canyons that both feature good hiking and waterfalls.

Turkish is the official language, but English is widely understood in the main tourist areas.

The official currency is the New Turkish Lira (TRY), which was introduced on 1 January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped from the TL and the sub-unit New Kurush was created. Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange booths, post offices, airports and ferry ports; banks have the worst rates and highest commissions, but will exchange lesser known foreign currencies. Banks open mainly Monday to Friday, but some are open daily in tourist areas. ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas, but Turkish ATM keypads usually do not have letters of the alphabet on their keys. Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus and Plus. Major credit cards are widely accepted; the most popular are Visa or MasterCard, but American Express is accepted in many of the more expensive places. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at some banks and currency exchange offices, but are not as welcome as cash or credit cards. US dollars or Euros are preferred. Some pensions and hotels in the most popular destinations accept US dollars as payment.

A lack of signs in the city make it difficult to find points of interest.

Much of the nightlife in Fethiye is hosted by resorts and hotels. The Paspatir old town has a number of bars and clubs ranging from traditional Turkish music to live cabaret and discos, while the Belcegiz Beach promenade has a few loud clubs. There are also two cinemas in town.

There is a good selection of restaurants on the harbour front and in the narrow streets of the old town with an emphasis on local cuisine, though you'll find plenty of English-style eateries as well. La Cantana Pesa Kebab is a popular restaurant with reasonably-priced dinners, and Cafe Genis is a great spot for people-watching. There are several good wine houses which offer a selection of local varietals.

The Tuesday bazaar is the biggest in the area and is a must for bargain hunters. In the town centre there craft shops making everything from carpets and kilims, lace and leather goods, and the gold shopping presents opportunities for good deals. Be prepared to haggle, but be wary of touts who try to sell you antiques, which are illegal to export.