Kumluova

Located in one of Seydikemer's closest points to the Mediterranean, built upon the fertile alluvial soils carried by the Eşen River for millennia, lies a hub of production and history: Kumluova. This is a unique landscape where contrasts live in harmony: on one hand, it is home to the sacred centre of ancient Lycia, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Letoon, while on the other, it has transformed into one of Turkey's most important agricultural centres with modern greenhouses stretching to the horizon.

The people of Kumluova, who abandoned their tradition of highland pasturing ("yayla") which they had maintained until the 1940s, turned to the unparalleled opportunities offered by the plain and have since cultivated the land like artists. Today, the town's landscape is dominated by these greenhouses, known as "covered agriculture," which form the lifeblood of the regional economy. The former village of "Buğuzoğlu" crowned its agricultural revolution by gaining municipality status in 1998 and has celebrated this success with its annual International Tomato Festival. Alongside greenhouse farming, citrus, olive, and pomegranate orchards enrich the diversity of produce from this fertile land.

Kumluova's allure is not limited to its economy. Letoon, where temples dedicated to the goddess Leto and her twin children, Apollo and Artemis, stood in antiquity, draws visitors into a world of millennia-old silence and splendour. Immediately following this historical journey, one can watch the sunset at Çayağzı Beach, the point where the Eşen River embraces the Mediterranean. This tranquil beach, a natural extension of the famous Patara Beach, completes the experience that Kumluova offers. Kumluova is a must-see destination where the whispers of ancient gods intertwine with the rhythm of modern agriculture.

Key Information:

• Location: In the southwest of Seydikemer, on the fertile lands of the Eşen River Delta.
• Identity: Home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Letoon and one of Turkey's largest greenhouse cultivation areas.
• Economy: Based almost entirely on modern greenhouse agriculture ("covered agriculture").
• Culture and Tourism: Notable for the ancient city of Letoon, Çayağzı Beach (an extension of Patara), and the Tomato Festival.
• History: Its former name was "Buğuzoğlu," and it served as a municipality (belde) from 1998-2012. It underwent a social transformation from a pastoralist to a settled agricultural society.