Attractions of Sedir island

Sedir is a small island in the Gökova Gulf of the Aegean Sea in southwestern Turkey. It is part of Mugla province. It also has the unofficial name "Cleopatra's Island".

The island is known for its rare golden sand beach. According to the legend told by local guides this unique sand was brought by galleys from Egypt especially for Cleopatra. Allegedly on the island Cleopatra met with her lover Mark Antony.

Every grain of sand from the beach is an almost perfect sphere. The beach is protected by the Turkish Ministry of Culture as a national treasure, so it is forbidden to go there in shoes, take a towel with you and smoke. To keep the sand on the beach, fresh water showers are installed near the entrance. The entrance to the beach is paid. A tourist boat departs from Taşbuku every 30 minutes to the island.

In addition to the beach, the ruins of the ancient city of Kedrai are located on the island. Of the ancient buildings, the temple of Apollo, the amphitheater and the remains of the necropolis have been preserved. The name Kedrai in Greek means cedar, although it is not known for certain whether this tree grew there.

The city was surrounded by a wall. The remaining towers and walls are located in its central part of the city. The Temple of Apollo was built in the Doric style. The well-preserved amphitheater is located in the northern part of the ancient city and is oriented to the north.

During the Peloponnesian War, the city of Kedrai, which occupied the side of Athens, was captured by the Spartan commander Lysander, and its inhabitants were enslaved. These events were described in detail by the historian Xenophon, noting that the inhabitants of Kedrai were half barbarians.