Cnidus was originally founded at a location called Burgaz on the Dalacak Cape, 1.5 km northeast of the present-day city center of Datça. Later, it was relocated to the Tekir Bay on the western tip of the peninsula. There is no precise information about why this relocation took place or why the current ruins are located at this site, but it is believed that developments in maritime trade played a role.

The ancient Greek historian, geographer, and philosopher Strabo from Amaseia compared the city to a theater that extended from the shore to the acropolis. He mentioned buildings and private facilities constructed on the peninsula between the inner and outer harbors, as well as buildings on terraces serving the community and extending in a gentle ascent from within the harbor to the acropolis. The city plan included four main streets from east to west, each 10 meters wide, running straight on the terraces between the streets. Connections between the streets were made via stairs and steep, narrow alleys.

The city was surrounded by a wall approximately 4 km long and extended over a large area from the military harbor to the acropolis and the southern commercial harbor. The peninsula, formerly known as “eveboynu, ” was originally an island that later became connected to the mainland, creating artificial harbors on both sides. A canal was opened for passage to the landfill area. The northern harbor served military purposes and had round control towers on both sides, whose entrance was closed with a chain. The control tower on the southern side still stands today. The southern inner harbor was larger and served as a commercial port.

The ancient settlement of Cnidus housed two theaters: one with 20,000 seats and one with 5,000 seats. The small theater was located south of the commercial harbor. However, the large theater on the acropolis has not survived to this day due to the transportation of stones and marble with ships in the 19th century.

The Datça Harbor is located in the center of the city, between the Kumluk and Taşlık beaches, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It is situated at the end of Atatürk Boulevard and is easily accessible from both the city center and the ring road. In the harbor area, there is an amphitheater that hosts various events, including concerts, theater performances, and other cultural events on summer evenings, especially during the summer months.

Surrounding the harbor, there are numerous restaurants, cafes, pubs, and bars offering a variety of both traditional Turkish and international dishes. While strolling around the harbor area, visitors have the opportunity to taste local and international delicacies.

The Datça Harbor also serves as the starting point for daily boat tours, typically organized in groups of 8 to 25 people. During these boat tours, various bays are visited to discover the beauties of Datça. Visitors can obtain information about the bays to be visited at the counters at the boat dock.

The Datça Harbor is a significant tourist destination that offers visitors a pleasant experience with its natural beauties and cultural activities.