Turkey

Lycian Coast

Region

The Lycian Coast is the mountainous coastal stretch between the Gulf of Fethiye and the Gulf of Antalya in southwestern Turkey. You come for the rock-cut tombs and ancient cities of the Lycians, the bays, and the Lycian Way.

by Felix Gillen

OverviewThe region corresponds to ancient Lycia on the Teke Peninsula. Today it belongs to the eastern part of Muğla Province and the western part of Antalya Province.The Lycian WayThe Lycian Way is a long-distance hiking trail that begins near Fethiye at Ölüdeniz (Ovacık) and ends west of Antalya at Geyikbayırı. British national Kate Clow conceived it, and it was opened in 1999. The original route is approximately 540 km long; with later extensions, the trail network now covers about 760 km. Red and white markings lead past ruins such as Xanthos, Patara, Myra, and Olympos; most hikers complete it in multi-day stages.Best Time to Visit and Getting ThereAirports: Dalaman for the west around Fethiye and Dalyan, Antalya for the east. Kaş is located about 170 km west of Antalya.Hiking: Spring, as well as October and November, are considered the best times, when heat and humidity subside.Swimming: Beaches like Ölüdeniz, Kaputaş, and İztuzu are the summer destinations.

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Kaş

Kaş is a small port town on the Lycian Coast, about 170 km west of Antalya. You come for diving, boat trips to Kekova, and the Lycian tombs right in town.

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Dalyan

Dalyan is a town on the river of the same name, located between Marmaris and Fethiye, about 30 km from Dalaman Airport. You come for the Lycian rock tombs above the river, the ancient city of Kaunos, and İztuzu Beach, where sea turtles lay their eggs.

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Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

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Food & Drink

An der Lykischen Küste isst du Fisch, Meze und Gemüse in Olivenöl. Im Hinterland kommen Getreidegerichte aus der bäuerlichen Küche dazu.

Fresh Fish

Dorade and sea bass are simply grilled. In Fethiye, you buy the fish at the market and have it prepared next door.

Meze

Cold and warm starters such as samphire, fava, grilled octopus or atom, yogurt with fried chillies.

Zeytinyağlılar

Vegetables in olive oil, such as stuffed vine leaves or courgette flowers, eaten at room temperature.

Keşkek

A stew of wheat and meat, cooked for weddings and festivals.

Culture and History

The LyciansThe Lycians spoke their own Anatolian language with its own alphabet, derived from Greek. Their cities like Xanthos, Patara, Myra, Pinara, Tlos, and Olympos formed the Lycian League. In 43 AD, Emperor Claudius made Lycia a Roman province.Rock TombsTypical of the region are tombs carved into rock faces, often with facades modelled after temples. Well-known examples can be found in Fethiye, Dalyan, and Myra.World HeritageXanthos, the ancient capital of Lycia, and the sanctuary of Letoon have been jointly listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988. The inscriptions at Letoon are among the most important sources for the Lycian language.

Getting There & Around

Getting ThereDalaman and Antalya airports are located at opposite ends of the region. Buses run from Dalaman to Fethiye; Kaş is accessible from both airports.Getting AroundRental Car: A rental car offers the most flexibility for reaching ruins, bays, and hiking trailheads.Dolmuş and Intercity Buses: Shared minibuses link towns with each other and bus terminals.Boat: Many destinations like Kekova, Butterfly Valley, or Kaunos are best reached by boat.TipIf not hiking the entire Lycian Way, select individual 3- to 7-day sections.

Round trips through this region

Lycian Coast: From Dalyan to Antalya

The route follows the Mediterranean coast from Dalyan eastwards to Antalya. Rock tombs, bays, boat trips to Kekova, and sections of the Lycian Way alternate. It's best to travel by rental car; long-distance buses and dolmuş also operate between the larger towns.

13 Days

5 stops

Open jaw

Nearby

Kaş

Kaş is a small port town on the Lycian Coast, about 170 km west of Antalya. You come for diving, boat trips to Kekova, and the Lycian tombs right in town. The town itself has around 9,000 inhabitants, its center is located around the harbor. The Greek island of Kastelorizo lies about 6 km off the coast.

Fethiye & Ölüdeniz

Fethiye is a port city in Muğla province at the western end of the Lycian Coast, about an hour's drive from Dalaman Airport. You come for the Ölüdeniz lagoon, the Lycian rock tombs, and as the starting point of the Lycian Way. The city stands on ancient Telmessos; its center is the Old Town Paspatur by the harbor. Ölüdeniz, with its beach and lagoon, is located south of the city.

Dalyan

Olympos & Çıralı

Olympos and Çıralı lie in a bay on the coast southwest of Antalya. You come for the ancient city of Olympos in the river valley, the eternal flames of the Chimaira, and the long beach where sea turtles nest. Çıralı is a village with guesthouses behind the beach; the ruins lie in a river valley close to the beach.

Dodecanese

The Dodecanese, a long chain of islands off the Turkish coast, only became part of Greece with the Treaty of Paris in 1947. More than elsewhere, the Knights Hospitaller, Ottomans, and Italians left their mark here, hence the architecture has little to do with the white cube houses of the Cyclades: knightly castles, mosques, fortified monasteries, and Italian administrative buildings.The group ranges from Rhodes, by far the largest and liveliest island, to islets with only a few hundred inhabitants. Visitors will find seaside resorts, ancient sites, and quiet harbour villages often just an hour's ferry ride apart.