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This classically sleepy fishing village has become better served by road and sea over the years, but lost none of its simple charm. The Kalkan foundation was set up by the villages in 1989 in order to preserve the town's architecrural heritage,so you won’t find any noisy discos, big hotels or loud traffic here. Whole days can be spend wandering along the maze of cobbled streets which overlook the spectacular bay and contain old stone houses with ornate balconies and shady flower filled courtyards.The many highly individual shops sells beautiful carpets, fine silver and gold jewelery, ceramics and antiques at prices you may find hard to resist.

Kaş is a small historical town on the south coast of Turkey.  It was one of the most important cities and wine production sites of the Lycian civilization and now surrounded by rock tombs and ruins of the ancient city Antiphellos.  Kaş is the marriage of beauty and the deep blue Mediterranean sea.  In Kaş the centre of the historic Lycian region,  the Taurus mountains embrace the sea as the continue to the great depths of the Mediterranean.  The area is rocky all around,  which helps to keep the bay crystal clear.  Kaş was once the site of an ancient city called Antiphellos.  Today the only remains of this Lycian city are the rock cut tombs and sarcophagi.  You can wander through the streetsstopping to examine the souvenir shops that offer Turkish handicrafts,  leather goods, silver items, cotton clothing and handmade carpets.  After shopping stroll along the flower fulled Akdeniz promenade or relax under the shade of a palm tree.  There are many bars and restaurants in Kaş  that offer plenty of night life.

The name Kekova is Turkish for “plain of thyme” and describes the region encompassing the island of Kekova,  the villages of Kaleköy and Ücağız and the three ancient towns of Simena, Teimussa and Tersane (meaning shipyard, as its bay was the site of an ancient shipyard, with mostly Byzantine ruins).  Both Simena and Teimussa have a large necropolis.  Teimussa is now the village of Ücağız where boats set off for tours of the area. The Kekova region was declared a Specially Protected Area in 1990 to protect the natural,  cultural and geographic richness of Kekova İsland and surrounding coast.  Kekova is 260m and is managed by the Ministry of Environment,  Authority for the Protection of Special areas. Kekova-Simena is an enjoyable place to visit for its great beauty and charm.  For this reason it is popular with yachties (known to them as Kekova roads) on their Blue Cruises along Lycia’s Turquoise Coast.  In fact, cruising yachts often anchor here for several weeks at a time.

Myra was a leading city of the Lycian Union and surpassed Xanthos in early Byzantine times to become the capital city of Lycia.  Its remains are situated about 1.5 km north of today’s Demre,  on the Kaş-Finike road. Most of the ancient city is now covered by Demre and alluvial silts, for it is located on the river Demre Cay in a fertile alluvial plain. Today this large plain is almost covered with green houses stuffed full of tomatoes. In ancient times this area was probably farmed extensively for export and trade with the interior of Lycia. The city is well-known for its amphitheatre (the largest in Lycia) and the plethora of rock-tombs carved in the cliff above the theatre.

 

Some people believe that Santa Claus did not exist but truth is that old Father Christmas did in fact exist as a historic personality. He did not come from beyond the North Pole where Reindeers roam, but lived under the warm Lycian sun as Bishop of Myra. His church and ex-tomb continue to exist as places of pilgrimage in the town of Demre (now also as Kale) near Antalya).  Saint Nicholas was born in Patara, was elected bishop during Diocletian’s persecutions, and died in Myra  around the year 350 AD. These stories of his charitable acts took on legendary dimensions during the following centuries.

 

The city of Xanthos,  the capital of ancient Lycia , is situated on a rocky outcrop beside the Xanthos River (Eşen Çayı).  It has produced evidence of occupation from at least the mid-1st millennium BC and flourished into the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The Lycian Acropolis is beside the river at the south west of the site, while the larger Roman Acropolis lies to the north, with the city spread out below it. The site was investigated by Charles Fellows in 1838 and since 1950 has been excavated by a French expedition, currently led by Jacques des Courtils. He is focusing on the central city area. Xanthos is the only Classical site in Turkey declared a World Heritage site.

Letoon was the sacred cult center of Lycia, its most important sanctuary, and was dedicated to the three national deities of Lycia-Leto and her twin children Apollo and  Artemis. Letoon is one of the most remarkable archaeological site in Turkey. For this reason,it has been registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Letoon has been under excavation since the 1950’s and since 1962 by the French Archaelogical Mission, in conjunction with the excavations being carried out at Xanthos. Excavation goes on today-the team has done some excellent work and in recent years has begun to restore the Temple of Leto.

 

Patara beach is stunning and makes an enjoyable visit as well as the nearby ancient site of Patara, with its gorgeous landscape and great swimming. Part of a national park, it is a key biodiversity area, rich in birdlife and the breeding ground of the endangered loggerhead turtle (caretta caretta). Luckily the beach has been declared off-limits for developments because of the turtles, they are nearing extinction and protection of their nesting sites on the Turkish cost is very important. The beach is closed after sunset from May to October to give the turtles peace in which to lay their eggs as it is the second most important turtle nesting beach in Turkey.

 

Patara was the major naval and trading port of Lycia, located at the mouth of the Xanthos River until it silted up and turned into a malaria-plagued marsh. It is not far from the sites of Letoon and Xanthos and a day trip from Kalkan, Kaş or Fethiye could easily combine the sites. Beautiful 18 km-long Patara Beach, voted one of the top beaches in the world by Times Online-Best of 2005, is an easy 10-15 minute stroll away from the major ruins at Patara. The Patara area is a national park, a key biodiversity area and is rich in birdlife. Patara was a very wealthy city due to trade and was one of the six principal cities of Lycia. Patara’s oracle at the renown temple of Apollo (not yet found) was said to rival that at Delphi and the temple equaled the reputation of the famous temple on the island of Delos. It was believed that Apollo lived at Delos during the summer but spent his winter in Patara. Omens were interpreted in these two towns during the respective seasons. A large bust of  an Apollo, discovered on the hill beyond the City Gate, indicates the existence of an Apollo Temple which has not been yet found.

As one of the six principal cities of Lycia (and one of the most powerful), Tlos once bore the title under the Roman empire of ‘the very brilliant metropolis of the Lycian nation’. It is one of the oldest and largest settlements of Lycia (known as ‘TLAWA’ in Lycian inscriptions) and was eventually inhabited by Ottoman Turks, one of the few Lycian cities to continue it existence through the 19th century. There is evidence that Tlos was a member of the Lycian Federation from the 2nd century BC. Two wealthy philanthropists, one of which was Opramoas of Rhodiapolis, were responsible for much of the building in the 2nd century AD. Inscriptions tell us that the citizens were divided into demes, the names of three of the are known: Bellerophon, Iobates and Sarpedon, famous Lycian legendary heroes.  A Jewish community is also known to have existed with its own magistrates. It said that the legendary horse Pegasus lived nearby on the mountaintop.

Saklıkent (Hidden City) Gorge is the second largest (18km-long) gorge in Europe, the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey,  about a 40 minutes drive from Kalkan . It is a spectacular place,  with sculpted walls soaring high above. Four km. of the gorge is walkable after April when most of the snow from the Taurus Mountains has melted and passed through the gorge on its way to the Xanthos River. Summer is the best time to visit as the canyon is deliciously cool and shady with cold water.

 

 

Yakapark is a national park with many beautiful features such as waterfalls and springs. The trout restaurant is built on many levels and the main feature is the bar with the canals through which trouts can be seen swimming. Nearby is a cold water pool, so cold, in fact that the restaurant owners offer a free drink for those that can stay in the pool for five minutes. For fifteen minutes they offer a free meal and drink!

Fethiye is one of the most popular resorts due to its extreme loveliness.  Set on a wide bay, strewn with many islands. The ancient name of the city is Telmessos and you will see a fortress on the hill overlooking the city which was built by Knights of Rhodos.  Fethiye is known for its rock tombs carved into the faces of the cliffs by the Lycians. Other historical places in the city are the Sarcophaghi and the Fethiye Tower. On Tuesdays Fethiye is host to the largest market of the area.   
Kayaköy is a village 8 km south of Fethiye in southwestern of Turkey where Anatolian Greeks lived until approximately 1923. The ghost town, now preserved as a museum village, consists of hundreds of rundown but still mostly intact Greek-style houses and churches which cover a small mountainside and serve as a stopping place for tourists visiting Fethiye.

 

Dalyan is a very popular small town not spoiled by buildings and cars. The wonderful 7 km sandy Iztuzu Beach, which is accessible by a boat trip, is one of the last nesting areas for the Caretta caretta  sea turtles. A short boat trip will take you to the sulphur bath which is a popular trip for many people visiting the area.  The mud containing sulphur and other elements is said to be good for skin conditions and makes you feel refreshed and revitalized. Also there is a small spa where you can just relax.
Caunos, the ancient city near modern Dalyan, was found around the 9th century BC. Once it was a Mediterranean city port, but over the centuries the silt from the Dalyan River choked the harbour and today the town lies several kilometers from the sea. Caunos is famous for its rock cut tombs. These were graves for the kings and important people of the city.

This off road adventure begins with a visit to Xanthos, the old administrative capital of Lycia and home to wonderfully preserved ruins,  including a large amphitheatre and the marbled floors of the ancient palace. From here we will take a short stop at the local carpet co-operative to give you an insight into the history of the famous Turkish carpet before moving on to Saklikent Gorge, the second largest gorge in Europe. Lunch is enjoyed at the bottom of the Canyon after which you have the opportunity of walking down the gorge itself.  After this we stop at Patara Beach, one of the longest beaches in Turkey with 18 kilometres of golden sand where you can relax, and have a swim before returning back to resort.

 

An exciting day of sun, fun and nature along the beautiful Xanthos river in our two man canoes. Where the  Xanthos river  meets the sea at Patara Beach  you can stop to enjoy a refreshing swim. As this part of the river is very calm,  no canoeing  experience is required for this exhilarating day out that the whole family can enjoy. Later on in the day we stop at the mud baths and those that whish may indulge themselves with the benefits of a mud bath.  A BBQ lunch is taken on the banks of the river.

 

 

Great experience on the sands of the endless Patara beach. Rides are taken in the morning and evenings in order to escape the heat of the sun.
Ride start from Patara village and  carries on to  the ancient site of Patara.  We ride up the sand dunes and the ride ends at the theatre. Then we have free time for swimming or sunbathing on the beach.

 

 

A great way to get right off the beaten track! These tours are a great activity option for those seeking a few hours of fun and adventure outdoors in Patara.

 

 

 

One of the truly unmissable experiences of a trip to Turkey is a visit to the hamam - Turkish Bath. A scrub and soap massage is a must during the first few days of your holiday - this has an anti aging effect on your skin - letting it breath and helps your skin develop a deeper, longer lasting tan. This authentic Turkish bath includes sauna, shower, scrub, soap massage, face pack and oil massage!

Visit a unspoilt mountain village and experience rural Turkish life and the generosity of the local people which has remained almost unchanged for centuries.  The Yeşil Göl or Green Lake is a great outing for those interested in walking in the pastures of the Taurus Mountain highlands and learning about the semi-nomadic way of life that dominates the peaks all summer-long. The brilliant Green Lake is 6500 ft above sea level and is a pilgrimage centre to which people come from every corner of the country to drink its sacred healing water.  The Green Lake is situated near the semi nomadic town of Gombe where you will have the opportunity to wander around the lively local market where nomads sell their products.  After lunch the journey starts again with a wonderful view of the valley of the Green Lake and the waterfall.

Having an appearance of a natural lagoon with its tepid and standing water during ten months of the year, Ölüdeniz is one the most popular destinations by tourists.