Turkey is among countries that start with T listed on Countryaah.com. Most of Turkey’s 790,000 km² is located in Asia, while the smaller European part in Eastern Thrace occupies only 3% of the country’s area. Istanbul is, so to speak, the bridge: With over 13 million residents, the metropolis on the Marmara Sea is by far the largest city in Turkey, followed by Ankara and Izmir. But regional centers such as Konya and Antalya have also exceeded the million mark in the past ten years. A total of around 76 million people currently live in Turkey; 99% are Muslim.
- Day 1: Antalya, we are coming!
- Day 2: Hike to the Oludeniz lagoon
- Day 3: Stage 1: Ovacik – Faralya
- Day 4: Stage 2: Faralya to Alinca
- Day 5: Patara – the longest beach in Turkey
- Day 6: By boat to the sunken city
- Day 7: Pirate Bay & Gelidonya Lighthouse
- Day 8: Farewell to Lycia
Faralya is located high above the sea, from the terrace of our hotel we could watch the sunset over the “butterfly valley” the day before without feet. Today we want to hike via the village of Kabak to Alinca, “one of the most beautiful stages of the Lycian Way”, as our guide promises. It’s going uphill soon, from the hill we have a wide view of the coast. In Kabak we pass a neat little bay, a steeper climb follows, then the forest: Welcome, shade!
On the slopes of the Taurus, the Lycian Way meanders between the coast and the plateaus. It is one of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails in Turkey: hiking with a view of the sea creates a holiday mood; past shifting dunes and through small harbor towns that seem to doze on even when the muezzin calls. But it is also a journey into history: we see ancient water pipes and the ruins of Termessos. We take the boat to the sunken city of Kekova, where house walls and stairs protrude from the water.
We also hike to the beach of Patara, which has repeatedly been named the most beautiful in Europe. The fact that there are only a few people here is due to the protection zone: an archaeologist excavated one of the most important cities of ancient Lycia, “with more churches and temples than Ephesus”. He dug triumphal arches and theaters, baths and aqueducts from the dunes – and the only lighthouse that has remained unchanged from ancient times.
Meals: B = breakfast / L = lunch / packed lunch / D = dinner
1st day:
Antalya, we are coming!
With anticipation in our luggage we fly to Antalya today, to the Turkish Riviera, as the coast is also often called. Soon we will land, be picked up and driven to our nice, simple hotel in Antalya. From the terrace we look out over the glorious sunsets over the grandiose “butterfly valley”. We get to know our tour group over dinner.
Overnight stay at Best Western Khan Hotel in Antalya
(- / – / A)
2nd day:
Hike to the Oludeniz lagoon
Strengthened after breakfast, we drive towards Fethiye. Our first hike awaits us today: We hike from Kayaköy to Ölüdeniz and in between we visit the abandoned Greek village of Kayaköy. The surroundings change step by step until we see the most famous Mediterranean motif in Turkey, the Oludeniz lagoon. If we want, we can later take a swim on the beach of Oludeniz.
Driving time: approx. 3 hours. Hike: approx. 2.5 hours / 5 km (+150 m / -300 m)
Overnight: Montenegro hotel near Fethiye
(B / L / D)
3rd day:
Stage 1: Ovacik – Faralya
Today we hike the first stage of the Lycian Way: our hiking shoes carry us from Ovacik to Faralya. Step by step we go forward until we reach the Babadag mountain (1,975 m), which is an ideal place for paragliders. Here, too, the panorama is not stingy with its charms: when the weather is nice, we look out over the picturesque Ölüdeniz lagoon, this time from the southern side. It’s time to pause, be amazed and let your thoughts run free.
Hike: approx. 6 hours / 13 km (+460 m / -500 m)
Overnight stay: Montenegro Hotel near Fethiye
(B / L / D)
4th day:
Stage 2: Faralya to Alinca
Today we set off directly from the hotel and hike via the village of Kabak to Alinca. A path leads us to a vantage point from where we can look out over the surrounding nature, it is a symbiosis of rocky coast, pine trees and the turquoise-blue shimmering sea. A demanding ascent of approx. 500 meters in altitude goes over the Kabak Bay towards Alinca. But the path, which partly runs through a forest in the shade, is well prepared, and so we will reach Alinca without any problems. This stage is considered to be one of the most beautiful of the entire Lycian Way. At the end of the stage we will be taken to Kas, where we will stay in a 3 * hotel for two nights.
Hike approx. 6 hours / 11 km (+700 m / -250 m)
Overnight: Kayahan Hotel in Kas
(B / L / D)
5th day:
Patara – the longest beach in Turkey
Today we drive to Akbel, from there we hike towards our destination today: the longest sandy beach in Turkey in Patara. On the way we see a very interesting ancient aqueduct. The hike ends with a visit to the ruins in Patara and a swim break on the 16 km long sandy beach.
Hike: approx. 3 hours / 8 km (+80 m / -200 m)
Overnight: Kayahan Hotel in Kas
(B / L / D)
6th day:
By boat to the sunken city
In the morning we drive from the hotel to Kilicli. From Kilicli we hike to Soguk Bay. After a varied hike we will reach the Lycian ruined city of Aperlai. We take a swim break in the picturesque Soguk Bay, where the remains of Aperlai are in the water. After a short hike, we will arrive at Sicak Bay, where we will take a boat to the sunken city of Kekova. During this boat trip we will have lunch and will be able to admire enchanting coastlines. After a few swimming breaks, we come ashore at Ucagiz and drive to our hotel in Adrasan.
Hike: approx. 3.5 hours / 7 km (+20 m / -375 m)
Overnight at the Papirus Hotel near Adrasan
(B / L / D)
7th day:
Pirate Bay & Gelidonya Lighthouse
On this hiking day we experience one of the highlights of the Lycian way. We hike from the Pirate Bay over the Gelidonya lighthouse to Adrasan. The bus picks us up there and brings us back to our hotel near Adrasan. Dinner at the hotel.
Hike: approx. 7 hours / 17 km (+/- 700 m)
Overnight: Overnight at the Papirus Hotel near Adrasan (B / L / D
)
8th day:
Farewell to Lycia
We will be brought to Antalya Airport in time for our flight home.
Driving time: approx. 2 hours
(B / – / -)
