In a previous post, I already talked about the Lycian Way and some hikes I did on the Western part of the trail. In this post, I would like to introduce a few sections of the Eastern part of the Lycian Way.
Olympos – Çiralı
This section is quite easy one and like almost every part of the Lycian Way, plenty of history! The highlight is the ancient city of Olympos, built on a river valley close to the coast, with tall mountains in the background.
The ruins, partly in a wild environment, offer you some good hints of how it looked two thousand years ago. Parts of ancient roads, bridges, bathhouses, temples, and palaces are scattered in the landscape. Also, you can encounter massive and beautifully decorated Lycian sarcophaguses.
After discovering the site, you continue the hike along the beach of Çiralı. Just as in Patara, this beach is also a nesting ground for sea turtles. So be aware of the nests marked on the beach, while walking around.
This area is known for eco-tourism, so the accommodations are simple, embedded in nature, and quiet. It is an ideal place if you are looking for a holiday in nature. My recommendation is the Seven Seasons Hotel with its bungalows, citrus trees, and delicious prepared breakfast and dinner. I stayed here with my friends Ezgi and Ivar in 2022, when we did some other sections of the trail. We enjoyed the hospitality of this place.
Çiralı – Ulupınar
Leaving Çiralı behind, just after a few kilometers you are entering the area called Yanartaş (“flaming stones” in Turkish) or Mount Chimaera. You may ask, what is about these strange and different, somehow mythical names of the place?
Firstly, the place is called “Flaming Stones” because after a climb of approx. 1 km you will encounter an interesting natural phenomenon on the mountain. In dozens of places, methane and other gases emerge from the rock and burn. Some flames you can´t even see in daylight, while others are bigger and can be spotted easily.
Secondly, the place is named after the myth of Chimaera. In Greek mythology, Chimaera was a fire-breathing monster that lived in Lycia. The area with the burning stones might be the origin of the myth.
The myth goes like this: Iobates, the king of Lycia, had ordered Bellerophon to kill the Chimera since he thought that the Chimera would instead kill Bellerophon. But the hero mounted his winged horse Pegasus and soaring on high shot down the Chimera from the height.
Following the trail behind the crowded Yanartaş, we experienced pine forests, rivers, waterfalls, and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
Once you reach Ulupınar, there are plenty of good fish restaurants and tea gardens to have a rest from the hike. I and my friends ordered a taxi to get back to Çiralı and we enjoyed the evening in a traditional restaurant there.
Phaselis – Cennet Koyu
This section of the Lycian Way is also suited as a day trip from Antalya for a hike and enjoying the beach after. You can easily reach the ancient city of Phaselis by minibus from Antalya.
After a short walk from the entrance, where you must pay a fee, you will go down to the coast. Here you can spot the first ruins of Phaselis: an impressive aqueduct, tombs, and the remains of the harbor. My suggestion is to start to walk on the left side facing the sea, towards Cennet Koyu. The hike is easy, and it goes mostly in the forest, so you have enough shade also in a hot day. The views are amazing, always a different mix of green and blue of the pine forest and the sea, in all shades.
Once you reach Cennet Koyu, you can have a rest and then turn back to Phaselis. Since there are different paths, you can take another route on your way back. But be aware of the direction and better check your GPS apps twice! We had to make a little detour since we missed the right entrance in the forest from a main road.
Back to Phaselis, you can discover the other part of the city. Just follow the road further, on the right side of the beach. There is the amphitheater, the bathhouse, and the gate of Hadrian. After, you can decide if you want to enjoy the little beach on the harbor or the bigger beach in the direction of Tekirova.
If you are not too tired, you can continue the hike until the town of Tekirova. From there or from the entrance of Phaselis there are buses back to Antalya. We decided to enjoy the warm and crystal clear water and chill at the beach before we took the bus back to our home base.
Göynük Kanyon
Just like the previous hike, this is also suitable for a day trip to Antalya, escaping the heat of the city. However, the closeness to Antalya has also its negative effects. The section is quite touristic, and not all visitors prefer to hike the canyon. There is also a “transfer” service to the canyon by 4 by 4 vehicles making a lot of noise and dust. But still, there are enough paths not suitable for cars. The landscape and coolness of the water of the river compensate for the disturbance.
To reach the village of Göynük, you can take a minibus from Antalya and get off at the center (not at the beach stops). From here you can walk through the village on a quiet road until you reach the river. To enter the canyon, you must cross on the other side and pay the entrance fee. After that, you just need to follow the signs.
In the canyon itself you can opt to do some activities. Or just have tea or juice while putting your legs in the ice-cold and crystal-clear water. We were lucky and enjoyed a free peeling session performed by little fishes.
There is of course the option to follow the path in the canyon, heading towards Ovacık. We just simply returned to our base in Antalya and enjoyed the evening at the beach!