The Moon
is closest to the earth in Antiphellos (Kas)
Herodotos
(V.centuryBC )
Kas- the marriage
of beauty and the deep blue eyed Mediterranean Sea. In
Kas,
the center of the historic Lycian Region, the Taurus
Mountains embrace the sea as they continue to the great
depths of the Mediterranean Sea. The area is rocky all
around and this helps to keep the bay crystal clear.
Kas is a small historical town on the south coast of
Turkey. It was one of the most important marine cities and
wine production sites of the Lycian civilization and is
now surrounded by rock tombs and ruins of the ancient city
Antiphellos.
Right across Kas, there is the Greek Island
Nisos-Costellorizon. It is only 3 miles away from Kas.
There are daily excursions by boats to Nisos-Costellorizon
and also to another antique city of Lycian Civilization
called the Kekova Island.
Once you decide to
come to Kas, you must arrange your flight to Dalaman or
Antalya Airports. Kas is right between the two airports.
150 km. from Dalaman and 180 km. from Antalya airport .
Kas is a lovely town surrounded on three sides by
mountains. In Kas you can hire a water taxi to take you to
a favorite bay, cave or beach along the coast. The
swimming and diving are excellent in the clear cool waters
around Kas.
Kas was once the site of an ancient city Antiphellos.
Today the only remains of this Lycian city are the
rock-cut tombs and sarcophagi. You can wander through the
streets stopping to examine the souvenir shops that offer
Turkish handicrafts, leather goods, silver items, cotton
clothing and handmade carpets. After shopping, stroll
along the flower-lined Akdeniz Promenade or relax under
the shade of a palm tree. There are many bars and
restaurants in Kas that offer plenty of night life.
The mountains which
surround the town provide their share of activities and
sights. You can walk through forested hills to visit
remote villages and ancient ruins. If you are prepared you
can attempt to scale the highest peak in the area, Mt.
Kizlar Sivrisi (3,086 metres).
On
a rise between the open sea and the hill, which was
probably the acropolis of the ancient city, lays a rock
tomb formed like a Doric structure with Doric triglyphs on
the facade. Inside the tomb is to be found a frieze of
dancing female figures. The acropolis was surrounded by a
fortified wall, of which traces are to be seen on the
facade facing the island of Meis (Kastellorizon). No
traces of fortifications are to be seen on the northern or
western slopes. To the west of the modern town stands the
ancient theater overlooking the sea. This structure
possesses a remarkable view. It was constructed of local
limestone and today the tribunes and outer walls are still
visible although no trace of the skene is left. On the
western edge of the acropolis are traces of a temple.
Tombs of the Roman period are scattered about the town and
along the coast.
Kaya Village
A few
kilometers from Fethiye, climbing past the ancient
fortress and rock tomb of King Amyntas, the pine
trees give way to the bucolic landscape of the Kaya
Village. Here a dwindling number of local families till
the land and tend their animals. Some of the old Greek
stone houses have been carefully restored to provide
atmospheric and peaceful holiday homes. Visitors can walk,
cycle or even horse-ride around the pathways and lanes of
the valley, pausing at the simple teahouses, restaurants
and general stores or continuing the few kilometers down
to the Gemiler Beach.
Perhaps everyone's most vivid memory of Kaya Valley is the haunting choreography of the houses, shops and churches of the once thriving Greek town of Levissii.
Gemiler Island
This early
Christian Island dedicated to St, Nicholas can be visited
from the Gemiler Beach below Kaya village or while on one
of the daily boat trips out of Oludeniz.
The Lycian Way
The
Lycian Way begins near Oludeniz and ends just before
Antalya, taking in choice mountain landscapes and
seascapes en route. It follows 500 km of ancient footpaths
and mule roads that linked the villages of the Turquoise
Coast.
What really
distinguishes this walk is it's intimate, almost careless
relationship with history. Lycian, in particular enjoyed a
period us ascendancy and unique culture before falling
into the hands of Alexander the Greta's successors and
then the Romans. Later, Arabs, Crusaders and Genoese
established themselves.
Traces of all these hands are visible still, and nowhere more so than along this path, their romance and charm enhanced by the old stones lying naturally among the scrub and goat pastures. Tombs just out of mule tilled fields, sections of columns are stacked in the hedges.
There
are castles, harbors, forts and lots of vernacular
monuments too: sheepfolds and cobbled mule tracks, where
the herders take their flocks and where the peasants
repair for coolness in the summer.
Ovacik / Fethiye
Just above Oludeniz amongst the pines on the lower slopes of Babadag the village of Ovacik straddles the mountain road between Fethiye and Oludeniz.
It's convenient
situation, clear air, quiet country trails and excellent
accommodation make it an ideal base for enjoying all the
diverse aspects of this captivating area.
Ovacik is situated only 3 km away from Oludeniz Beach and
is the neighbouring village to Hisaronu.
Ovacik village is spread
out in a big valley just below Babadag mountain - hence
there isn't a resort centre as such - but most of the
accommodation is situated within walking distance to main
road and Hisaronu village centre.
There are beautifully
landscaped hotels with views over the valleys down below,
luxury villas with swimming pools, good choice of
apartments and self catering accommodation.
Ovacik is good alternative to Hisaronu village - if you
are looking for a more private & relaxing holiday contact
us.
Patara
In the heart of Lycia Patara is best known for its beach, eighteen kilometers of soft white sand, backed by majestic dunes and in recent years the winner of a "best beach in the world" survey in the Sunday Times.
Evidence of its former
glories as the principal port for Lycia and an important
Roman town can be seen at the extensive site , still not
fully excavated. Here too stood the Hellenistic oracle of
Apollo , thought to rival that at Delphi and a further
claim of Patara's fame is as the birthplace of the fourth
century St. Nicolas , the original Santa Claus.
Patara beach should not
be missed with its gorgeous landscape and great swimming.
It is a national park and home to many birds, also the
breeding ground of the endangered Loggerhead turtle.
The beach is an 18 kilometre-long strip of sand bordered
on its ends by mountains and along its length by sand
dunes and the large marshy area which once was the
celebrated port of Patara.
Saklikent
Saklikent
Gorge ("Hidden City") is the longest and deepest gorge in
Turkey, 18 km long and so steep and narrow that the sun
does not penetrate the water, leaving it deliciously
icy-cold in the summer. Once inside, water-sculpted
limestone canyon walls soar above you.
Saklikent Gorge is a beautiful place and a great place to
explore. Be sure to bring submersible shoes as you will
sometimes be walking in shallow water or mud. Plastic
shoes can also be
rented outside of the gorge. The gorge is approached along a long wooden boardwalk above the river. Once inside, you reach the Ulupinar springs where water bubbles up under great force from the base of the cliffs and you wade across the river into the gorge proper to begin your walk. The walk is easy for 4 km, after that a rock slide blocks the passage for all except rock climbers.
Xanthos
Xanthos
was the capital city of the Lycian Federation and its
greatest city for most of Lycian history. It was made
famous to the Western world in the 19th century by its
British discoverer Charles Fellows. Xanthos is very old -
finds date back to the 8th century BC, but it is possible
that the site may have existed during the Bronze Age or
during the first centuries of the Iron Age
The history of Xanthos is quite a violent - the Xanthosians twice demonstrated the fierce independence of the Lycian people when they chose to commit mass suicide rather than submit to invading forces. The Xanthosian men set fire to their women, children, slaves and treasure upon the acropolis before making their final doomed attack upon the invading Persians. Xanthos was later repopulated but the same gruesome story repeated itself in 42 BC when Brutus attacked the city during the Roman civil wars in order to recruit troops and raise money. Brutus was shocked by the Lycian' suicide and offered his soldiers a reward for each Xanthosian saved. Only 150 citizens were rescued.
Xanthos stands atop
an elevated area within the Xanthos valley with the
Xanthos River flowing closely
under
the city's west side. From this elevation one receives a
supreme view of the valley surrounded by the spectacular
Taurus Mountains.
Although Charles Fellows carted away most of the finds of
Xanthos (now in the British Museum) many interesting
monuments and structures remain, including two of the most
interesting tombs in Lycia.
Features of Xanthos include:
" The "Harpy Tomb" - Sitting upon a massive base is a
thick pillar with a grave-chamber and crowning slabs. The
whole thing stands about 25 feet high. The chamber at the
top was marble and decorated with splendid relief's (which
some belief to depict harpies). The relief's are now in
the British Museum but have been replaced by some very
nice casts.
" Pillar Tomb - A completely unique tomb in Lycia,
actually two-tombs-in-one - a normal Lycian sarcophagus
stands upon a shorter-than-usual pillar tomb. It is quite
tall, only a little shorter than the Harpy Tomb. 4th
century BC.
" The "Xanthian Obelisk" - a tall pillar tomb covered with
Greek and the longest Lycian inscription known to exist.
This writing was instrumental in helping to begin to
understand the riddle of the difficult Lycian language.
" Other Features of
Note include an amphitheatre, a Roman arch, a Byzantine
church with lovely mosaic floors and a fortress at the top
of the acropolis.
Kalkan Beach
Patara Beach In the heart of Lycian Patara is best known for its beach, eighteen kilometers of soft white sand, backed by majestic dunes and in recent years the winner of a "best beach in the world" survey in the Sunday Times.
Kaputas Beach Kaputas Beach is on the way to Kas and it is 7km far from Kalkan.This beach is one of the most beautiful beaches of this coast. But you have to be careful about the waves in the sea when the weather is windy.
The Blue Lagoon
Oludeniz,
a beautiful inland bay that stretches behind the cape, is
now closed to yachts. The reason this heavenly place is
called Oludeniz ("Sea of the Dead") is attributed to the
following legend.
Once a father and son were caught in a storm here and
were in danger of sinking. The son claimed that if they
approached the rocks ashore they could take shelter in a
cove. The father on the other hand asserted that their
ship would be driven onto the rocks and break up and that
there were no coves around here anyway. In his terror of
running around on the rocks, the
father knocked his son (who was at the helm) into the sea
with an oar and took over the helm himself. Just as the
ship was about to hit the rocks on the cape, she turned
into this calm, smooth watered bay. This is the reason
they say the bay is called the Sea of the Dead, whereas
what with the pine clad sandy beach stretched out like a
tongue, the name "Paradise Bay" would be more fitting.
The Blue Lagoon of Oludeniz has clam, crystal clear waters which makes it ideal for a variety of water sports and a very safe place for children to swim. Part of the lagoon is now a protected area (and it's a national park).
The Butterfly Valley
Butterfly Valley is a great day trip from Oludeniz. It is home to the unique Jersey Tiger butterfly. Between June and September, butterflies in thousands of colour and countless varieties can be seen here. This valley is an interesting canyon with steep cliffs up to 350 meters high and stretches back from the cove some 3-4 kilometers. To get to Butterfly Valley, you can take a boat from either Oludeniz or Fethiye .
Taxi boats leave from Oludeniz three times a day in both directions - an alternative for the adventurous and well-shod hiker is to follow the steep and rocky slope down from the upper rim of the valley, following the footpath from in front of "George House," on the road to Faralya/Kabak (gauge about 30 min.).
Butterfly Valley with it's untouched nature, most amazing beach and basic facilities (no electricity, TV or any earthly possessions) - only a small restaurant and simple beach huts - is a total relaxation destination.
Dalyan
Dalyan
is a small village built along one side of the Dalyan
river, close to the ancient site of Caunos. A group of
spectacular Lycian tombs are carved into the cliff face
onto the opposite side of the river.
Fish restaurants line the quayside at the centre of the
village, while small pension and attractive hotels are
built at the waterside on either side of the village.
By night the waterside restaurants and bars come alive
with music and laughter and many new friendships are
forged
The pretty riverside village of Dalyan offers many diversions including impressive rock tombs, the atmospheric site of ancient Caunos and famous mud baths. Not least of its' attractions is the reed fringed delta along which wooden boats ferry visitors to the wide expanse of Iztuzu beach, made famous by the successful campaign to protect the eggs of the loggerhead turtle.
A full boat tour starts at the hot springs near Koycegiz Lake, and then follows a meandering course down the river through the thick reeds and bamboos towards Caunos. A system of gateways, constructed across the river, catch sea bass and grey mullet as they return the sea after spawning in the lake.
Elmali
is the largest Ottoman town of the southwest area of
Turkey, located high on a mountain plain. It is famous for
its well-preserved wooden houses (some from the 17th
century) in which Ottoman Turks, Greeks and Armenians once
lived together until the 20th century. People here live
much as they did in the past and old crafts such as
blacksmithing, hand-crafting copperware and making Turkish
Delight in the traditional way are still practiced. A very
large mosque complex exists in Elmali dating back to the
16th century with hand-painted tiles rivalling those in
Istanbul's grand mosques.
The Elmali area is rich in archaeology and natural beauty. Some very significant antiquities including the famous Elmali Treasury have been found in the area and excavations are currently underway at a large mound where antiquities have been found dating back to the 12th century BC. Alexander the Great once marched through Elmali with his troops in 333 BC on his campaign against the Persian army. The road they used can still be seen today.
The
misty peaks of the great Taurus Mountains, rushing streams
and lush greenery offer excellent photo opportunities and
the alpine pastures and famous cedar forests (6,000-7,000
feet) are attractive to hikers. Many semi-nomads live in
the area as well, as the highlands are good, cool summer
pasture for their flocks of sheep and goats.
Fethiye
Once
the Lycian settlement of Telmessos, Fethiye is a lively
port and market town where Turkish life and tourism exist
side by side. Along the pretty waterfront you can watch
the traditional wooden gullets, motor launches and fishing
boats.
At the nearby Calis Beach all manner of water-sports are
available. In the old port area 'Paspatur' sell everything
from aromatic herbs to 'designer' clothes, nomadic rugs
and hand-crafted jeweler. The famous rock tomb of King
Amyntas is visited by many every year.
Market Place
Located at the centre of the town, the market place is a
fascinating sight where al kinds of fresh vegetables,
herbs, fruit, fish, meat and dairy products, as well as
local handicrafts, are offered for sale.
Paspatur
This small square is named after the cold water spring
called Paspatur which flows into the pool here. Its
history dates back to many years. During the period when
refrigerators were non-existent, water jags and melons
were submerged into the pool for cooling, while animated,
friendly chats were carried out at the coffee-houses and
pubs located around it.
At
present the Paspatur square has grown and expanded, with
restaurants overshadowed by vine and ivy, bars and
discotheques; as well as shops exhibiting touristic items
and souvenirs as such as leather outfits, bags and
accessories,; golden and silver ornaments and jeweler;
carpets and rugs.
In addition to buildings which are outstanding samples of
typical Greek architecture, the Old Mosque and the
Historical Turkish Bath are located here.
Mountain
Tour to Gombe and Green Lake -
High Meadows of the Taurus Mountains
This
tour is a wonderful opportunity to see traditional,
non-touristic Turkey high in the Taurus Mountains, away
from the coastal heat. 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 semi-nomads
represent the long history of the Turkish people who
migrated from central Asia.
Named after the spurge plant endemic to the area, Sütlegen
is a beautiful semi-nomad village at 5,000 feet tucked in
a gorgeous alpine forest overlooking a magnificent deep
canyon surrounded by cedar of Lebanon trees, located
between Kalkan and Elmali. Locals here make their living
from forestry and apple and the many walnut orchards of
the area, while semi-nomads tend their flocks in mountain
pastures here during the summer months
before
returning to the warmer coast for the winter.
Gömbe is the central
semi-nomad town of the area, and the largest. Surrounded
by the snow-capped Taurus Mountains, Gömbe has an
interesting authentic market with local produce and
handmade tools. The mosque here makes an interesting
visit.
Brilliant
Green Lake
is 6,500 ft
above sea level and a pilgrimage center to which people
come from every corner of the country to drink its sacred
healing water. Semi-nomads live in tents near the lake
with their flocks and are very hospitable to visitors.
Don't miss the "Wishing Tree" on your walk to Green Lake -
a tree upon which scraps of cloth are tied by pilgrims
along with a prayer.
The
lake is formed by the melting snow which stays on top of
the mountains until early August. It offers spectacular
shots for photographers and is a cool place to visit in
the summer. The area of Green Lake overlooks a stunning
valley once travelled through by Alexander the Great and
his troops on his Persian campaign.
Green Lake is also located very near the sacred "Flying
Waterfall". Like Green Lake, the water here is considered
holy and people come from all over to drink its curative
waters. It is believed to have been given to people as a
gift by the founder of a nearby dervish monastery.
For lunch on this tour we eat at a wonderful restaurant
tucked away in a tranquil forest alongside a rushing
stream, with many delicious options from which to choose.
Hisaronu / Fethiye
Situated on a high
plateau 4km from the coast and surrounded by stunning
mountains, the once sleepy villages of Hisaronu and Ovacik
have combined to create a lively resort which has a
distinctly British atmosphere. The nearest beaches are the
famous lagoon of Oludeniz or the pebble and sand beach of
Belcekiz. A Dolmus leaves every five or ten minutes.
The village is full of bars, restaurants and shops. This
is certainly the place to haggle for any imitation
designer gear. The cool mountain air can be quite a relief
after a day in the sun and there is plenty to do in the
evening.
Hisaronu, and the Fethiye
area in general, are blessed with a rugged and beautiful
landscape, the potential of which for activity holidays
(and holiday activites) is just being realised. Hisaronu
is special because its location means that you can
paraglide in Oludeniz one day, canoe down the Xanthos
river to Patara the next, paintball in the pine forests of
Kaya Koyu and still take an overnight trip to the
classical ruins of Ephesus.
The area is nice if you just want to relax on the beach or
by the hotel pool but to get the most out of your trip you
ought to consider moving around a little bit.
There are variety of hotels, villas & Aparts in the area,
from simple family run to luxury hill top hotels with
views of Olu Deniz beach below. Please check the hotels in
Hisaronu section to view the hotel accommodation options
in the resort of Hisaronu.
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