Lycia came to occupy most of the Teke Peninsula at the southwest corner of Anatolia, roughly defined as the area of Turkey lying south of a line drawn from Dalyan to Antalya.  Its nature is lush, it is densely-forested and the landscape is mountainous and very dramatic.

Southwest Turkey, along and inland from the popular "Turquoise Coast", was home to the ancient Lycians who were one of the most enigmatic people of antiquity.  Although little historical record has been left behind them, what has been discovered reveals fascinating people culturally distinct from the rest of the ancient world.  Around twenty major sites remain today with the Lycians' unusual funerary architecture dominating the breathtaking unspoiled land of Lycia. 

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The steep geography of Lycia sharply divides the land into river valleys, coastal plains and several upland basin-shaped valleys (characteristic throughout the Taurus mountain range) which offer good pasture for sheep.

Three great mountain chains determine access to and within Lycia - in the west two spurs of the western Taurus Mountains (karstic), the Boncuk Daglari and the Baba Dagi (one of the best places in the world for paragliding), and in the east the greatest range of all, the Bey Daglari, standing well over 3,000 metres.  Right into early summer one can see snow atop the two highest peaks in Lycia, Akdağ and Bey Daği. The Lycians were really locked into their country as these three ranges cut off Lycia from neigboring Caria to the north and Pamphylia to the east and join in the north of Lycia to form a plateau. This plateau, along with a lower range of mountains, served to cut off Lycia from central Anatolia. 

Travel was much restricted within Lycia itself, because of these mountain ranges, and access to many parts of the country was practical only by traveling along the coast. The valley of the Xanthos River (Xanthos Valley) which formed one of the main land communications routes (then and today) could be reached from central Lycia only via Kalkan (ancient Phoenicus) or through the Seki Plain via Oenoanda.  Both ways came through the other land communication route of the Elmalı Plain (in the Elmalı Basin), the largest of the upland plains of Lycia.  Ancient roads ran from central Anatolia through mountains to this plain and then down to to coastal cities such as Antiphellos, Limyra and Myra.  This area contains many little-excavated sites, some dating back as far as the third millenium BC or earlier.  The area was once rich with natural resources. The Akçay River (the largest in northern Lycia) and two lakes (one now drained) were here and irrigated fields when they regularly overflowed and the water-table was high and provided plenty of drinking water.  Large cedar forests were nearby as well.  In antiquity people here made their living from fishing, hunting, farming and the production of reed articles.

Lycia has only two rivers of note: the Xanthos River and the Limyrus, which enters the sea near Limyra.  At the mouths of these rivers are alluvial plains, the only level ground in Lycia.

The Xanthos River was the longest and largest river in Lycia and the main water supply for many of the Lycian cities. It begins about 25 miles inland and empties into the sea at beautiful Patara beach. Strabo reports the original name of the river as Sibros or Sirbis. During the Persian invasion the river is called Sirbe which means "yellow" like the Greek word "xanthos", which also means yellow. The river usually has a yellow hue because of the soil in the alluvial base of the valley.  In Lycian times, like today, the river provided the people of the Xanthos Valley with rich, fertile soil for planting as well as plenty of wildlife.  Today wheat, cotton, tobacco, sesame, corn, aniseed, citrus fruits, pomegranates and grapes are grown in valley, as well as tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and cucumbers in the many greenhouses seen throughout.

The Xanthos Valley is long and relatively wide for river valleys in Lycia - fifteen to twenty kilometers across for most of its length. Communication between cities in the valley was easy and this area was the political center of Lycia for much of antiquity. Four of the most important cities of Lycia were located here: Tlos, Xanthos, Pinara and Patara, most of them located on the slopes of the flanking mountain ranges.

all known ancient Lycian cities
all known ancient Lycian cities

All pre-Greek peoples of Anatolia excelled in building monumental tombs associated with some form of ancestor worship; the Phrygians, Carians and Cilicians had their distinctive styles. The Lycians, however, developed this tradition to its artistic perfection. The landscape of Lycia is thoroughly marked by their strange, evocative and beautiful funerary monuments. Lycian tombs come in three major types. Visually the most striking are no doubt the rock tombs -more or less elaborate funeral chambers carved directly from the rock, usually into a cliff. The oldest of these are simple pigeon-hole cubicles of the sort best viewed in Pinara. More commonly, the graves are fashioned like the facade...

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Lycian Way All Etaps
Lycian Way All Etaps

If you really want to get a feel for southwestern Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, you have a great option: Hike the 300-mile Lycian Way, which stretches from Ölüdeniz to just shy of Antalya. Opened in 2000 as the country’s first long-distance trail, it’s been ranked one of the “World’s Ten Best Walks” by the Sunday Times. The route has many inland sections but provides plenty of awesome sea views from ridges and mountains high above the water, and also passes through plenty of ruins. It takes its name from Lycia, an ancient kingdom based in the region as far back as the 15th century BC. Budget 20-30 days to walk the entire trail, or explore shorter sections on day hikes out of towns like...

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Paragliding in the Lycian Sky
Paragliding in the Lycian Sky

There are 3 paragliding centers in Lycia: Oludeniz (near Fethiye), Kaş and Olympos.Oludeniz is one of the best places in the world for paragliding and in the last ten years has become a mecca for paragliders from all over the world.  Incredible thermals and ideal conditions make for amazing flights from Babadag Mountain down to beautiful Oludeniz beach with its long stretch of white sand and turquoise blue water.The International Oludeniz Air Games Festival is held every year at Oludeniz beach.  Lots of fun stuff to do and see.Kaş and Olympos also offers spectacular paragliding over the mountains and sea. Tandem paragliding isn't scary and is surprisingly relaxing. * Paragliding in the...

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Scuba diving Centers along the Lycian coast
Scuba diving Centers along the Lycian coast

Crystal clear diving in the Mediterranean Sea... The crystal clear sea offers excellent diving conditions with high amount of underwater life, visibility up to 40 meters and beautiful underwater rocky landscapes. You just won’t find coral reef here. In September/October the water temperature is ideally at 27°C!There are about 30 dive sites, reachable within 20/30 minutes from the port of Kas. The variety is quite impressive, you can go wreck-diving, cave-diving and you can swim through canyons and tunnels.If you are lucky, you might see dolphins, a Mediterranean monk seal, octopus or maybe even a seahorse (I did! but the poor thing with a dozen of divers taking pictures of it…). The...

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Kaş is a small beautiful diving and tourist town
Kaş is a small beautiful diving and tourist town

Kas is the last county town located on the south-west cost of Antalya. Antiquity name of Kas was Antiphellos (facing Phellos). As written on ancient sources; Antiphellos means “the extension of Phellos on sea” or the “coast of Phellos (stony place)”. Antiphellos is now a village located on the north of Kas and called Cukurbag. * Read More: What to know in Kaş * Restaurants, Cafés, Bars & Mayhanes in Kaş/ MAP & LIST   * Hotels, Pansions, Camping Sites in Kaş / MAP & LIST  

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Kalkan, a small peaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town
Kalkan, a small peaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town

A small peaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town on the beautiful Turquoise Coast of Turkey, Kalkan has not been touched by mass tourism. More sophisticated than the usual resort town, Kalkan appeals to travelers looking for more than a “sun and sea” holiday. According to the Sunday Times, Kalkan attracts the kind of visitor who would also enjoy Tuscany or the Dordogne. The Guardian likens the town to “the Italian Riviera minus the poseurs.” Because of its great charm, Kalkan has a growing number of perennial visitors who say the town is the only holiday destination they would choose to visit repeatedly. There is simply no other town quite like Kalkan along Turkey’s coast. "Mouse"...

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Kekova, with its picturesque islands and intriguing sunken city
Kekova, with its picturesque islands and intriguing sunken city

Kekova, with its picturesque islands and intriguing sunken city* Read More: What to know in Kekova * Restaurants, Cafés, Bars & Mayhanes in Kekova/ MAP & LIST   * Hotels, Pansions, Camping Sites in Kekova/ MAP & LIST

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Olympos and Çıralı, two relatively unspoiled beach resorts
Olympos and Çıralı, two relatively unspoiled beach resorts

* Read More: What to know in Olympos and Çıralı * Restaurants, Cafés, Bars & Mayhanes in Olympos and Çıralı/ MAP & LIST   * Hotels, Pansions, Camping Sites in Olympos and Çıralı / MAP & LIST

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Patara is a beach town in a national park near the ancient Lycian
Patara is a beach town in a national park near the ancient Lycian

The name Patara stands for a marvellous 12 km white sandy beach which is classed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and for the ancient ruins of the ancient town still partly buried under the sand. The beach is also a nesting place for turtles and is therefore environmentally protected. The ancientcity of Patara, the birthplace of St.Nicholas and the port where St.Paul changed ships on his way to Tyros is in recent years being carefully excavated by Prof. FahriIşık. Patara used to be the most important harbour of Lycia and one of the major members of the Lycian League with three votes. During its eventful history the city always had to struggle against foreign...

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