The stretch of Mediterranean coast from Antalya west to Kalkan is one of my favorite stretches in the country. Its full of cute towns, ancient historic sites, and stunning natural beauty. The sites described below are listed from east to west as you drive along the coastal road (D400) from Antalya towards Kalkan.
Olympos / Çıralı (Chimaera)
Olympos beach is a rocky beach nestled beneath imposing Mt. Olympos. You can reach it via two separate access roads off of the main highway. The first road as you are coming from Antalya will lead you to the north edge of the beach, the village of Çıralı, and the magnificent Chimaera. The second access road takes you to the southern end of the beach and the ruins of the ancient city of Olympos. Both are somewhat steep descents via windy two-lane roads. When I visited, both roads were teeming with goats (you will generally see a lot of goats beside the road in this region, sometimes blocking traffic). Note that you can’t drive between Olympos and Çıralı without going back up to the main highway. There are several small lodging options at both sites and, curiously, you will see many treehouse hotels in this region.
Chimaera
The small village of Çıralı is the access point for visiting Chimaera (known as yanartaş in Turkish). This superb natural wonder consists of constantly burning flames, fueled by natural gas, that emit from cracks in the face of the mountain. In ancient times, sailors who saw these fires from the Mediterranean sea believed them to be produced by the mythical beast Chimaera (hence the site’s name). The fire-breathing Chimaera had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent.
It requires a 2km uphill walk to reach the site of Chimaera. It is a bit strenuous but the path is pretty well paved (it involves stairs in places and a gentle slope in others) and there are a few places to rest along the way. The view from the top and the sight of these eternal flames is well worth the climb. Many guidebooks say it is best to visit Chimaera at night to fully appreciate the flames and people often stay overnight in this area to accomplish that. (The site is open 24 hours a day). I don’t think it is essential to visit at night; I visited during the day and was still awe-struck by the site. If you are visiting in the dead of summer though you probably don’t want to do the climb in the middle of the day. Whenever you do it, be sure to bring along your own water bottle. Last I checked there were not places to buy water along the way (or at the top).
Olympos
At the southern (western) edge of Olympos beach you will find the ruins of the ancient Lycian city of Olympos. The Lycians were contemporaries of the Ancient Greeks and occupied the stretch of coast from Antalya to Fethiye. You will find traces of their civilization throughout this area. The ruins at Olympos are mainly overgrown by the adjacent forest but you can do some good shady exploring through them as you walk from the carpark to the beach. The beach is pretty popular with tourists and tour boats that pull up close to the shore. The views of Mt. Olympos from the beach are lovely.
Visitor info: the site is open 7 days a week from 8am-7pm in the summer season and 8am – 5pm in the winter season. Admission is 20TL to access the ruins and the beach.
Finike / Arykanda
As you drive west from Olympos through Kumluca towards Finike you will be struck by fields and fields full of greenhouses. Entrepreneurial Turkish farmers have installed greenhouses on every stretch of land possible from Olympos to Fethiye and are making good money taking advantage of abundant sunshine to grow tomatoes, peppers and other crops year-round.
Finike is a small, coastal town about an hour west of Olympos that is known for its production of oranges. You can find some hotels and services in this area but it is more of a Turkish agricultural town than a holiday resort.
Just east of the town center of Finike there is a turn-off for a northern road heading towards Elmalı. If you follow this road for about 30 minutes you will come to the ancient Lycian city of Arykanda. This site is pretty remote so you can generally explore it without too many other tourists in your way. When I visited there were some ongoing excavations taking place but the site was still open to visitors. The site was built along the side of the mountain and there are several structures to see as you make your way up. You will encounter mosaic floors, roman baths, an agora, tombs, an amphitheater, and a stadium, all with views of the surrounding lush green mountains. The site was more extensive and impressive than I had anticipated. It is a little bit out of the way but well worth a visit if you are in the area.
Visitor info: the site is open 7 days a week from 8am-7pm in the summer season and 8am – 5pm in the winter season. Admission is free.
Demre
The 30km road between Finike and Demre is both terrifying and beautiful. It is a curvy, two-lane highway that hugs the edge of the coast and winds along the rocky cliffs. Misjudge one of the curves in this road and you are heading straight into the beautiful Mediterranean sea below. My family first encountered this road at 10pm en route to Kalkan, after we were delayed by an unexpected road closure in Antalya. You can take my word for it that its a little precarious to first encounter this road when its pitch-black outside. There are two key sites of interest in Demre: the ancient Lycian city of Myra and the church of St. Nicholas (aka Santa Claus).
Myra
This ancient Lycian site has the most stunning rock tombs you will encounter anywhere in Turkey. Lycians often used rock tombs, tombs carved into the side of a mountain, to bury their dead. You will also find rock tombs in Dalyan and Fethiye but the tombs at Myra are the most impressive. Myra also has a large, well-preserved amphitheater.
Visitor info: the site is open 7 days a week from 8am-7pm in the summer season and 8am – 5pm in the winter season. Admission is 20TL.
Church of St. Nicholas (Noel Baba Müzesi)
Demre was the hometown of St. Nicholas, the 4th century Christian saint who was known for his gift-giving and is the precursor to our modern-day Santa Claus. The current church was built on the site of the 4th century church to house St. Nicholas’s tomb. It dates back to Byzantine times and contains many impressive frescoes. Step outside the church and you can also catch a glimpse of the cheesy Santa Claus statue in the town square.
Visitor info: the site is open 7 days a week from 8am-7pm in the summer season and 8am – 5pm in the winter season. Admission is 20TL.
Kekova / Simena
As you leave Demre and head towards Kaş you will see a turn-off for Üçağız – a small port village from which you can take a boat trip to Kekova and / or Simena. Kekova is a small island just off the coast where you can discover some sunken Lycian ruins. The boats from Üçağız generally have a glass bottom so that you can properly see the “sunken” ruins. I was not all that impressed by what you see under the water (I remember mostly seeing amphoras) but it is still a nice boat trip to take. You can also take a boat to the Lycian city of Simena which is on the mainland but can only be reached by sea. Simena contains some Lycian ruins including a theater and is also home to an old Byzantine castle.
Visitor info: The Simena ruins are open 7 days a week from 8am-8pm in the summer season and 8am – 5pm in the winter season. Admission is 10TL. You can organize boat trips to Simena / Kekova in advance via local tour operators or just show up in Üçağız and see what is available from a local captain.
Kaş
Kaş is a lovely seaside village and an excellent base for your Mediterranean excursions. It would be my second choice town to stay in after Kalkan. In fact, Kaş even made it onto the New York Times’ list of 52 places to visit in 2015 (at number 52).
The town has lots of shops, restaurants and lodging options. It has a cute marina and a few good local beaches. It is also a popular destination for scuba divers. Within town there is a well-preserved Lycian amphitheater that has beautiful vistas overlooking the sea. You will also notice the Greek island of Meis just 4 miles offshore. It is possible to take a daily ferry from Kaş to Meis – just don’t forget your passport!
Kaputaş
This rocky beach is set in a small cove below the highway just a few miles east of Kalkan. There is a small parking lot by the side of the highway where you can leave your car – you will also see some cars just parked along the side of the highway during busy times. Accessing the beach requires walking down about 200 stairs. But don’t be intimidated by the descent: a pristine cove with crystal-clear water and stunning views awaits you at the bottom! Kaputaş is fairly small and doesn’t have any fixed facilities, but you will find a few vendors renting out umbrellas and selling snacks. You can also just bring your own towels / umbrellas / snacks. This beach is a popular stop for small boats who anchor just offshore.
