TURKEY
                                                  The Lycian way, part 1

Five stages from the Lycian way. The Lycian way is the first long distance way marked trail in Turkey, between the cities of Fethiye and Antalya, in the south west of the country. Lycia is the historical name of the present Tekke peninsula. The total length of the trail is about 510 kilometres and follows frequently the coast. The route we walked is going up and down all the time, often hard and stony underfoot.

Tips: with a Turkish airline from Amsterdam to Antalya you arrive there in about 4 hours. You also can fly to Dalaman. For organising this route we got a lot of help from Middle Earth Travel. They arranged - for instance - the transport from Antalya airport tot our start at Kalkan, 230 kilometres west of Antalya, as well the transport on the end of day 2. Including the accommodation on the route.

Accommodation: we slept and eat at pensions, hotels and private houses. You can camp on the route also. Ask for permission.

Maps: Kate Clow a.o. wrote a book about the route. Cate a.o. researched, designed and implemented the trail. The book describes the route in details and offers background and historical information. It also contains a map, a kind of design, in fact not always effective to walk on. As far as we know you can not buy suitable walking maps. So, bring a compass!

March 2008: five stages from the Lycian way. The route follows Greek and Roman roads, aqueducts, traditional nomad roads, goats paths, forest paths, local paths connecting villages. The route has a great relation with all those remains from the earlier inhabitants and visitors: the Lycian people, the Romans, crusaders and Arabs.

Day 1: Kalkan - Gelemiş (Patara)

The route follows the aqueduct from Delikkemer
to Patara. In 2008 a new road near Kalkan was made, so we lost the route for a while.

Day 2: Gelemiş - Akbel

The southern route and through Delikkemer to
Akbel. Transport to Kaş. Next morning to  Kiliçh.

Day 3:  Kiliçh - Üçagiz

Day 4:  Üçaǧiz - Kapakli

Day 5:  Kapakli - Myra (Demre)

 

Next day transport to Antalya.

Myra

       Near Üçagiz

On the route: this trail is one of the best we ever did! Patara with its Roman theatre, the aqueduct near Delikkemer, the great panoramas at the Mediterranean, the castles and fortress, the herds, the goats, the olive plantations, sunk cities, splendid and isolated beaches, Myra with the church of Nicolas, the theatre, the remains of the Lycians…….and all that in a fantastic landscape and  - in spring - tolerable temperatures. And: nice and hospitable people on the route. We recommend walking in spring or autumn. In summer it can be too hot.

       Patara

For all kind of
assistance:

Return to start

Visit part 2 of the Lycian-way

Map