Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Turkey – Lycian Coast – Kayakoy – Kalkan – Olympos
100% customisable for you
Fly to Dalaman via Istanbul, typically around six to seven hours total travel time. On arrival, pick up your rental car and set out along the coast towards Kayakoy, a striking ghost town peppered with abandoned stone houses, on a scenic drive of roughly one hour.
Settle into your nearby accommodation and take a moment to arrive – perhaps with a short wander through the surrounding valley or simply a quiet, welcoming meal as the light fades over the Mediterranean Sea. Tomorrow, the adventure begins...
On your first morning, drive for around ten minutes to reach Oludeniz – one of the most photographed beaches in the Mediterranean. The lagoon sits within a national park, boasting brilliant shades of blue that resist description, and backed by pine-covered hills that have (so far) kept the developers at a reasonable distance. Swim, snorkel or simply spend time taking in the beach’s beauty. For those wanting a different perspective, paragliding from Mount Babadag offers the whole coastline at once – with the kind of view that reframes everything below it.
Today, take the road turning inland towards the ancient heart of Lycia. Xanthos rewards the visit with its striking pillar tombs, while nearby Letoon – a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Leto – has been the focus of a French archaeological mission since the 1950s, its layers still being carefully uncovered. At Pinara, rock-cut tombs hewn into the cliff face give the landscape an almost architectural quality, the hillside serving as both canvas and monument.
Today, make the hour-and-a-half drive to Kalkan, a charming, white-washed coastal town along Turkey’s ‘Turquoise Coast’, and your base for the next three nights. The rest of the day is yours to play with – the bustling town lends itself to an aimless wander, while the shimmering sea is just a stone’s throw away from your accommodation (how can you resist?)...
Today, board a private schooner with a skipper and set sail for Kekova Island. The draw is Apollonia, an ancient Lycian city, later Byzantine, now partially submerged beneath the surface of the bay. Incredibly, the outlines of streets and buildings are still visible through the water. After Apollonia, the day continues at a gentle pace: think swimming stops, meze and kebabs onboard, and further along the coast, the Byzantine fortress of Kalekoy, the Lycian tombs of Simena and the ruins of Aperlae.
For your last day in Kalkan, explore a little closer to your base. Kaputas Beach sits just over four miles from Kalkan, and boasts 170 steps down to a narrow, magical cove of clear water and solid rock. Further along, Patara carries rather more history than most beaches can claim. This stretch of sand is the birthplace of Saint Nicholas, and was also home to the first seaport of ancient Lycia, visited by Paul of Tarsus and Luke the Evangelist. Excavations since the late 20th century have uncovered a bouleuterion (ancient Greek assembly hall), theatre, lighthouse base and a magnificently preserved main street running from the harbour to the agora (public square).
Feeling energetic? Hike up to Termessos, an ancient city perched in the mountains to the northwest of Antalya. Abandoned in the fifth century, never reoccupied and slowly being reclaimed by surrounding vegetation, the setting alone justifies the two-and-a-half-hour round trip. Follow it with a wander through Antalya’s old town and an evening boat trip across the bay.
This morning, drive along the Lycian coast to Cirali, a coastal village next to the ancient Olympos – a journey of around two-and-a-half hours – and settle in for the next three nights among lush forest and orange groves.
The rest of the day is yours: take a short stroll to the nearby beach for your first taste of the sea, before enjoying a leisurely meal made with fresh, local ingredients. Nestled in a narrow valley with a panorama of natural sights, the area is a feast for all the senses.
On your first morning in Olympos, explore the ruins of its ancient city, where the Hellenistic baths, aqueducts and agora tell stories of a past praised by Cicero and undone by piracy. Golden sands stretch along Cirali Beach, fringed by pines, figs, oleanders and wild vines – the perfect backdrop for a leisurely stroll or a swim.
While you’re here, take to the water by sea kayak with an experienced instructor. A short introduction covers the basics, and then you’re away, paddling south along the coast to a sea cave, before reaching a cove that will make the aching arms feel more than worth it. You’ll have worked up an appetite afterwards, so dive into the fresh local seafood (we recommend the red mullet) and sample the renowned kunefe – a dessert that’s equal parts sweet and savoury, made with melted cheese and syrup-soaked pastry.
After a final breakfast, drive an hour-and-a-half to Antalya airport and return your rental car. Board your flight home – typically lasting just under five hours – perhaps already plotting a return to those crystal-clear waters and sun-drenched ruins…
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
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