Fodor's Expert Review Pınara
Ancient Pınara was probably founded as early as the 5th century BC, and it eventually became one of Lycia's most important cities. Its mountain setting is still strikingly beautiful, but you need time and determination to explore the site, which is spread out, largely unexcavated, and overgrown with plane, fig, and olive trees. You can park in the village of Minare and make the 30-minute hike up the clearly marked trail or drive up the steep dirt track (planned to be paved by summer 2022). There are a few signs near the entry but no good maps.
The spectacular Greek theater at Pınara, which has overlooked these peaceful hills and fields for thousands of years, is one of the country's finest. It's perfectly proportioned, and, unlike that of most theaters in Turkey, its stage building is still standing. The site also contains groups of rock tombs with unusual reliefs (one shows a cityscape) and a cliff wall honeycombed with hundreds of crude rectangular "pigeonholes," which are... READ MORE
Ancient Pınara was probably founded as early as the 5th century BC, and it eventually became one of Lycia's most important cities. Its mountain setting is still strikingly beautiful, but you need time and determination to explore the site, which is spread out, largely unexcavated, and overgrown with plane, fig, and olive trees. You can park in the village of Minare and make the 30-minute hike up the clearly marked trail or drive up the steep dirt track (planned to be paved by summer 2022). There are a few signs near the entry but no good maps.
The spectacular Greek theater at Pınara, which has overlooked these peaceful hills and fields for thousands of years, is one of the country's finest. It's perfectly proportioned, and, unlike that of most theaters in Turkey, its stage building is still standing. The site also contains groups of rock tombs with unusual reliefs (one shows a cityscape) and a cliff wall honeycombed with hundreds of crude rectangular "pigeonholes," which are believed to have been either tombs or food storage receptacles.
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