25 Best Sights in The Turquoise Coast, Turkey

Although there are many Roman theaters still standing, none are quite as perfect as the one at Aspendos, built by a local architect named Xenon during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 161–180). It owes its current preservation to the fact that the Seljuk Turks repurposed it as a royal palace in the 13th century; traces of the distinctive Seljuk red-and-yellow paint work are still visible. In its heyday, it could hold 15,000 spectators and is most striking for the broad curve of seats, perfectly proportioned porticoes, and rich decoration.

The Greeks liked open vistas behind their stages, but the Romans preferred enclosed spaces. The stage building you see today was once covered by an elaborate screen of marble columns, and its niches were filled with statues. The only extant relief on site depicts Dionysus (Bacchus) watching over the theater. The acoustics are fine, and the theater continues to be used—for concerts and for the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival, held every September, rather than for wild-animal and gladiator spectacles as in Roman times. Most visitors just see the theater, but don't miss out on the rest of the site, which is up a zigzagging trail behind it. The rewards are a tall Nymphaion (a sanctuary to the nymphs built around a fountain decorated with a marble dolphin) and the remains of a Byzantine basilica and market hall. You can also see, below in the plain, the stadium and the aqueduct which used an ingenious siphon system.

Shaded by tall firs and amid flowering oleander bushes, the ruins are next to a river in a mountain gorge, so they're delightfully cool in summer, the perfect time to explore. Many tombs are scattered about the ancient city. In the center of the northern half of the site is the large cathedral complex, once the main temple, which includes a much-photographed, 18-foot-high gate dedicated to Marcus Aurelius in AD 171 and mistakenly referred to by signs as a temple. Note how some walls around the site have clearly been rebuilt in later centuries with narrow arrow slits. At the beach entrance is a poetic inscription on a sarcophagus in memory of an ancient ship's captain, along with a carving of his beached boat—not that different from today's gulets. From here you can also climb to a small acropolis and some medieval fortifications where citizens in ancient times would keep a lookout for ships and pirates.

The southern side of the ancient city is best reached by crossing the riverbed (sometimes dry in summer) by the land-side ticket office and heading east toward the beach along a well-beaten path that starts with a remarkable row of tombs. Farther along are shipping quays, warehouses, and a gorgeously overgrown theater, some of which lie half-buried in what feels like the floor of a jungle. Farther south along the beach are the walls of a medieval castle and church.

The ruins of Phaselis, the ancient port city with a majestic setting at the edge of three smalls bays, are as romantic as the reputation of its ancient inhabitants was appalling. Demosthenes the Greek described them as unsavory, and Roman statesman Cicero called them rapacious pirates. Since the first Greek colonists from Rhodes bought the land from a local shepherd in the 7th century BC for a load of dried fish, classical literature is replete with the expression "a present from the Phaselians," meaning a cheap gift. Still, the setting is beautiful, and Alexander the Great spent a whole winter here before marching on to conquer the east.

A broad main street is lined by some remarkably well-preserved buildings and cuts through the half-standing walls of the Roman agora. The street is also bookended by bays, each with translucent water that's ideal for swimming. A small theater with trees growing among the seats has a divine view of Mt. Olympos, and fine sarcophagi are scattered throughout a necropolis in the pine woods that surround the three bays. The ruins are poetic and impressive, ideal for a picnic or a day at the beach. Weekends or any day during peak season, however, the site can be crowded; it can be downright depressing when tour yachts from Antalya arrive with loudspeakers blaring.

Over 1,000 meters (3,500 feet) above sea level, this compelling site is nestled inside the Mount Güllük-Termessos National Park, where golden eagles and fallow deer can sometimes be spotted. The attractions start right by the parking area, with a monumental gate that's part of an ancient temple dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian. The steepness of the path that leads up to the craggy remains of the city walls makes it clear just why Alexander the Great declined to attack. On the way, you'll pass a gymnasium, a colonnaded street, a bath complex built of dark-gray stone, and then, up and around, a 5,000-seat theater with a truly spectacular setting on the edge of a sheer cliff. From this staggering height you can see the sea, the Pamphylian plain, Mt. Solymos (now called Mt. Güllük), and the occasional mountain goat or ibex.

Farther around is the well-preserved bouleuterion (where the city council met), the very overgrown agora (market), and some huge underground cisterns. Termessos has one more wonder: several vast necropolises, with nearly 1,000 tombs scattered willy-nilly on a rocky hill. A signposted alternate route back to the parking lot takes you past several rock-cut tombs; you can access another large collection of them via a path from the ticket office.

Andriake, the seaport of ancient Myra, was a major stopover on the Egypt-to-Rome route that supplied most of Rome's wheat. St. Paul changed ships here on his journey to Rome in AD 60, and Hadrian built a huge granary on the site. The largest and best-preserved structure at Andriake, the granary has been restored to house the Lycian Civilizations Museum, which offers an in-depth look at the history of the region, including its role in Mediterranean trade and as a production site for murex, a purple dye valued highly in the ancient world.

The partially excavated ruins of Andriake include remnants of an agora (with a cistern underneath), multiple churches and baths, and a synagogue, believed to be the oldest one in Mediterranean Anatolia. A pretty path winds among them alongside olive trees and the marshy Demre Kuş Cenneti, a bird sanctuary where you can spot flamingos and other species. Continue on the rustic road to Demre's yacht harbor for modest snack bars, an enlivening sea breeze, and a glorious view over the water.

The extensive ruins of ancient Anemurium—mostly dating from the late Roman/early Byzantine period—are built primarily of durable Roman concrete, which makes them better preserved but less picturesque than the average stone ruins. Their idyllic seaside setting, with overgrown paths leading between the structures and the waves crashing nearby, more than makes up for that, however. The marked turnoff to the site is 5 km (3 miles) west of Anamur.

Anemurium, whose ancient name refers to the winds that often blow through the site, has long inspired the curiosity of foreign visitors: English archaeologist Francis Beaufort excavated here in the 19th century. Beside the entrance is a bath building, once part of a gymnasium. Beyond this is a small well-preserved theater, or odeon, opposite which sit the scant remains of a large theater. A second Roman bath is easily the best preserved in the country, with even the great vaulted roof of the two-story building still standing. Behind it are the remains of an aqueduct, while one set of old city walls climbs up a steep slope to the unexcavated acropolis. Beside the road there are also numerous tombs, some with frescoes and mosaics. At the end of the road there's a pebbly beach, where you can take a dip when you've finished exploring, but no showers or other facilities.

The main road around Fethiye's central harbor square also runs past the stage of the theater of Telmessos, a chance rediscovery made in 1993 that gives a sense of history to the modern buildings all around. The rest of the ancient town remains in its urban tomb. The theater is undergoing renovations and is closed to visitors for the time being.

About 500 yards west of Kaş's main square, a small, well-preserved theater dating from the 4th century BC sits amid the olive trees; superb ocean views make it particularly lovely at sunset. There are other ancient ruins, from the time when the town was known as Antiphellos, including the foundations of a 1st century BC temple near the western end of the harbor (it's on your left as you follow Necipbey Sokak to the theater) and an underground cistern located between Smiley's restaurant and the Echo Bar.

West of Üçağız are two small, infrequently visited ruins, linked by a section of the Lycian Way. They make a good day trip or overnight excursion for those who want to get off the beaten track. Apollonia is a minor site on a small hill just southwest of the village of Sahilkılınçlı on the Kaş–Üçağız road 8 km (5 miles) south of the highway. You'll see a good range of ancient Lycian tombs scattered east and north of the walled acropolis hill. There's also a small theater and a well-preserved church with views west over the coast toward Kaş.

Back on the side road, look for the signed turnoff to the right, then walk two hours down the hill to the ruins of Aperlai on a pretty little inlet. The city walls here are impressively intact. Buildings inside them include a well-preserved church, houses, and a bath by the water, as well the sunken remains of the ancient port. Another three hours, first inland and then along the water, will take you to Üçağız, or you can hire a boat at Yoruk Ramazan Restaurant (about 15 minutes walk from Aperlai) to take you across. Some boats from Üçağız will drop you at the inlet and give you time to walk to Aperlai and back.

The well-preserved walls and lovely location of Arykanda, high in a mountain valley above Finike, make this ancient Lycian town one of the most beautiful and least crowded archaeological sites on the Turquoise Coast. There's a parking area, and the easy-to-follow trail leading up to the acropolis first passes a church and the monumental Roman baths (perhaps Turkey's best-preserved), with intact mosaic floors, standing walls, and windows framing the valley. The tombs, farther east along the trail, are more properly Roman rather than Lycian—it's worth the hike to see the carved gateway on the last one.

Atop the hills sits a sunken agora, or market, with arcades on three sides and an intimate odeon, or small concert hall, topped by a Greek-style theater that offers a breathtaking view of the valley and mountains often capped with snow. Even higher up is the town's stadium, or running track. Farther north is a second, long thin agora, with a small temple above it. From here, the official trail scrambles down to some Roman villas, but you might find it easier to backtrack. Back toward the parking area is a temple of Trajan with an ancient Roman toilet underneath.

Along the crest of the hill overlooking the old town are the remains of the battlements of a castle; the foundations, which date back to antiquity, were later built up by the 12th-century crusaders, Knights of St. John (also known as the Knights Hospitaller), who also built the castle in Bodrum. It takes a good imagination to picture what a mighty fortress this must once have been, but the views of the Fethiye Bay are lovely from here—and from the Seyir Terası (observation terrace) just down the road. A series of picnic tables on wooden decks is perched on the hillside.

The open-air museum of Karatepe, about 130 km (81 miles) northeast of Adana, makes a (long) day trip from Adana or a worthwhile detour if you're heading to Antakya. Karatepe was a fortress founded in the 8th century by Asatiwatas, the ruler of the post-Hittite state of Adana. A short walk from the parking lot are two ancient gateways, where dozens of well-preserved carved stones (once the foundation of mud-brick walls) have been left in place. There is also a small indoor museum behind the ticket office. The area around the site is a beautiful national park; you can picnic here or swim in the adjacent dam. It’s best visited from Osmaniye, passing ancient Hieropolis-Kastabala, but a secondary, longer road leads from Kozan past Kadirli, which has a well-preserved Byzantine church (later converted into a mosque).

Once a prosperous seaport (until silt from the river pushed the coast farther away), the ancient ruins at Kaunos date from the 4th century BC and reflect a unique blend of Carian and Lycian influences. The entrance is near the top of the site, where you'll find a crumbling Byzantine basilica with the remains of a floor mosaic, a massive Roman bath, and a well-preserved semicircular theater that is cut into the hillside in the Greek style. An old Roman street leads down the hill to the ancient port, passing the nice temple terrace and the agora, which has a restored fountain house and a ruined portico dotted with the foundation of statues. There is a lovely, panoramic view of İztuzu Beach from the ruined city walls. The site can be reached in 15 to 30 minutes by boat tour from Dalyan. Alternatively, you can find the sandal geçiş (a rowboat crossing) in the center of town and then walk south for 30 minutes, or take the tiny car ferry from the edge of town, which drops you closer to the ruins.

Although a Greek-speaking city called Knidos has existed on the Datça Peninsula since at least the 6th century BC, the Knidos at this site was founded circa 330 BC and prospered because of its excellent location on shipping routes between Egypt, Rhodes, Ephesus, the Greek mainland, and other major ports. Enter the archaeological site near the large agora (marketplace) down by the water and continue up the hill on the ancient main street, with its views over the water and the modern lighthouse.

Pass the Temple of Apollo and then reach the ruins of a circular temple, which many believe stands on the site of Knidos' famed Temple of Aphrodite. Knidos's two ancient harbors are below; the Mediterranean laps the southern (left-hand) harbor while the waters of the northern (right-hand) harbor belong to the Aegean. Knidos was abandoned in Byzantine times (around the 7th century AD), which is part of why the site has remained as romantically unspoiled as it was when travelers first sketched it in the early 1800s: the only denizens you're likely to encounter are grazing goats.

Excavations have revealed three temples in Letoon. The first dates from the 2nd century BC and was dedicated to Leto, the mother of Apollo and Artemis, and the namesake of the site; she was believed to have brought the infant twins here while hiding from Zeus's jealous wife, Hera. The middle temple, the oldest, is dedicated to Artemis and dates from the 5th or 4th century BC. The last, dating from the 1st century BC, belongs to Apollo and contains a replica of a mosaic depicting a bow and arrow (a symbol of Artemis) and a sun and lyre (Apollo's emblems). These are the three gods most closely associated with Lycia.

Re-erecting some columns of the Temple of Leto has made the site more photogenic. There is also a well-preserved Roman theater, right after the site entrance. The once-sacred pool where Leto sought to quench her thirst, now filled with ducks and chirping frogs, lends atmosphere. (According to legend, when local villagers tried to chase Leto away, she turned them into frogs.) About 6 km (4 miles) south of Letoon, the road continues to a beach. Across a rickety bridge at the river mouth are the ruins of an early Lycian fort called Pydnai.

Right in the midst of Kaş's restaurants and cafés is a monumental sarcophagus with four regal lions' heads carved onto its lid. It's a local landmark and one of the most prominent remnants of ancient Antiphellos. In 1842, a British naval officer counted more than 100 sarcophagi in Kaş, but most have been destroyed over the years as locals nabbed the flat side pieces to use in construction projects.

The monuments of ancient Myra—a very well-preserved Roman theater and a cliff face full of Lycian rock tombs—sit just north of Demre. The theater dates from the 2nd century AD and was one of the largest in the region; for a time it hosted gladiator spectacles and wild animal hunts. Some of the tombs are decorated with reliefs, and there are expressive theatrical masks carved into stone blocks throughout the site. When you arrive, you'll see plenty of vendors hawking Orthodox Christian votives to Russian tourists, to tie in with the nearby church of St. Nicholas.

Although Perge isn’t beautifully situated like Termessos or an A-list attraction like Aspendos, it is an ideal place to get an overall impression of a Roman city. It's also only a 25-minute drive from central Antalya. The first thing you'll see is the splendid restored theater, followed by a stadium that is one of the best preserved in the ancient world. The vaulted chambers under the stadium bleachers held shops (marble inscriptions record the proprietors' names and businesses).

The rest of the site is about 1 km (½ mile) north. After parking just outside the old city walls, you'll enter near sturdy 3rd-century-BC garrison towers. Directly ahead is a fine, long-colonnaded avenue, unique for the water channel that ran down its center, starting at a fountain at the far end. This street was trodden by St. Paul as he passed by on his way to Pisidian Antioch in the mountains. Beside the entrance is the old agora; the slender, sun-bleached columns lining the street once supported a covered porch filled with shops. Opposite is the well-preserved bathhouse, similar to the hammams still popular in the region today. Follow the main street to the end, and then climb the hill for a literal overview of the site. The outskirts of Perge are rather overgrown, but the keen-eyed can hunt down several churches and a gymnasium.

The ancient city of Patara is slowly emerging from the sands near Patara Beach under an ongoing excavation by Antalya's Akdeniz University. The heavy stones that make up the front of the monumental bathhouse are impressive, and a triple arch built by a Roman governor in AD 100 seems a tenth of its age. Beyond is a theater, the assembly hall of the Lycian League, several churches, and an impressive section of a colonnaded street. Follow the path west and you'll see the Roman lighthouse, which is being reconstructed from stone blocks unearthed in 2000. Still waiting to be found is the Temple of Apollo; Herodotus wrote that its oracle worked only part-time, as Apollo spent summers away in Delos (probably to escape the heat).

Remains found throughout the town of Silifke, in the vicinity of the castle, indicate that there was a settlement here as far back as the Bronze Age. Most of what can be seen today are from the Roman city known as Seleukeia Trachea, or Calycadnos Seleuceia, and include Corinthian columns from the 2nd-century-AD Temple of Zeus, a stone bridge, and an ancient water cistern. A few kilometers out of the village, you'll find the remains of a basilica dedicated to St. Thecla, St. Paul's first convert and the first female Christian martyr. Most interesting is the cave church below it where Thecla lived—the Patriarchate in Istanbul now organizes services here occasionally. There is a 6th century cistern at the site as well.

Also known as Sura, this was ancient Myra's most important pre-Christian holy site. Priests of Apollo would release fish into the sacred pool here, and then "read" the future from their movements. It still has Lycian tombs and a small acropolis, from which the temple of Apollo is visible in the overgrown valley below.

If you follow the hustling main street filled with shops selling jewelry and cheap clothes until you reach the water and then turn left, you'll reach the picture-postcard ruins of Side's Roman Temple of Apollo, its gleaming white marble columns set off beautifully by the blue ocean behind it. Millions of visitors a year visit the sun god's ruined temple; come at first light to avoid the crush. Beside it lie the ruins of the temple of Apollo's half-sister Athena, goddess of wisdom and war.

Opposite the Side Museum is the city's large theater. It was built in the 2nd century AD, though the design is more Greek than Roman. There are views out over the agora, which is closed for excavations. Other remnants of the ancient city can be seen along the road (Side Caddesi/Liman Caddesi) leading from the bus stop to the old harbor, including the marble columns of the grand fountain identified as the Nymphaeum.

From the acropolis of Tlos, you can glimpse the Xanthos Valley to the west—a rich agricultural area both in ancient times and today. Mountains cradle Tlos's Roman theater, with an 18th-century Ottoman mansion at the summit, reached via a narrow path that goes past a cluster of rock tombs. Below the acropolis is a large flat stadium, with seats on one side from which spectators watched footraces. Just up the road are the remains of Tlos's agora, basilica, and Roman bath.

The small village of Uzuncaburç, in the mountains north of Silifke, makes a nice day trip. It's dotted with the ruins of Diocaesaria Olba, a town run by the priests of Zeus Olbios. Along the ancient main street you'll see a theater, a curious columned structure that once marked the main crossroads, a fountain, a temple of Tyche, and another temple dedicated to Zeus. This temple is one of the earliest surviving Corinthian-style buildings, whose score of upright columns make for an evocative sight. North of the temples is the impressive North Gate, and to the northeast is a well-preserved five-story watchtower. The most straightforward road here is signposted from Silifke: after about 8 km (5 miles), you'll pass ancient Imbriogon (Demircili), where there are four temple tombs.