Lycia (original) (raw)

Lycia (Turkish: Likya) is the westernmost section of Mediterranean Turkey. Sometimes known as the Turquoise Coast, it has a rugged scenic coastline popular for water activities. Administratively it corresponds to the southern part of Muğla Province and the western part of Antalya Province.

Map

Lycia
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND 0.9 218 15 5 0.7 136 16 5 0.5 97 18 7 0 35 22 10 0 26 26 13 0 7.3 31 17 0 7.4 33 19 0 2.3 33 19 0 13 31 16 0 60 26 12 0.1 124 21 9 0.5 251 16 6 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Imperial conversion JFMAMJJASOND 0 8.6 59 40 0 5.4 60 41 0 3.8 65 44 0 1.4 71 49 0 1 78 56 0 0.3 87 62 0 0.3 92 66 0 0.1 92 66 0 0.5 87 61 0 2.3 78 54 0 4.9 69 47 0 9.9 62 43 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

The bulging belly of Turkey is called the Teke Peninsula and it's a rugged region, with the Gulf of Fethiye to the west and the Gulf of Antalya to the east. Pine-clad mountains tumble to a coast convoluted with gulfs and coves. It was an independent kingdom in the 14th / 15th centuries BC but thereafter was under Hellenistic or Roman control, and its antiquities such as rock tombs are from that later period. Its harbours were busy in the days of coast-hugging sailing vessels but were much too small for larger modern vessels, and the mountains blocked communications inland. Farming was limited and Lycia never developed industry.

So not much happened until the 1970s / 80s, when the region came within a few hours flying time from north Europe, and Turkey set out to attract tourism. The biggest development was in Pamphylia region stretching east from Antalya, as this has endless sandy beaches and a flat coastal plain that was swiftly carpeted in high-rise hotels. Lycia had similar development around Marmaris and Fethiye, but pebble beaches and steep terrain limited the package audience. So it has more to offer the independent traveller, with a string of village harbours along its coast, clear waters, and sheltered coves for water activities.

Many fragments of old scripts reflect bygone civilisations trading along this coast - Hittite, Phrygian, Phoenician, Greek, Roman and more. Some cannot yet be deciphered, even by archaeologists or Google Translate, and city slickers might say that the Muğla dialect of standard Turkish is in this unfathomable category. However, anyone you encounter in the hospitality sector will have standard Turkish and probably reasonable English. "Point-and-grunt" will do the rest and might be how the Hittites conversed with the Phrygians. In remote villages, no point wielding your phone app, the inhabitants will go fetch Ahmet who's worked in a car factory in Stuttgart and a restaurant in Manchester.

Rock tombs at Fethiye

Dalaman Airport (DLM IATA) is the main airport for this region, with seasonal budget flights from Europe, and daily domestic flights from Istanbul and Ankara. For convenience use Dalaman to reach Kaş and any point west of there.

36.930.7921 Antalya Airport (AYT IATA) has more flights from Europe and from other Turkish cities plus Northern Cyprus. It's closer to Demre and any destination east of there, but the twisting coastal road makes for long transfer times.

Both airports have car hire, which you'll need if you're not being bussed direct to your hotel.

The larger towns, and smaller towns astride the main highway, have direct daily buses from Istanbul, Izmir and Antalya. Bus stations may be a few km from downtown or the beach hotel strip, so take a dolmuş or taxi for the last stretch; similarly for villages lacking an inter-city bus service.

From Istanbul the quickest route to the region is usually the toll motorways O-7 / O-5 to Izmir then D550 towards Marmaris. There it meets D400, which snakes the length of the Mediterranean coastline, eventually to Antalya and away east.

For the east end of the region leave the motorway past Bursa to pick up D200 east, then D650 south via Kütahya, Afyon and Antalya onto D400.

The Greek Dodecanese islands are only a few km from the Turkish mainland. Ferries sail from Rhodes to Marmaris and Fethiye, and in summer a day trip may be possible.

Blue Lagoon in Ölüdeniz

Consider hiring a car, especially if you're not being bussed from the airport to your accommodation, or if you're based away from the main public transport routes.

Buses link the large towns, and may even have regular published timetables. Smaller buses link the smaller towns, dolmuşes link the villages and serve as in-town buses, and you'll have to go by local word-of-mouth on when these might run. What's remarkable is how these transports dwindle in size while packing in just as many people.

Hitchhiking is slow and tedious in this region.

Roman ruins at Xanthos

Large resorts have free-standing restaurants serving all-purpose Med fare, with fish and chips in abundance. You might find the occasional Mexican or Chinese, but there isn't the mix of international cuisine found in north European cities.

In smaller resorts it's mostly trad Turkish, and hotel restaurants may have the best offerings.

St Nicholas - Santa Claus - was bishop at Myra

Large resorts are well-equipped for pouring alcohol of all types down the throats of western tourists. Small places don't have free-standing bars, but their cafes serve alcohol.

Lycia produces some wine and is close to regions that produce plenty, mostly red.

Rakı is Turkey's national drink, anise-flavoured and turning cloudy when diluted, similar to ouzo.

Drink plenty of water if you're out in the hot sun or sea breeze.

Natural hazards are few. Beware traffic (including water traffic - mad bats on jet skis), use sun protection and safeguard valuables.

This region travel guide to Lycia is a usable article. It gives a good overview of the region, its sights, and how to get in, as well as links to the main destinations, whose articles are similarly well developed. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.