The Lycian Manner is a 500km path that runs between mountain and sea, providing a window on each nature and historical civilisations
The Turkish Riviera is an ideal instance of Mom Nature’s most lovely work, with its turquoise waters, great seashores and unspoiled nature.
And within the Teke peninsula in southwestern Türkiye there’s a panoramic long-distance trek to discover: The Lycian Manner.
Probably the most lovely long-distance treks on the planet
The 500km path (760 kilometres when you have in mind the variations) hyperlinks the gulfs of Antalya and Fethiye. And it takes its identify from the traditional Lycian civilisation that when dominated the area.
Who higher to inform us extra about it than the one who created it within the Nineties? Kate Clow is a British ex-pat in Türkiye, captivated with climbing and historical past. Why did she determine to create this trek?
“Once I first got here right here, I sat within the harbour in Antalya and I seemed on the mountains and I assumed: there have to be so many paths up there, however no person is aware of. So I needed to uncover them,” she says.
The Lycian Manner has earnt a fame as one of the crucial lovely long-distance treks on the planet.
“The Lycian Manner is kind of particular as a result of it is between the mountains and the ocean”, says Clow, who’s the writer of the ebook The Lycian Manner – Turkey’s First Lengthy Distance Strolling Route (now in its fifth version). “It goes up into the mountains, up as excessive as to see the forest at 1800 metres excessive. And it goes right down to the coast the place you’ll be able to swim and paddle and see the coastal villages and so forth. But additionally all the best way alongside the coast are the ports, the cities, the settlements that the Lycians constructed and which the Romans later took over and which fashioned an important level on the buying and selling route from Egypt to Rome”.
It’s no shock that you will discover unimaginable locations on the trail. Reminiscent of Kayaköy, a village that has existed since historical occasions, however that in 1923 was completely deserted, on the finish of the Greco-Turkish Struggle when a inhabitants trade between the 2 international locations occurred. That’s when it turned a ghost city. Right now it’s an open-air museum.
The turquoise waters of the Turkish Riviera
The Lycian approach passes by Ölüdeniz, a seaside resort on the Turquoise Coast, because the Turkish Riviera can be referred to as. A few of the hottest actions you are able to do right here, beside stress-free on the great seashores, are paragliding from Mount Babadağ, paddling on the ocean or taking a ship from the Blue Lagoon, which is able to take you to discover the place the place the Aegean Sea meets the japanese Mediterranean Sea. You’ll be able to admire the rocky, pine-covered mountains from the boat.
And also you mustn’t miss Butterfly Valley, a pure reserve that you could solely get to by sea or by a really tough hike. Guess why this canyon is named Butterfly Valley?
Ferihan Güzel, proprietor of Information Excursions solutions the query: “At a sure time of the 12 months, particularly in April, there are practically 80 totally different sorts of butterflies right here. The jersey tiger moth particularly is likely one of the hottest. This place is underneath the safety of the cooperative. Below nationwide safety. They do not settle for many vacationers right here, particularly on the time of the butterflies”.
There are additionally some high quality diving spots or you’ll be able to go to the Blue Cave the place, when you’re fortunate sufficient you may see starfish!
Kayaking on a sunken metropolis
One of many stops you can also make, by sea or when you’re climbing the Lycian Manner, is the picturesque village of Kaş, a favoured yacht mooring vacation spot in Antalya Province. Its cobblestone streets rimmed by outdated fishermen’s cottages – these days transformed into retailers, resorts, cafés and eating places – give it an environment of different occasions. Above all, when you find yourself in entrance of a scattering of ruins from the classical period!
Right here you can too lease a ship or a kayak and paddle… amongst sunken metropolis ruins. For those who navigate to the northern aspect of the uninhabited island of Kekova, you will note the stays of a once-flourishing metropolis: Dolichiste. It was an historical Lycian settlement constructed within the 4th century BC. Occupied for a number of centuries Dolichiste was partially submerged because of an earthquake that occurred within the 2nd century and rising sea ranges. It was fully deserted later within the wake of the Arab incursions.
Above and beneath the turquoise waters there are the stays of homes, public buildings, church buildings, wine cellars. The Kekova area was declared a protected space in 1990 by the Turkish Ministry of Setting and Forest. Diving and swimming are prohibited the place the sunken metropolis is positioned.