Hiking Turkey's Lycian Way

This seven-night walking holiday with Explore Worldwide takes the Lycian Way from Fethiye, where remains of the ancient city Telmessos lie beneath a backdrop of pine-covered cliffs. The route climbs from Oludeniz’s famous beach to Butterfly Valley, descending through quiet villages and quiet pine forests. Accommodation varies from simple family-run hotels to shared village houses.

Along the way, hikers encounter steep limestone cliffs and Roman ruins at Sidyma and Patara, including an amphitheatre seating 5,000 and a stretch of sandy beach with changing rooms convenient for a swim. The last full day includes a boat trip from Aperlae to Simena, with its sunken city beneath transparent Mediterranean waters and a tiny hilltop castle theatre carved from rock.

The walking can be demanding with some scree sections, but the tour leaders provide alternatives for those concerned about vertigo. The pace is steady enough to appreciate traditional teahouses and rural hospitality, as well as the slow rhythms of life along Turkey’s southern coast.

New to Turkey? Our Turkey guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.