Destination

Turquoise Coast

Embark on an odyssey along the Turquoise Coast, a realm as mesmerizing as its name—originating from the French word for “Turkish”. Few places offer such a combination of sandy beaches, dramatic coastal mountains, and extensive ancient ruins. 

The region’s pristine coastline harbors some of Turkey’s most iconic beaches, including Ölüdeniz, Patara, and Iztuzu. But for the perfect MTB experience, leave the beach behind; the mountains just inland from the coast provide adrenalin fuelled excitement and big sea views. After racking up some big rides or hikes, spend your rest days exploring archeological remnants of the Lycian Civilization, the pioneers of ancient democracy. 

With its combination of long, picturesque beaches, storied ancient cities, prominent towns and cities, and mountainous backdrop, this region has long been popular with visitors and therefore is home to a well-developed tourism infrastructure and endless choices in terms of activity and accommodation.

April - June / September - November

Biking, Hiking, Sightseeing, Family, Sea kayaking, Paragliding, Rock Climbing

4-8 days

Dine beachside under the pines of Cirali

Descend from the coastal heights of Mt. Tahtali

Glide through calm turquoise waters by kayak

Traverse the lengths of Kibris Canyon near Kas

Hike and sail through three elusive ancient cities

Sip and savor a sunset feast in ancient Kyenai

Sleep among Lycian ruins with a night in the village of Dodurga

Cycle from highland cedars all the way to the sea

Try your hand at climbing in the world-renowned Geyikbayiri

Experience semi-nomadic life in the coastal highlands

History

The Turquoise Coast as we know it today was once the site of the Lycian Civilization. Spanning the Teke Peninsula between ancient Caria to the west and Pamphylia to the east, the presence of the Lycians was first recorded in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE when they were referred to as ‘Lukka’ and associated with the ‘Sea Peoples’.

Mentions of the Lycians then fell silent until the 8th century BCE, when they reappeared as a strong maritime presence in the region. They stayed that way until falling to the Persians in the 6th century BCE. Nevertheless, the Lycians enjoyed relative freedom under the Persians, and eventually the Romans, and were able to develop a contemporarily unique system of governance: The Lycian League. Formed in the 2nd century BCE, the 23-member league was the world’s first democratic union, and gave votes to cities based on size. It’s this proportional representation that went on to inspire a similar system’s inclusion in the United States’ Constitution.

Another defining feature of Lycian settlements are their rock tombs. These tombs are in the shape of classic Lycian houses and often perched on cliff sides or openly facing the coast. This placement was especially important because of the Lycian belief that dead would be transported to the afterworld by a winged creature, as seen in Harpy Tomb in Xanthos. Although not proven definitively, some inscriptions on these tombs (in addition to the records of Herodotus) have led some historians to believe that the Lycians were a matrilineal society in which people took the name of their mother instead of their father.
Today, countless Lycian cities have been excavated and restored, leading to some of the most impressive and extensive ruins in the country. From mountianous Arykanda to coastal Phaselis, the ancient cities of the Turquoise coast are packed with not only towering structures, but millennia of myth, legend, and history too.

Local Cuisine

Many of the current residents of the Turquoise Coast belong to the once semi-nomadic community known as the ‘Yoruks’ who migrated from Central Asia. Due to the difficulty imposed by their nomadic lifestyle, the diet of the Yoruks traditionally lacked the wide variety of spices, herbs, and fresh produce characteristic of other regional Turkish cuisines. Theirs is a cuisine of survival and sustenance, consisting primarily of dairy products and staple crops like wheat and legumes.

Handmade cheeses are simple, eaten fresh or preserved by drying or salting and yogurt is a ubiquitous part of nearly every meal, whether eaten as is or shaken with water and salt to make ‘ayran’. Wheat forms the basis of the diet and is used as flour for a variety of (mostly flat)breads or boiled and dried into bulgur. Traditionally meat was eaten only occasionally, usually to celebrate holidays, weddings, and the like.

Carob is another important staple as the trees don’t require much care and dried pods can be stored easily and indefinitely. Today carob is boiled down into a syrup and often eaten for breakfast with tahini (another characteristic ingredient of the region). In recent decades, as almost all locals have adopted a sedentary lifestyle, greenhouse grown produce has also become an important source of income. And the influx of vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers have had an effect on the local cuisine as well.

Biking

One of the most exciting parts of the Turquoise Coast is its vast differences in elevation. You can ski on snowy peaks and swim in sparking coves all in a single day! This also makes for some epic rides. We’ll start high in the mountains, descending past highland pastures, incredible mountainscapes, towering pine forest, and finally all the way down to the beach. Other days, our routes follow the winding coastline, undulating up and down seaside hills with endless opportunities to cool off with a scenic swim. For the moment, most of the trails in this region are too rocky or steep for the casual mountain biker, so our tours predominantly follow the dirt roads that crisscross the region. However, as mountain biking’s popularity increases, more and more suitable singletracks are being built, just waiting to be added to our itineraries!

From smooth, flat coastal highways, to neverending climbs deep into the mountains (and of course, the descents that come after them), the Lycian coast also harbors many options for road bikers. With over 300 days of sunshine per year, the region is also a popular training ground during the winter.

Hiking

The Turquoise Coast is home to Turkey’s most popular long-distance hiking trail: The Lycian Way. The route measures 760 km, including endless alternative routes and side trails. As its name suggests, the trail connects ancient Lycian cities, passing through coastal forest, past beaches, traditional villages, highland pastures, and mountains. The popularity the Lycian Way has garnered has spread throughout the region, and there are now endless marked and unmarked trails waiting to be explored, on and off the main route. With its well-trodden trails and diverse landscapes, the turquoise coast is one of the best places to hike in Turkey.

Culture

On the turquoise coast, much of the culture throughout the centuries has been shaped by the region’s landscape. Some of the most dramatic Lycian cities are perched high in the coastal mountains; in ancient times this protected their residents from pirate attacks, and today offers visitors sweeping 360 degree views of both the sea and the towering peaks behind it.

Still today, the region’s steep coastal mountains form the backdrop for the local lifestyle of semi-nomadic herding. While their numbers have fallen in recent decades, there are still families who lead their flocks to summer pastures high in the mountains only to return to the coast just before these altitudes are covered in snow. For those interested, we’ll explore the daily lives of the last of these semi-nomadic ‘Yoruks’ to learn how the region’s mountainous landscape has shaped the lives of its residents.

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