The Turquoise Coast & Ancient Lycia: 7 Days in Turkey

The old town of Antalya is a rare thing: a genuinely beautiful historic city that hasn't been entirely consumed by tourism. Roman walls, a 2nd-century triumphal arch, Ottoman mosques, Byzantine churches, and a harbour filled with gulets (traditional wooden boats). The cobblestoned streets of the old quarter are exactly as charming as they look in photos.

A perfectly preserved 2nd-century triumphal arch built to honour the emperor Hadrian's visit to Antalya in 130 AD. Three arches of marble, still intact, still in their original location — not a reconstruction. Remarkable.

One of the best archaeological museums in Turkey — extraordinary collections from the Lycian cities of Perge, Xanthos, and Olympos. The room of sarcophagi is genuinely breathtaking; the Phasian treasures and bronze statues from Perge rival anything you'd see in Rome.

The most celebrated traditional restaurant in Antalya — a cavernous old building serving Anatolian and Ottoman cuisine to an entirely local crowd. The slow-cooked lamb tandir, the stuffed vine leaves, and the grilled sea bass are all exceptional.

One of the best-preserved Hellenistic and Roman cities in Turkey — a colonnaded main street 300 metres long, a massive Roman bath complex, a 12,000-seat stadium, and the remains of temples dedicated to Artemis. Largely off the main tourist trail despite being extraordinary.

The best-preserved Roman theatre in the world — 15,000 capacity, built in 155 AD, and still used for opera and concerts today. Walk out onto the stage and look up at the perfect semicircle of stone seating. Nothing prepares you for the scale of it.

The Düden Waterfall drops directly into the sea from a clifftop east of Antalya — there's a terrace restaurant right at the cliff edge. Basic food, outstanding setting. Order the grilled fish and watch the waterfall disappear into the Mediterranean below.

A remarkable Lycian city carved into the cliff face — dozens of rock-cut tombs stacked on top of each other in the cliff above the valley, each with carved facades that combine Greek and Lycian architectural elements. Below the cliff, a well-preserved Roman theatre. One of the best Lycian sites in Turkey and significantly less visited than it deserves to be.

The original Church of St. Nicholas — the historical figure behind Santa Claus, who was bishop of Myra in the 4th century. The church has 6th-century mosaic floors and frescoes still visible. Genuinely moving for anyone who's ever stood in a queue for a mall Santa.

Arrive in Kaş by late afternoon and settle in. The harbour in Kaş is lined with gulets and small fishing boats, with restaurants and bars at the water's edge. Grab a table outside for fresh grilled octopus and a cold Efes to celebrate the drive.

A full-day boat trip from Kaş to the sunken city of Kekova — a 2nd-century BC Lycian city submerged by an earthquake, now visible through crystal-clear water as you snorkel over submerged staircases, columns, and doorways. The combination of ancient ruins and the bluest water you've ever seen is extraordinary.

A Byzantine castle perched above the tiny village of Simena (Kaleköy), accessible only by boat. The castle has a small theatre carved into the hillside with room for just 300 people — possibly the smallest Roman theatre in existence. The view from the ramparts across the islands and the sunken ruins is the best on the Turkish coast.

Back in Kaş for the evening. The fish market near the harbour sells the daily catch — several restaurants will cook what you choose from the display. Point at what looks good, agree on a price per kilo, and eat it an hour later. As straightforward as it sounds, and always worth doing.

A Greek Orthodox village of 3,000 homes abandoned in 1923 during the compulsory population exchange between Greece and Turkey — perhaps the most poignant historical site on the Turkish coast. The stone houses, two churches, and schoolrooms are still standing exactly as they were left, slowly being reclaimed by the hillside. Nobel Prize-winner Louis de Bernières set 'Birds Without Wings' here.

The 4th-century BC Tomb of Amyntas — a massive Ionic temple-facade cut directly into the cliff above Fethiye town, with the city spread below and the bay behind. The cliff has over 100 Lycian tombs of various sizes. At sunset the rock face glows orange and the tombs are illuminated from below.

Fethiye's old bazaar district is less touristy than Bodrum or Marmaris — locals still shop here for vegetables, spices, cheese, and olives. The fish market in the centre is surrounded by restaurants that will cook your fish to order. A thoroughly good Turkish evening.

The most photographed beach in Turkey — a protected lagoon of flat, shallow, impossibly turquoise water separated from the Aegean by a narrow sand spit. The colour is real; the photos don't exaggerate it. The lagoon is designated a Special Protection Area — motorised boats are banned inside, which keeps it calm and clear.

The main beach adjacent to the lagoon — a long stretch of pebble and sand with clear water good for swimming. Less protected than the lagoon so there are proper waves, which some find preferable. The parasailing and paragliding from Babadağ Mountain arrives here — the mountain is 1,960m directly above the beach.

One of the best tandem paragliding sites in the world — a 45-minute flight from the summit of Babadağ (1,960m) to the beach, with views across the lagoon, the Aegean, and the coast from Rhodes to Antalya. Many people name this their best travel experience. Suitable for all fitness levels as a passenger.

Pick up fresh produce from a Fethiye market on the way back — good tomatoes, olives, peynir (Turkish white cheese), fresh bread, and a bottle of Kavaklidere Çankaya white wine — and eat on your terrace watching the sun go down over the Aegean with your cat.

If your flight is afternoon, there's time for one more morning swim — either back at Ölüdeniz or at one of the smaller coves south of Fethiye. Gunluklu Koyu (a 15-minute drive) is quieter and just as blue, often completely empty on a weekday morning.