Lycian Way: Turkey’s Best Hiking Trail – Trekking and Hiking

Lycian way: It is one of the top 10 walking paths in the world. It is between Antalya and Fethiye. It has a length of 535 km. Best in Turkey for Trekking or Hiking. There’s hiking, spending time in nature, visiting historical sites along the way, and more.

Lycian way

The story of the Lycian Way begins in 1999. Each year, approximately 30 thousand people walk this route, which was determined with the unique contributions of British/Turkish historian Kate Clow.

The Lycian Way takes its name from Lycia, the ancient name of the geography stretching to the Mediterranean and located between the Gulf of Antalya and Fethiye today. Today, this region is known as the Teke Peninsula. According to ancient history writers, Akdag and Beydagları define the northern border of Lycia.

How Many Days of Walking

There are many options for the Lycian Way walking. There are certain spots to finish the walk or to rest. It is not possible to say exactly how many days it took to walk this road. Because the number of days can vary depending on the walk people do.

The walk can take twenty-one days, provided that you walk an average of 25 km per day. You can even organize this process by walking more than 25 km on some days and less on some days. Again, we can say that how many days it will take to walk the Lycian Way depends on the walking experience of the people.

Best Time

The Lycian Way is located in a region where the Mediterranean climate prevails. Therefore, in fact, every month of the year can be convenient for planning a walk. In the region where the Mediterranean climate prevails, winters are not very harsh. But still, the spring or autumn seasons seem to be more ideal for hiking. Summer months can overwhelm you with its hot weather.

The Lycian Way is a very beautiful place in spring. Most travelers prefer April and May for their hiking plan. Apart from that, September and October months can also be a good option.

Lycian Way Trails – Starting Points

The Lycian Way walking route is one of the longest walking routes in the world. It offers both a fun and historical walking opportunity. You can also spend time in touch with nature during this walk. You can see road signs on the road.

• Oludeniz
• Kabak Bay
• Yediburunlar
• Kinik
• Gelemis
• Saribelen
• Cukurbag
• Ucagiz
• Demre Bird Sanctuary
• Finike
• Karaoz
• Tekirova
• Olympos
• Gedelme
• Goynuk Hisarcandir

Best places to take a break

Gelidonya Lighthouse is the favorite spot of many people. If you wish, you can take a break and swim at a place called Korsan bay beach.

Another route consisting of Ucagiz, Kale Aperlai, Kapakli and Demre Bird Sanctuary is quite remarkable. Aperlai is an ancient city. It is an interesting experience to witness the ancient city of Aperlai, the ancient city of the Lycians, and many sarcophagi. 

Oludeniz (Ovacık), Faralya, Butterfly Valley, Kabak Bay track are also quite famous. In fact, this is kind of the starting point of the Lycian Way. You can even see a representative door motif in Ovacık. There are many campsites and accommodation facilities. 

Ancient Cities on the Lycian Way

There are many historical ruins on the Lycian Way routes. One of them is ancient cities. If you can walk the entire Lycian Way, you can visit twenty ancient cities. 

• Kalabantia
• Sidyma
• Pydnai
• Letoon
• Xanthos
• Patara
• Phellos
• Antiphellos
• Sebeda
• Apollania
• Aperlai
• Teimussa
• Simena
• Sura
• Andriake
• Myra
• Belos
• Gagai
• Melanippe
• Olympos
• Phaselis

Camping and Accommodation

There are many accommodation facilities, hostels and hotels on the Lycian Way. However, there are also campsites for those who want to camp. There are camping and different accommodation options at certain points on the Lycian way. There are also many options to meet your needs on the road. Lycian Way walks are generally done in groups.