Monday, Jul. 10, 2006
Famed British explorer Freya Stark once wrote: "There are not so many places left where magic reigns without interruption, and of all those I know, the coast of Lycia was the most magical." Capture that charm—and follow the same path that Alexander the Great once traveled—by walking Turkey's first long-distance trail across an almost virgin stretch of Mediterranean coastline, tracing ruins from the Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Persian civilizations. The 510-km Lycian Way, which runs from the sleepy coastal town of Fethiye to the bustling port city of Antalya by way of ancient roads, nomad trails and mule tracks, was drawn up and painstakingly waymarked by Briton Kate Clow—a keen hiker living in Turkey—as an alternative to the mass tourism sweeping Turkey's coasts. Highlights include visiting the
Iliad's ancient cities of Xanthos, Letoon and Patara, swimming in the sunken city of Kekova and exploring Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliffs. En route, turquoise waters and sandy coves are hemmed in by the imposing Taurus Mountains. "The history sets this trail apart," says Clow. "Many of the historical sites aren't otherwise accessible. The other great thing is that you can swim nearly every day." In its entirety, the moderately strenuous route takes three weeks to follow, but it is split into stages that can be hiked over a weekend or even an afternoon. "There's something for everyone," says Clow. Coastal towns along the trail offer rustic
pansiyon (guesthouse) accommodation, but for a real slice of local life, Clow recommends staying in village homes: many families keep a spare room for walkers. Ah, the exhilaration of watching the sunset over the Mediterranean from atop a marble sarcophagus in an ancient Lycian burial site—how very Indiana Jones.
trekkinginturkey.com
- Pelin Turgut
- Trekking in the footsteps of Alexander
