Olympos
Olympos is an evocative ruined city on Turkey's Lycian coast, its marble columns and rock-cut tombs half-swallowed by fig trees and thick Mediterranean forest right down to a quiet, undeveloped beach. Founded by the ancient Lycians and later used by Romans, Byzantines, and even pirates, the site's crumbling theater, necropolis, and bath complex feel genuinely wild compared to more manicured ruins elsewhere in Turkey, since nature has been left to grow through the stones rather than being cleared away.
The modern village beside the ruins is famous for its treehouse-style guesthouses built into the forest, a legacy of backpacker culture that took root here decades ago, and it remains a favorite base for travelers doing the Lycian Way trekking route. Just above the village, the Chimaera's natural flames — gas seeping from the rock and burning continuously — draw a steady stream of evening visitors making the short uphill walk to see them. Olympos works well as a laid-back few days combining ruins, beach, and hiking rather than a quick stop.
Olympos FAQs
It's known for its overgrown ancient Lycian ruins scattered through coastal forest, its treehouse guesthouses, and the nearby Chimaera's naturally burning flames.
They're small natural flames fed by gas seeping through rock on a hillside above Çıralı, reachable by a roughly 30-45 minute uphill walk from the trailhead, and are a popular evening excursion from Olympos.
Yes, Olympos is a well-known stop on the long-distance Lycian Way trail and also has shorter walks through the ruins and along the coast.
There is a modest entrance fee that also typically covers beach access through the site; check current pricing locally as it can change.
They're simple wooden cabins, some built up on stilts, that became popular with backpackers from the 1980s onward and remain a distinctive feature of the village's accommodation.
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