Lycian Trail
May 9–17 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Turtles, endless hikes, scrables and boundless Hospitality: Our Lycian Adventure 🥾🧗♀️🚴♂️🇹🇷
What a adventure! Behind us lie days filled with dust, sweat, salty sea air, and moments we won't forget anytime soon. We laced up our hiking shoes, sacrificed our calves to the Turkish sun, and embarked on one of the most beautiful trekking adventures out there.
The Path: From Wild Canyons to Hippie Paradise
Our adventure started in the deep green, spectacular Göynük Canyon. From then on, it was time to cover some serious ground. Via Beycik, we hiked past the eternal flames of the Chimaera—an almost magical sight in the twilight. There, we met a super lovely British family who spontaneously supplied us with marshmallows, so we could grill them right then and there over the flames!
We continued via Gedelme and Jenera (Yediburunlar). The nature completely blew us away: hundreds of turtles crossed our path between rugged rocks and fragrant pine trees, and we discovered insects that looked like pieces of art. The highlight of our makeshift biology lesson along the way: the spoonwing lacewing—a bizarre, beautiful creature that looks like a cross between a butterfly and a dragonfly.
Culinarially, the trip was a dream—and actually extremely healthy: crunchy cucumbers (which taste absolutely fantastic there), fresh tomatoes, arugula, flavorful feta cheese, accompanied by fluffy Turkish bread, sesame simit, and freshly grilled, delicious köfte.
However, the trail didn't give us anything for free. The passages were steep, rocky, and tough—we even had a true, exposed some difficult scramble section that demanded absolute concentration! No wonder that by the end, Helga and Max were battling blisters and all of our toes and feet were throbbing. But that feeling of finally arriving after hours of ups and downs and jumping straight into the turquoise sea. Priceless. Especially in Ölüdeniz, where we spent the night in a tent at a totally cozy hippie camp, the atmosphere was sweet.
The Magic of Encounters & Hidden Gems
After days of nothing but "mountain, stone, and green," reaching the coast almost hurt our eyes a little. In Kalkan, we experienced a brief tourism shock: souvenir hunters, bustling crowds, and steep prices. But we had a very special mission: to visit the Salt & Pepper restaurant. It turned out to be a super nice stopover with super friendly service! We surprised Helga there with a little birthday firework, delicious cheesecake, and good wine—the surprise was an absolute success.
Yet, the true, deep treasures lay far off the beaten track. It was, above all, the heartwarming hospitality of the older people in the villages that truly enchanted us. Our absolute favorite restaurant became Elora in the mountains near Fethiye. A tiny family-run place with a small menu—but every single dish was prepared with so much love that it almost left us speechless.
And the warmth didn't stop there: at the Türkmen Café in Yediburunlar, the owner spontaneously broke out his best traditional dance moves while his friend played the bağlama (a long-neck lute). We just sat there, listened, and soaked in the wonderful atmosphere.
The logistics were an adventure in themselves, too. Between Sahil Barak and Kaş, the kind of moment happened that makes these trips so special: an older, incredibly kind local man pulled over and simply gave us a lift in his car—completely free of charge. Since he didn't speak a word of German and we spoke no Turkish, the drive turned into a highly emotional, extremely funny dialogue via Google Translate.
Via Kalkan, Gölbent, and beautiful Kabak, we continued to Fethiye (Amintas). To top off the trekking week, we rewarded ourselves with a classic "Blue Cruise"—a whole day on a boat, letting our souls drift and feeling the wind on our faces.
The Grand Finale: Rocks, Trails, and Two Wheels in Antalya
Anyone who thought we would just put our feet up after the trail clearly doesn't know us. The last two days before our flight home were all about action around Antalya.
Day 7: Climbing Eldorado in Geyikbayırı 🧗♀️
After a short drive from Antalya up into the mountains, we found ourselves standing in the world-famous climbing area of Geyikbayırı. What a backdrop! Endless limestone walls glowing orange-red in the sun...and mosquitoes 🦟 unfortunately. We spent a whole day pushing ourselves on the grippy tufa formations and steep routes. Our arms got heavy, but the grip held, and the feeling of finally challenging our upper bodies after days of hiking was awesome. The perfect rock climbing finale!
Day 8: Biking Tour Through Antalya 🚴♂️
Before heading back to Switzerland for good, we grabbed some bicycles for our final day. Antalya pleasantly surprised us far away from classic mass tourism. We rolled along the cliffside paths and refreshed the sea, and explored the narrow alleys of the old town (Kaleiçi) on two wheels. A wonderful, dynamic finish to breathe in the sea breeze one last time.
The Numbers: Our Footprint on the Lycian Way
Fun fact: The Lycian Way was officially explored and marked in 1999 by the British woman Kate Clow—a pioneering achievement for which we thanked her more than once on the steep paths (and occasionally cursed her under our breath).
Here is the approximate breakdown of our 6 trekking days:
Distance hiked: approx. 85 – 95 kilometers (pure foot distance, excluding transfers)
Geographical Note: Since the route makes major jumps between Göynük, Demre, Kaş, and Fethiye, and we covered several sections by car or bus, these numbers refer specifically to the classic trail sections we covered on foot.
Conclusion:
Our calves are burning, our toes are complaining —but our hearts are bursting with sunshine, rock, and memories.
Mashallah, we made it! Güle güle, Turkey—you wild, hospitable, and beautiful piece of earth. Grüezi Switzerland, we are coming home with a massive dose of sunshine in our luggage! 🇨🇭✈️Read more
