Olympos and Çıralı

Between Kemer and Kumluca the coast turns wild. Çıralı is a village of guesthouses, bungalows and orchards behind a long beach where loggerhead turtles nest. There are no big hotels: the beach and dunes are protected, and the ancient site of Olympos closes off the bay to the south. It is the most natural stretch of the Lycian coast, an hour and a half from Antalya.

Olympos, a city in the forest

Olympos is a Lycian port founded in the 3rd century BC and named after Mount Tahtalı, the ancient Olympos, 2,365 m high and 16 km to the north. The city was a pirates' lair before joining the Lycian League. Its ruins lie near the river mouth: among them a temple gate and the tomb of Captain Eudemos.

The site is part of Beydağları-Olympos National Park. Olympos beach lies inside the site, so you pay the entry fee to reach it. Open daily from 8 am to 7 pm local time, last ticket 6.30 pm; €11 from 1 April 2027. A ten-entry pass sells for €65 for those who go every day.

Çıralı and the turtles

Çıralı beach starts 300 m east of the ruins. Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs here in summer, and the coastal dunes shelter many plants. No large resort lines it, which is its charm.

The Chimaera of Yanartaş

Above the village, on a wooded hill, flames rise naturally from the rock and never go out. The ancients saw in them the breath of the Chimaera, the fire-breathing monster of myth, and sailors used them as a landmark. People walk up at nightfall, when the flames show best. From Kemer, the organised 7-hour trip sells from €35 per person.

Phaselis and Tahtalı

• Phaselis, 18 km from Kemer, is a port founded in the 7th century BC on a peninsula with three harbours. Alexander the Great was welcomed here with a golden crown in 333 BC. A main street links the harbours, between the agora and a small theatre; you can swim in the coves below the ruins. Open 8 am to 7 pm local time; €11 from 1 April 2027.
• The Olympos Teleferik cable car climbs to the summit of Tahtalı, 2,365 m, with the sea below. It runs from 9 am to 4.30 pm local time, with earlier rides for sunrise. A day trip from Antalya with the cable car and the village of Ulupınar sells from €81.25 per person.

Walking the Lycian Way

The Lycian Way crosses Çıralı and Olympos before climbing towards Phaselis and Antalya. The local stages alternate pine forest, passes and coves; the recommended seasons are February to May and September to November. Eight guided days on the western section of the trail sell from €1,245 per person; our Fethiye and Ölüdeniz page describes the whole trail.

Sabaro's hotels

• Olympos Lodge: 14 white rooms in a large tropical garden on Çıralı beach, with a sauna among the trees. Priced at €375 a night for two, breakfast included, in early June 2027.
• Arcadia Hotel: six 65 m² bungalows in a 5,000 m² seaside garden, for two or four guests, with loungers on the beach and bicycles. Price on request.
• Olympos Mountain Lodge: a lodge of eight units 900 m up at Beycik, on the slopes of Tahtalı, listed by the Michelin Guide. Its restaurant, The Rabbit Hole, serves a tasting menu every evening. Half an hour's drive from the beaches. Adults and children from 12. Price on request.

When to go

There is no weather station at Çıralı; the nearest, at Finike, records average highs of 26 °C in May, 31 °C in June and nearly 35 °C in July and August, then 27 °C in October. The sea is above 25 °C from June to October. At Beycik, 900 m higher, it is cooler. The best months are May, June, September and October; winter is mild but wet.

Safety

None of the European foreign ministries that Sabaro follows advises against Olympos or Çıralı; several ask for heightened vigilance nationwide. This wooded coast is exposed to forest fires in summer: open-air fires are banned in risk areas. The Safety table on this page gives your country's advice.