The ancient site of Olympos

Along the course of a river flowing into the sea, and amid exuberant vegetation, the site of Olympos is explored in search of the ancient ruins that emerge on either side of the river.

Even if the site does not allow the discovery of particularly impressive ruins, the charm of the exploration and the fine beach justify coming this far. A chance to vary the pleasures!

Note that the site is in the course of restoration, with the clearance and reconstruction of many buildings. Its wild appearance, which makes up part of its charm, will therefore diminish, to the benefit of the discovery of the ruins.

The surroundings of Olympos, whether beside the site or at Çıralı, are known for their family and relaxed atmosphere.

Practical information:

The site of Olympos lies in the municipality of Çıralı, by the sea, 80 km south of Antalya. Take the D400 road that links Antalya to Finike, passing through Kemer.

2 options for reaching the ancient site:

The most direct is to leave the road at the sign Olympos (Antik Kenti) for 11 km. The drawback is that, if you wish to reach the small town of Çıralı and the site of Chimaera, you will have to make a long detour by car (30 minutes).
Car park at the entrance to the site. GPS coordinates: N36.393567, E30.470335

The second option is to leave the road at the sign Çıralı / Yanartaş (Chimaera) for 7 km as far as the town of Çıralı. Approach the sea in order to park in the area, and join the beach, which you will walk up towards Olympos. You can also enter the site from the beach. This solution is useful if you wish to go on to the visit to Chimaera.
GPS coordinates: N36.405148, E30.474194

Admission to the site is charged.

Open every day. From 1 April to 30 September, 8.00 am to 7.00 pm. From 1 October to 31 March, 8.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Restaurants at Olympos and Çıralı, as well as on the beach, between Olympos and Çıralı.

For the visit, plan on sandals that can be put into the water in order to cross the river, as well as swimming costumes and a towel so as to enjoy the beach. Water is, as always, necessary for the visit. At the weekend the beaches are often crowded.

History of Olympos:

The date of the foundation of the town is unknown, but it seems to go back to the 4th or 3rd century BC, during the Hellenistic period. The presence of a sheltered anchorage, on the coastal sea route, made it a favoured site on which to found a town.

In the 2nd century BC the town was part of the Lycian League, of which it was one of the 6 most important towns. The town was later occupied by pirates, as were other cities, before being incorporated into the Roman Empire in 78 BC. The principal monuments of the town date from the Roman and Byzantine period.

The town declined in the 3rd century under the blows of pirate attacks. The town became an important centre again in the 11th century, with the Venetians, the Genoese and the Knights of Rhodes, who built 2 fortresses on the coast.

The city was abandoned around the 15th century.

Worth a visit:

Starting your visit at the car park of the site, you will locate, on the other side of the river, the South necropolis. Walk along the river and cross at a ford to reach the theatre. Small in size, it is heavily ruined and overgrown with vegetation, but its state gives it a great deal of charm.

Continuing along the river, you come to the quays and the former warehouses, as well as to the piers of a bridge that made it possible to link the two parts of the town.

Retrace your steps in order to cross the river and go up one of the well-cleared streets of Olympos. There you can discover the remains of a temple of the 2nd century, of which the monumental gate remains.

You will also discover houses with mosaics of the 5th century, as well as tombs. The best-known burial is a monumental tomb in the shape of a temple, that of the Lyciarch Marcus Aurelius and of his family. The sarcophagi are still present.

Other sarcophagi are visible in the area, in particular that of Antimachus, which is adorned with a false door on the side, depicting the entrance to the Underworld.

Work of clearance and restoration is under way, which should change the site considerably in the coming years and continue to bring houses and civic buildings to light.

Continuing along the river, you come to the site of tombs cut into the rock face. In one of them there is a fine sarcophagus adorned with a remarkable depiction of a Lycian boat.

From the beach you will see the remains of the acropolis overlooking the mouth of the river. By gaining a little height, you can enjoy a fine view. A little further on you will glimpse the ruins of a medieval castle on the heights.

Make your way to the beach for a well-earned swim before going on to discover Chimaera, situated a short distance from there! To discover the site of Chimaera.