Just down the coast from Kemer is this lovely coastal village of Olimpos and the ancient site of Olimpos Antik Kenti from Roman and Lycian times. We got there by hiring a car from Europcar in Kemer for the day at a cost of £30 for 24 hrs, total bargain.
The village attached to the archeological site is very hippy like and is a little famous for its treehouses. These were dotted at the side of the road offering accommodation. When we arrived it was a sleepy little village but I could imagine it livened up in the evening when the bars and restaurants opened.
The main part of Olimpost Antik Kenti dates back to the Lycian and Roman times and has been used by various people up to around the 15th Century when it was abandoned. Since then the ruins have been overgrown with trees and its a delight to wander around not knowing what you’ll discover at the end of the next path. The site itself costs approx £4.50 to enter and you can spend the whole day there. Remember to keep a hold of your ticket as if you leave you’ll need it to get back in. The ticket office accepts card so there is no need to find a cash point.
The beach and sea is at the other end of the archeological site and you can access it from there. Its a long stretch of pebbly beach which drops into the sea. The sea is gorgeous to swim in but I’d have some beach shoes with you so you can get from your towel to the waters edge as walking on those stones can be difficult. Gorgeous sea, perfect for chilling after a wander through the ruins.
Between the archeological site and Cirali there are a few restaurants dotted along the edge of the beach. We chose Izik Restaurant as the menu looked really varied and there were a good few people already in having lunch so that’s always a good sign.
The town of Cirali is just up the beach and you can easily walk there from the exit of the archeological site. You can get there by walking up the beach and A km or so inland behind the restaurants you come to a vibrant little village with crafts, bars, restaurants, bikes, tourists and a great little vibe. An alternative route is to walk back through the archeological site and drive up back up to the main road and then down again to Cirali. Its about a 30 min trip up and round.
Having the luxury of the hire car meant we were in no rush to leave and spent the best part of the afternoon soaking up the sun. This place was a real gem and we had a great day visiting
We have always tended to use Booking.com having said that if your on a tight budget another good site to try as a comparison is Hostelworld, If your looking to compare different sites you can do that on Hotellook, we tend to look on here first to make sure we are getting the best deal.
You can book your visits as you go at the entrance to your chosen attraction or site. Or you could use the following links to book in advance or just to find out what your choices are in the area. GetYourGuide and Tiqets are our go to choices you could try Viator to see how they compare.
For a full list check out our resources page. Don’t forget always shop around to find the best deal for you. What works for us should be good for you but it’s always reassuring to check.
Some of the links on this page contain affiliate marketing links, which means we may get paid commission on sales of those products or services we write about. You will never be charged a fee for shopping through one of our affiliate links. You may even get a discounted rate and we will make a small commission. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships.
Our summer 2020 holiday we found ourselves exploring Kemer, Turkey as travelling options were limited. It was was my first visit to Turkey as Chris has been to before but not to this area. I’d only ever transited through Istanbul airport so that doesn’t count.
How to get the best views of Kemer | Olympus Teleferik We had heard about the cable car that went to the top of Mount
Phaselis is about 16km down the coast from the resort of Kemer and its the most delightful area of archeological ruins with quirky little bays and the clearest water you can imagine
@Andiamo Amigos 2020 – 2022
All rights reserved. Photography and written content may not be reproduced without our permission.
1 thought on “Five amazing things Andiamo Amigos did when visiting Olimpos Kemer”
This looks beautiful! What an amazing place to visit.