Olympos

Introduction

The ancient town of Olympos is located in a valley on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey around 90 kilometres east of Antalya. The city has probably taken its name from the nearby Mount Olympos which is known locally as Tahtali Dag.

Roman ruins and sea front at Olympos near Antalya, Turkey

© All Rights Reserved arif_kool

History

Olympos was founded in the Hellinistic period and its coin date back to 2nd Century BC. This city became an important centre in the Lycian era. The town declined in importance in the 1st Century BC when it was attacked and controlled by the Pirates. Romans seized it from the pirates in 2nd Century AD and subsequently in the middle ages the Venetians, Genoese and Rhodians built fortresses along the coast. The town was finally abandoned with the arrival of Ottomans in 15th Century. Recently it has become a hot spot for tourists.

Suburbs

Sights

• Eternal fire also known as Chimaera can be reached by a trek of around 30 minutes in the neighboring village of Cirali. The source of these eternal flames has been found to be natural gas gushing through cracks in the earth. During ancient period, this fire was worshipped and revered by the locals.
  

  Eternal flame at Olympos, Turkey

  © All Rights Reserved arif_kool

• Beach is lovely and quite popular amongst young holiday seekers.
• Greeco-Roman ruins and fortress located along the coast are worth a visit.
• Olympos coastal National Park located in the picturesque valley is popular for trekking expeditions, mountain biking, rock climbing, sea kayaking, etc.

Activities

Events and Festivals

Weather

Olympos has a typical Mediterranean climate with dry summers and moderately warm and moist winters.

Getting There

By Plane

The nearest airport is in Antalya which is located around 80 kilometres from Olympos. This airport handles both domestic and international flights. Antalya is well connected with other parts of Turkey by domestic flights and it is also directly connected with many of the cities of Europe and Middle East.

Olympos beach near Antalya, Turkey

© All Rights Reserved arif_kool

By Train

Olympos is not connected by rail services. However tourists can travel by train upto Denizli and from there lots of buses are available to Olympos which cover the distance in around 4-5 hours.

By Car

By Bus

Bus service is excellent in Turkey. Olympos main road bus station has good connections with other cities of Turkey like Antalya, Cappadocia, Fethiye, etc. Buses coming from Antalya towards Fethiye and Kas usually stop at the main road bus station and from there you can catch an Olympos service down to the valley to the beach and the ruins. Two of the well known and most reputed bus companies operating in Turkey are Varan and Ulusoy.

By Boat

Getting Around

The best way to explore the Olympos valley and its surroundings is on a bicycle which can be hired locally.

By Car

By Public Transport

By Boat

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

PTT is the national post service in Turkey. Services are generally moderately fast but quite reliable. Sending a standard letter or postcard costs €0.65 within Turkey and €0.80 (letters) or €0.85 (postcards) internationally. There is an extended price list on the PTT website. For sending packages one might also use international companies such as DHL and UPS and local companies such as Yurtici Kargo. Post offices bear the distinctive yellow PTT sign and are generally open between 9:00am to 12:00 noon and 1:30pm to 5:00pm from Monday to Friday. Some might keep longer hours or be open during the weekend as well, but this mainly applies to the larger ones or those in central places and tourist areas.