Day 1: Arrive in Fethiye — Harbour & Rock Tombs

Arrive in Fethiye via bus from Dalaman airport or from anywhere else on the coast. Settle into a guesthouse near the harbour. Spend the afternoon walking the Fethiye waterfront — watch the gulets come and go, eat a fish sandwich at the harbour, and in the late afternoon, climb the steep path up to the Tomb of Amyntas, the massive Lycian rock tomb carved into the cliff overlooking the town. The sunset view over Fethiye Bay from here sets the tone for the coming days.

Accommodation: Fethiye guesthouse near harbour ($25–40/night).

Sights: Tomb of Amyntas ($3), harbour promenade (free).

Day 2: Kayaköy Ghost Village & Saklıkent Gorge

Morning trip to Kayaköy, the abandoned Greek ghost village on the hillside above Fethiye. Walk through hundreds of empty stone houses and two roofless churches — the silence is the most powerful part. Afternoon at Saklıkent Gorge, a 300-metre-deep canyon where you walk a suspended platform into the narrowest section and then wade through icy water. A stunning contrast of history and nature in one day.

Transport: Dolmuş Fethiye–Kayaköy ($1.50), Kayaköy–Saklıkent via dolmuş ($2).

Entry: Kayaköy ($5), Saklıkent Gorge ($5).

Day 3: Ölüdeniz — Paragliding & Blue Lagoon

Take the dolmuş from Fethiye to Ölüdeniz (15 minutes). If you’re paragliding, your morning flight from Babadağ Mountain will be the most memorable 30 minutes of your trip — drifting silently over the Blue Lagoon’s turquoise water. If heights aren’t your thing, spend the morning at the Blue Lagoon beach itself — the protected nature reserve with impossibly clear, shallow water. Afternoon on Belcekız Beach watching the paragliders land on the sand in front of you.

Accommodation: Ölüdeniz guesthouse ($25–50/night).

Activities: Paragliding ($120–150), Blue Lagoon beach entry ($8).

Day 4: Butterfly Valley Boat Trip

Take a water taxi from Ölüdeniz beach to Butterfly Valley (10 minutes, €5 return). Spend the morning on the pebble beach at the base of a dramatic canyon, then hike up the trail to the waterfall. The valley is a protected nature reserve with thousands of Jersey tiger butterflies in summer. The afternoon boat taxi back gives you a final view of Ölüdeniz from the water — the perfect angle for photographs of the Blue Lagoon. Evening dolmuş back to the main road for onward travel.

Transport: Water taxi to Butterfly Valley ($5 return).

Entry: Butterfly Valley (free — no entrance fee).

Day 5: Ölüdeniz to Kaş — The Coastal Road

Travel day along one of Turkey’s most scenic coastal roads. Take the dolmuş from Ölüdeniz to Kaş via Kalkan (about 3 hours with the winding mountain roads). The road hugs the cliffs above the Mediterranean, with views of hidden coves and the Greek island of Meis (Kastellorizo) visible across the water. Arrive in Kaş, a charming harbour town that’s retained its fishing-village character despite growing popularity. Evening swim from the town’s small pebble beach.

Transport: Dolmuş Ölüdeniz–Kaş ($8).

Accommodation: Kaş old town guesthouse ($25–45/night).

Day 6: Kaş — Scuba, Sunken City & Peninsula Walk

Kaş is a hub for scuba diving (it has some of the best shore diving in Turkey) and boat trips to the sunken city of Kekova. Take a morning boat tour to Kekova, where you glide above the ruins of a Lycian city submerged by an ancient earthquake — you can see walls, stairs, and amphorae through crystal-clear water from the boat. Afternoon walking the Kaş Peninsula trail (start from the harbour and follow the coast around to Limanağzı). End the day with a rooftop dinner over the harbour watching the lights of Kastellorizo flicker on across the water.

Activities: Kekova boat tour ($25–35 inc. lunch), peninsula hike (free).

Day 7: Kaş to Olympos — Ruins by the Sea

Dolmuş from Kaş to Olympos (about 2 hours). Olympos is a unique site: an ancient Lycian city set in a lush valley with a beach at one end. Stay in one of the famous treehouse hostels nestled among the ruins. Spend the afternoon wandering through the forest — Roman baths, temple ruins, and harbour structures half-consumed by vines and fig trees. Evening swim at Olympos Beach as the sun sets behind the mountains. A campfire at the treehouse with fellow travellers rounds out the night.

Transport: Dolmuş Kaş–Olympos ($6).

Accommodation: Olympos treehouse hostel ($15–25/night).

Day 8: Çıralı Beach & Chimera Flames

Walk from Olympos to Çıralı along the beach (10 minutes) — or take the road. Çıralı is a pristine 3-km beach and a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles. Spend the day swimming, reading, and eating fresh fish at the beachfront restaurants. In the evening, hike up the hillside behind Çıralı to see the Chimera (Yanartaş) — natural gas vents burning from cracks in the rock, flames that have been alight for at least 2,500 years. The hike takes about 30 minutes and is best done at dusk, when the flames are most dramatic.

Accommodation: Çıralı guesthouse ($25–40/night).

Entry: Chimera ($3 — honesty box at the trailhead).

Day 9: Lycian Way Hike — Çıralı to the Ruins of Phaselis

A coastal section of the Lycian Way from Çıralı to the ancient city of Phaselis (about 12 km, moderate). The trail follows the coastline through pine forests and along cliffs with breathtaking sea views. Phaselis has three beautiful pebble coves with ancient ruins stretching right down to the water — a Roman theatre, aqueduct, and agora. Swim between ancient harbour walls. From Phaselis, take a dolmuş back to Çıralı or onward to Antalya.

Trail: Çıralı to Phaselis — 12 km, 3–4 hours (+ time at Phaselis).

Transport: Return dolmuş to Çıralı ($3) or onward to Antalya ($5).

Day 10: Antalya — Old Town & Departure

Final morning in Antalya. Take the dolmuş from Çıralı to Antalya (about an hour). Spend your remaining hours exploring Kaleiçi, the old town — walk through Hadrian’s Gate, wander the narrow cobblestone lanes, and have a final Turkish breakfast at a courtyard café in the old town. If time permits, the Antalya Museum is one of Turkey’s best and an excellent capstone to a journey through the ancient Lycian world. Head to the airport for your flight home or onward.

Sights: Kaleiçi old town (free), Hadrian’s Gate (free), Antalya Museum ($7).