After a few days of lying on the beach in Antalya, I got restless. The all-inclusive resorts and the shiny marina are nice, but I wanted something wild. I wanted an adventure.
Location: Termessos National Park (Güllük Dağı)
Altitude: 1,050 meters
Mood: Sweaty, Exhausted, and Amazed
I rented a car and drove 45 minutes northwest of the city, straight into the imposing Taurus Mountains (Toros Dağları). My destination was Termessos, an ancient city built so high and so steep that even Alexander the Great looked at it in 333 BC and said, “No, thanks,” and walked away.
Today, I decided to see if I could conquer what Alexander couldn’t.
The King’s Road (The Climb)
Termessos is not your typical tourist site. There are no cable cars. There are no smooth, paved walkways. There isn’t even a cafe at the top. You park your car, and then you hike.
I started walking up the ancient King’s Road. It is a steep, rocky path cutting through a dense pine forest. The air up here was completely different from the coast. It was crisp, smelling of pine needles and wild mountain thyme. With every step, I was climbing over massive limestone blocks that had fallen from the ancient city walls centuries ago during earthquakes.
The Overgrown Tombs
About halfway up, the forest started to reveal its secrets. I stumbled upon the necropolis. Massive stone sarcophagi were scattered everywhere, hidden in the bushes, cracked open by the roots of giant trees. Nature was slowly eating the city. There were no fences. No glass panels. I was just walking among 2,000-year-old tombs. I literally had to brush vines out of my way. I felt like Indiana Jones stumbling upon a lost civilization.
The Theater at the Edge of the World
My legs were burning by the time I reached the upper city. But then, the trees cleared, and I saw it. The Termessos Theater.
It is built right on the edge of a sheer cliff. I climbed to the top row of the stone seats and sat down. The view was staggering. I was looking out over a sea of sharp mountain peaks, stretching all the way to the Mediterranean in the far distance. But the most incredible part wasn’t the view. It was the silence. Unlike Ephesus or the ancient ruins in Rome, which are packed with tour groups and the noise of nearby traffic, Termessos is completely isolated. The only sound was the wind blowing through the pine trees and the distant call of an eagle.
The Verdict
I sat in that theater for an hour. Termessos makes you feel small. It reminds you that no matter how grand the empires we build are, the mountains and the forests will eventually take them back.
If you are visiting Antalya, pack a pair of good shoes and leave the beach for a morning. Climb the mountain. Get lost in the ruins. Be an explorer.
My “Eat Walk Repeat” Note for Today:
Eat: Bring your own water and snacks. There are strictly no facilities in the upper ancient city to preserve its wild nature.
Walk: You MUST wear proper sneakers or hiking shoes. Do not attempt the King’s Road in flip-flops. You will regret it.
Repeat: Take a moment to sit alone in the theater. Put your phone away and just listen to the wind.
Explore More of My Antalya Diaries:
If you enjoyed this diary, check out the rest of my Antalya series to see the Mediterranean through a local lens:
🍽️ Eat & Drink
- Food Diaries: Why I Put Tahini on My Meatballs (Tahinli Piyaz)
- Food Diaries: The Strange Magic of “Burnt” Ice Cream (Yanık Dondurma)
🎟️ Things To Do
- The 7 AM Swim Ritual: Jumping into the Mediterranean at Konyaaltı
- Climbing Termessos: Feeling Like Indiana Jones in the Taurus Mountains
🗺️ Itineraries
- Lost in Kaleiçi: A Full Day Behind the Roman Walls of the Old Town
- The Turquoise Coast: A Day Trip to the Sunken City of Kekova
🚇 Essentials
- The Midday Siesta Diaries: How I Survived the 40°C Mediterranean Heat
- Escaping the Airport Chaos: Riding the Antray Tram to the Sea
🏘️ Neighborhoods
- Kaleiçi Diaries: Roman Harbors and Hidden Courtyard Bars
- The Cliffs of Lara: Chasing Waterfalls and High-End Cafes
🌦️ Seasonal
- Summer Diaries: Midnight Swims and the Wall of Humidity
- Winter Diaries: Snow on the Mountains, Oranges on the Trees
