Olympos and the Chimaera

Overview

At dusk, walkers climb a stony path above the village of Çıralı. Near the top, small flames burn straight out of the rock, as they did when ancient sailors saw them from the sea. Below, in a wooded valley that runs down to a long beach, lie the ruins of Olympos, a Lycian port that once sheltered pirates. Our Olympos Chimaera tour comes here too.

Olympos and the flames of the Chimaera belong together. One gives you an ancient city among trees and streams, while the other is a fire that inspired a Greek myth. So spend a day between the two, with a swim at Çıralı in between. Our Antalya to Istanbul tour with a blue cruise starts with a pick-up here in Olympos.

Olympos, Ruins in a Wild Valley by the Sea

Olympos lies on the coast of Antalya province, southwest of Antalya beyond Kemer, inside Beydağları Coastal National Park. The ancient city spreads along both banks of a stream in a deep valley, which then flows into the Mediterranean. Mount Tahtalı rises above the coast to the north. The Kemer Kekova blue cruise anchors off this coast on its way to Kekova. For the wider coast, see our guide to the Turkish Riviera.

The village of Çıralı sits on the beach just north of the ruins, while the flames of Yanartaş burn on the hillside above it. The Lycian Way passes through both, so walkers can stop here for a night. By sea, our Olympos Fethiye blue cruise starts here with a week on a gulet.

Pirates, Lycians and Romans

A city of the Lycian League

Olympos was a port city like Patara and Myra. It was one of the six leading members of the Lycian League, with three votes in its assembly. Its Hellenistic walls of fitted polygonal stones still stand on the south bank of the stream.

Pirates and Rome

In the 1st century BC, however, Olympos became famous for piracy. At that time, a local leader named Zeniketes held a fortress near the city. Then, in 78 BC, Roman forces under Publius Servilius Vatia took the city. Rather than surrender, Zeniketes set fire to his house and died with his family. So Rome expelled Olympos from the Lycian League, and the city returned only in the 1st century AD.

Bishops and the end of Olympos

By the 2nd century AD, Olympos was wealthy again. Its leading citizen, Marcus Aurelius Archepolis, held the highest office of the league, and his tomb still stands today. Later, Methodius of Olympus became the first known bishop here, and he was executed in 312. In the 5th and 6th centuries the Byzantine city grew larger than the Roman one, until Arab raids finally emptied it.

Ruins, Beach and Eternal Flames

The ancient city of Olympos

A path follows the stream through the ruins, so you walk between walls that trees half hide. Look especially for the Roman bridge, the baths and the remains of a temple. In the bishop’s church, archaeologists found the names of the bishops Theophiletus and Nicholas carved on stone.

Along the necropolis, sarcophagi stand among the trees. One of them carries the relief of a ship, a fitting image for a city that lived from the sea.

The flames of the Chimaera at Yanartaş

Above Çıralı, dozens of small fires burn from vents in the rock, high on the slope above the beach. The gas is methane, which seeps through cracks in the rock from a natural gas source. Directly below the flames lie the ruins of a temple of Hephaistos, the Greek god of fire.

The Chimera of Greek myth was a fire-breathing monster, part lion, part goat and part serpent. The British naval officer Francis Beaufort surveyed this coast and identified Yanartaş with the mountain of that legend.

Çıralı beach

Between Olympos and Çıralı runs a long beach of sand and pebbles, with orchards and mountains behind it. Our Olympos–Fethiye–Olympos blue cruise takes you from this coast to Fethiye and back in eight days on a gulet. The water is clear, and Mount Tahtalı rises behind the bay.

Treehouses and Turtles

Çıralı is a small village of orchards and guesthouses. In the evening, we head up the hill to see the flames, because the fires are most spectacular after dark.

What to Eat in Olympos and Çıralı

Small restaurants in Çıralı serve grilled fish and gözleme. At Yanartaş, people have also long used the flames to brew tea. Our Olympos to Fethiye blue cruise picks up its guests here.

How to Visit Olympos

Getting to Olympos

• From Antalya: south along the coast road past Kemer, then down the side road to Çıralı or Olympos.
• On the way: stop at the harbor city of Phaselis, north of Tekirova.
• From Kaleiçi: combine it with a stay in Kaleiçi, Antalya’s old town.
• On foot: the Lycian Way links Çıralı with the coast in both directions.

Local tips for Olympos

• Visit the flames after dark, when they are most impressive; the walk up takes about half an hour.
• Bring a flashlight for the path down from Yanartaş.
• Read the myth first: our page on the Chimaera tells the story of the flames.
• See the ruins in the morning, before the heat builds in the valley.
• The ancient city opens every day, and we arrange your entry. We plan Olympos around its hours, with the Chimaera in the evening.