Family Legends of Lycia

Arrive in Kas, a laid back fishing town on the Turkish Lycian coast with a host of adventurous activities on offer.



Due to the number of evening flights into Dalaman, your Leader plans to do the welcome meeting on the morning on Day 2 and will leave a message in reception with details on timings and everything else that you'll need for the day. For those arriving earlier, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Kas at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Dalaman International Airport (airport code DLM), which is 150km, around 3 hours from the airport. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.



If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to take a dip in the hotel pool or head into Kas to sample the wide choice of restaurants. Be sure to sample the hearty Turkish food on offer such as slow cooked lamb, a barbecued meat selection or pide - it's similar to a pizza.

Our first day here is spent on the sea, as we take a boat trip from Kas across the surrounding calm and clear waters. From the sea we can appreciate fully this dramatic and beautiful coastline. There will be ample opportunity for swimming and snorkeling from our boat, and we plan to enjoy a barbecue lunch before returning to Kas later in the afternoon. Kas is a great place to relax, with cafes and restaurants spilling out onto cobbled streets and a network of tiny backalleys to explore.

Today we head for the hills to explore where we find cedar forests, streams, shady glades and tiny charming villages where the pattern of life has remained almost untouched for centuries. We plan to walk between these mountain villages and take lunch with a local family in a typical village house, before returning to Kas via the silver sand beach of Kapitas. Located just west of Kas, Kapitas is an idyllic spot for a swim at the end of our day in the mountains. Finally we make our way back to Kas.

Today is left free for you to do some exploring of your own. For those with a hankering for culture, Kas is built around the remains of a number of ancient sites including; Kas Theatre which was built during the third century BC and is now used for theatrical performances and music concerts, the monumental Lion Tomb and a number of hillside rock tombs. Alternatively you may like to visit the isolated and ruggedly beautiful Greek island of Meis (optional), to give its Turkish name, Kastellorizo. The island is just one mile from the Turkish coast and yet more than 100km from Rhodes, its nearest Greek neighbour.

We visit Xanthos this morning which was the capital of ancient Lycia and at one time was the largest centre of commerce and religion in the region. The town has had a turbulent past, falling to both the Persians and the Romans.



During the Roman civil wars of the 1st century BC, the Lycians sided with Caesar against Pompeius but after Caesar's assassination in Rome, Brutus attacked Xanthos and demolished the acropolis. Marc Antony rebuilt their city and today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.



We travel down the Xanthos River by canoe in the afternoon heading to the beach at Patara. Passing through tranquil and unspoilt rural backwaters along the way, we stop for a picnic lunch before eventually emerging at Patara Beach which is a protected nesting area for giant loggerhead turtles. We have the opportunity to swim on the return to Kas.

There is an opportunity this morning to visit the Church of St Nicholas at Demre (Myra) which is where the 4th century Bishop Nicholas is said to have anonymously given money to the poor thus spawning the legend of Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of two countries; Greece and Russia, and is also the protector of children, merchants, scholars and sailors - a busy man! The origin of Saint Nicholas's gift giving is believed to have arisen from a legend in which a shopkeeper was too poor to supply his daughters with dowries. When Saint Nicholas heard of their plight, he threw three bags of coins into the shopkeeper's yard, saving the daughters from a life of hardship.



The Church of Saint Nicholas was built after his death and Noel Baba's remains were placed in a rock sarcophagus. A modern statue of Saint Nicholas, complete with beard, bag of toys, and children has been placed outside the church. But Myra isn't just the home of Santa. A mile north of the church is the impressive ruins of the ancient town, where dozens of Lycian tombs are carved out of the cliff above a Roman amphitheatre. We plan to make an early start today (to beat the crowds and heat) but on returning to Kas there is a free afternoon either to relax or perhaps try snorkelling.

We depart in the early morning to try our hand at sea kayaking in the calm, protected waters of the bay of Kekova. We'll enjoy a packed sandwich breakfast with coffee en route and enjoy paddling in the tranquil waters before any other boats or kayakers take to the water. It's one of the most scenic areas in Lycia with picturesque islands, bays and small ancient cities surrounding the famous sunken city of Kekova. The results of various earthquakes, there are partly submerged streets and buildings visible in the crystal clear waters and even steps leading down into the depths of the bay.



Later we paddle to the picturesque whitewashed village of Simena, whose harbour is dotted with ancient sarcophagi (tombs), Roman baths, houses that cling to a hillside and a castle where we find an ancient theatre. Carved from the solid rock, it is a wonderful place to sit and soak up the beautiful surroundings. Taking to the waters again, we head back to Ucagiz from where we transfer back to Kas.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Kas



There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Kas at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Dalaman International Airport (airport code DLM), which is 150km, around 3 hours from the hotel.