The cable car ride to the 2,365 meter high Mt. Olympos takes about 10 minutes and offers a breathtaking panorama. From the top, a 9 kilometer long hiking trail that leads to the village of Beycik starts. The village is located 800 meters above sea level.

The route takes about 6 hours. A total of 1565 meters of altitude has to be descended. At the beginning the path is relatively flat, but after about 45 minutes the first steep slope appears. The area here is without trees and very stony and rocky.

After descending to an altitude of 1500 meters, the area becomes flatter again, the path leads through pine forests, becomes steep again in places until it finally ends in the village of Beycik. On the way there is a mountain cafeteria that invites you to take a break.

Göynük Canyon in Kemer offers hiking and canyoning opportunities for both beginners and experienced climbers. The natural surroundings are impressive with a wild river, picturesque waterfalls, and a dramatic canyon.

Along the 3 kilometer long hiking trail that leads to the end of the valley over a steep slope into the gorge, you can hear only the sound of the river. It's not uncommon to see salamanders here. At the highest point of the slope, there is a viewpoint that offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings.

The end of the trail is marked by a cottage, which stands by a picturesque lake. The trail is about 4 kilometers long and takes 1 hour. Guided hikes, with the appropriate equipment, into the canyon itself start here.

• Check out our dedicated article about Göynük Canyon in Kemer.
• Get inspiration with our article about rafting in Antalya.

In 10 minutes the red cabins of the cable car go from the beach in Kemer to Tahtalı Mountain, better known as Olympos. The ride up the 2,365-meter mountain takes about 10 minutes, and the panorama is stunning, you can even see the ancient ruins of Phaselis.

From the top of the mountain, during good weather, the view reaches to Alanya. Up here there are numerous opportunities for hiking.

If you want, you can hike directly from Kemer up the mountain. In the spring, summer, and autumn, the climb to the top is easily doable if you are in good physical condition and have the appropriate hiking equipment.

• Check out our fully detailed article about the ancient city of Olympos.
• Discover more details about the Olympos Teleferik (Cable Car).

From the archaeological site of Xanthos, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, a 14-kilometer trail, which is part of the Lycian Trail, leads to Patara.

Here, you will also find interesting ruins, as well as a partly deserted sandy beach. The beach of Patara is closed from mid-June to mid-August, because during this time caretta caretta turtles come ashore here to lay their eggs.

On the way there are impressive views of Kalkan Bay and the backlands of the Lycian Peninsula. The route takes about 4 hours in total.

Read our guide to Patara Beach in Kaş.

Check out more information about the ancient city of Xanthos.

There are other beaches in Antalya to discover!

Tazı Canyon, also called Eagles Canyon, is located in Köprülü Canyon, only 10 kilometers from the rafting center in Köprülü Canyon Nature Park. It's a natural canyon formed by streams. To get there you have to hike about 11 kilometers through steep rocks, high in the mountains, finally to be rewarded with a fantastic view.

The area is rich in flora and fauna. Animals, such as wild boar, deer, fox, wolf, badger, rabbit, lynx, and snakes live here. If you are lucky, you can even see golden eagles or buzzards. On the sides of the canyon, a dense and flowering forest offers a picturesque view.

In recent years, Tazı Canyon has become a popular Instagram spot. Pictures with the large boulders that border the 300-meter-high cliffs are quite popular. But be careful, weeds grow on the rocks, making them very slippery in some parts.

By the way, Tazı means "greyhound" in English and not "eagle"...

• Read our complete guide to Tazı Canyon.
• Discover this full article about Köprülü Canyon in Antalya.

Find more canyons in Antalya

In Kaş there are numerous options for hiking. In total, the area has 38 hiking trails. One of them is the 9.6 kilometer long trail that leads from Kaş to Limangazı Bay, which can only be reached by boat or on foot.

It takes about 2.5 hours to walk this distance. Another option is a circular walk between two bays, which covers a total of 15 kilometers and takes about 6 hours. In addition, sections of the Lycian Way can be hiked from Kaş.

On the routes, you will pass ancient ruins and old houses, always accompanied by breathtaking views of the coast.

• Discover the best things to do in Kaş.

The village of Ormana is located in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains, about 60 kilometers from Manavgat and is famous for its button houses, built only of stone and boards without nails and cement.

There are several hiking routes from here, including the 11-kilometer trail to Altınbeşik Cave. Would like to go mushroom picking in the mountains? Maybe you will find the morel, the second most expensive edible mushroom in the world, after the truffle. If you are lucky, you will also see some wild horses.

Read more about sports in Antalya's great outdoors

Syedra was an ancient city whose first literary mentions date back to the middle of the 1st century BC. On a high hilltop off the coast lie the ruins of the city, which you enter through the well-preserved monumental gate to the west. There are two caves, the Cistern Cave and the Baptistery Cave, whose walls are decorated with frescoes from the early Christian period.

From the top of the mountain there is a fantastic view of the whole surrounding countryside. Syedra is located about 18 kilometers from the center of Alanya and the hike takes about 3 hours.

• Read more details about the ancient city of Syedra.
• Find more ancient ruins in Antalya.
• Here are some other things to do in Alanya

St. Paul Trail is another cultural route with very demanding and strenuous sections. It's considered to be the second oldest hiking trail in Turkey, with a length of 500 kilometers.

It begins in Perge, 10 kilometers east of Antalya, and follows the footsteps of the Apostle Paul to the ancient city of Antioch near Yalvaç, northeast of Lake Eğirdir. The trail leads to altitudes of up to 2,200 meters. Partial stretches can be hiked.

Cultural routes are hiking trails that follow old trade routes or the footsteps of famous travelers. The best known is the 509-kilometer, Likya Yolu, which runs from Fethiye to Antalya and is an option for experienced hikers.

The trail leads along to sights such as, the ruins of the UNESCO World Heritage ancient city of Xanthos, Myra, and the cliffs on the Lycian Coast to Antalya.

Of course, partial routes can also be hiked. If you are staying in the area around Patara, Kalkan, or Kaş, the 16-kilometer section that leads from the ruins of Pydnai via the remains of Letoon to the excavation site of Xanthos, in five hours without any significant climbs, is just as interesting as the route that leads from the ruins of Phellos, at an altitude of 860 meters, partly steeply downhill to Kaş.

Along the entire Lycian Way, there are numerous other partial routes that can be hiked.

• Read more in our complete guide to the Lycian Way Hiking Trail that gives you information about the location, trails, and special tips

About 70 kilometers southwest of Antalya, near Çıralı, you can see a millennium-old natural phenomenon. In several places flames emerge from the rocky mountainside, also called the "eternal fires of Chimaira".

The fire fields are located 2 kilometers from the sea, 250 meters above the coast. From the café it takes 30 minutes to reach the first flames and about 60 minutes to reach the last flames on the hill.

Read more about the fires of Yanartaş Chimaira

A highlight near Antalya is a hike to the ruins of the ancient city of Termessos at the foot of Mount Solymos. Homer mentioned the Solymans in his Iliad, the story of Troy, as brave warriors.

Alexander the Great failed to siege this the mountain city. He didn't want to sacrifice his army to an eagle's nest. Today, Turkey's "Machu Piccu" at 1,500 meters above sea level in Termessos National Park is a wonderful destination for a one-hour hike.

The jewel at the end of the hike is the view of the Taurus Mountains from the Roman Theater with more than 5,000 seats.

Discover more information about the ancient city of Termessos.