Köprülü Canyon, National park and canyon in Manavgat, Turkey.
Köprülü Canyon is a river gorge in southern Turkey, protected as a national park, where tall limestone walls close in on both sides of a fast-moving river. Footpaths run along the riverbanks, and natural rock pools form in calmer sections of the water.
The gorge once lay along trade routes linking the Mediterranean coast with inland Anatolia, and a Roman stone bridge built during that period still stands over the river. The surrounding mountains also sheltered the ancient city of Selge, founded centuries before Roman rule.
The canyon takes its name from the old stone bridge that still crosses the river and can be walked across today. Local guides often lead rafting trips through the gorge, which gives visitors a chance to see the rock walls from the water.
Spring and early summer are the most comfortable times to visit, when the river runs well and the trails are dry. Sturdy shoes are a good idea since some riverside sections are uneven, and the sun in the gorge can be stronger than expected.
The ancient city of Selge sits inside the national park, reachable only on foot through the mountains, and its theater still holds its shape after roughly 2,000 years. On a clear day, the view from the theater seats stretches far across the Taurus mountains.
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