Olimpos Beydağları National Park, Mediterranean coastal national park in Antalya Province, Turkey
Olimpos Beydağları is a national park along the Mediterranean coast featuring limestone cliffs, dense forests, and sandy beaches stretching between Sarısu and Cape Gelidonya. The landscape combines steep, forested mountainsides with narrow beach sections and numerous ancient ruins scattered throughout.
The park was founded in 1972 and encompasses ancient settlements including Olympos, Phaselis, and Idyros that once flourished in this coastal region. These sites reveal patterns of trade and settlement that shaped the ancient Mediterranean world.
The park holds numerous Lycian rock-cut tombs and archaeological remains from ancient settlements scattered across the landscape. You will encounter these stone monuments carved into the hillsides as you walk through different areas of the reserve.
The area is best explored on foot, with the famous Lycian Way as the main trail and several routes of varying difficulty throughout the park. Bring plenty of water and sun protection, especially during warmer months, and wear sturdy shoes for rocky paths.
At Yanartaş, natural gases seep from the ground and ignite into burning flames, a geological phenomenon that has persisted for thousands of years. This rare display is most visible at night, when the flames glow against the dark sky.
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