Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast (ancient Cilicia → Lycia) contains some of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world, yet many are far less crowded than places like Ephesus.
Below are 20 remarkable ancient ruins along the route from Adana → Mersin → Antalya → Fethiye.
🏛️ 20 Best Archaeological Sites on Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast
ADANA / MERSIN REGION (Ancient Cilicia)
1️⃣
Soli Pompeiopolis
Roman port city with long colonnaded street and temple ruins.
2️⃣
Kızkalesi
Medieval island fortress rising from the sea.
3️⃣
Heaven and Hell Sinkholes
Huge ancient sinkholes linked to Greek mythology.
4️⃣
Alahan Monastery
Spectacular 5th-century Byzantine monastery in the mountains.
5️⃣
Tarsus
Ancient city tied to Paul the Apostle.
ANTALYA REGION (Ancient Lycia & Pamphylia)
6️⃣
Aspendos
One of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world.
Capacity: 15,000 spectators.
7️⃣
Perge
Huge Roman city with:
stadium
baths
colonnaded streets
8️⃣
Side
Famous for:
Temple of Apollo by the sea
large Roman theatre
9️⃣
Termessos
One of Turkey’s most dramatic ruins, high in the Taurus Mountains.
Even Alexander the Great failed to conquer it.
🔟
Myra
Known for:
Lycian rock tombs
Roman theatre
Home of
Saint Nicholas (inspiration for Santa Claus).
LYCIAN COAST
11️⃣
Patara
Important Roman port and birthplace of Saint Nicholas.
Also near Turkey’s longest beach.
12️⃣
Xanthos
UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ancient capital of the Lycian civilization.
13️⃣
Letoon
Major religious sanctuary dedicated to:
Leto
Apollo
Artemis
14️⃣
Pinara
Beautiful hillside city with hundreds of rock tombs.
15️⃣
Tlos
One of the oldest Lycian settlements.
Features:
stadium
Roman baths
acropolis
FETHIYE AREA
16️⃣
Telmessos Rock Tombs
Huge Lycian tombs carved directly into cliffs.
17️⃣
Kayaköy
Ghost town abandoned after the 1923 Greek-Turkish population exchange.
18️⃣
Lycian Way
540 km trail connecting ancient Lycian cities.
19️⃣
Simena Castle
Hilltop castle overlooking a sunken ancient city.
20️⃣
Olympos
Hidden ruins in a jungle valley near the sea.
Nearby is the eternal flame of
Mount Chimaera.
🗺️ Best Archaeology Travel Route (Southern Turkey)
10–14 day route
Adana
Mersin
Antalya
Demre
Kaş
Fethiye
You will pass dozens of ancient cities along the coast.
土耳其南部地中海沿岸（古西里西亚→吕西亚）拥有世界上一些最壮观的考古遗址，但与以弗所等著名景点相比，这里游客较少。
以下是阿达纳→梅尔辛→安塔利亚→费特希耶沿途20处令人叹为观止的古代遗址。
🏛️ 土耳其地中海沿岸20处最佳考古遗址
阿达纳/梅尔辛地区（古西里西亚）
1️⃣
索利庞培城
罗马港口城市，拥有长长的柱廊街道和神庙遗址。
2️⃣
克孜卡莱西
从海中拔地而起的中世纪岛屿堡垒。
3️⃣
天堂与地狱天坑
与希腊神话相关的巨大古代天坑。
4️⃣
阿拉汉修道院
壮观的五世纪拜占庭修道院，坐落在山间。
5️⃣
塔尔苏斯
与使徒保罗相关的古城。
安塔利亚地区（古吕西亚和潘菲利亚）
6️⃣
阿斯潘多斯
世界上保存最完好的罗马剧院之一。
容量：15,000名观众。
7️⃣
佩尔盖
宏伟的罗马城市，拥有：
体育场
浴场
柱廊街道
8️⃣
赛德
以以下景点闻名：
海边的阿波罗神庙
大型罗马剧院
9️⃣
泰尔梅索斯
土耳其最壮观的遗址之一，位于托罗斯山脉高处。
即使是亚历山大大帝也未能征服它。
🔟
米拉
以以下景点闻名：
吕西亚岩窟墓
罗马剧院
圣尼古拉斯（圣诞老人的原型）的故乡
利西亚海岸
11️⃣
帕塔拉
重要的罗马港口，圣尼古拉斯的诞生地。
也靠近土耳其最长的海滩。
12️⃣
桑索斯
联合国教科文组织世界遗产。
利西亚文明的古都。
13️⃣
勒托
重要的宗教圣地，供奉：
勒托
阿波罗
阿尔忒弥斯
14️⃣
皮纳拉
美丽的依山而建的城市，拥有数百座岩石墓。
15️⃣
特洛斯
最古老的利西亚定居点之一。
特色：
体育场
罗马浴场
卫城
费特希耶地区
16️⃣
特尔梅索斯岩石墓
直接凿刻在悬崖上的巨大利西亚墓穴。
17️⃣
卡亚科伊
1923年希腊-土耳其人口交换后被废弃的鬼城。
18️⃣
利西亚之路
连接古代利西亚城邦的540公里古道。
19️⃣
西梅纳城堡
山顶城堡，俯瞰着一座沉没的古城。
20️⃣
奥林波斯
隐藏在海边丛林山谷中的遗址。
附近是奇美拉山的永恒之火。
🗺️ 最佳考古旅行路线（土耳其南部）
10-14天行程
阿达纳
梅尔辛
安塔利亚
德姆雷
卡什
费特希耶
您将沿着海岸线途经数十座古城
Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast (ancient Cilicia → Lycia) contains some of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world, yet many are far less crowded than places like Ephesus.
Below are 20 remarkable ancient ruins along the route from Adana → Mersin → Antalya → Fethiye.
🏛️ 20 Best Archaeological Sites on Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast
ADANA / MERSIN REGION (Ancient Cilicia)
1️⃣
Soli Pompeiopolis
Roman port city with long colonnaded street and temple ruins.
2️⃣
Kızkalesi
Medieval island fortress rising from the sea.
3️⃣
Heaven and Hell Sinkholes
Huge ancient sinkholes linked to Greek mythology.
4️⃣
Alahan Monastery
Spectacular 5th-century Byzantine monastery in the mountains.
5️⃣
Tarsus
Ancient city tied to Paul the Apostle.
ANTALYA REGION (Ancient Lycia & Pamphylia)
6️⃣
Aspendos
One of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world.
Capacity: 15,000 spectators.
7️⃣
Perge
Huge Roman city with:
stadium
baths
colonnaded streets
8️⃣
Side
Famous for:
Temple of Apollo by the sea
large Roman theatre
9️⃣
Termessos
One of Turkey’s most dramatic ruins, high in the Taurus Mountains.
Even Alexander the Great failed to conquer it.
🔟
Myra
Known for:
Lycian rock tombs
Roman theatre
Home of
Saint Nicholas (inspiration for Santa Claus).
LYCIAN COAST
11️⃣
Patara
Important Roman port and birthplace of Saint Nicholas.
Also near Turkey’s longest beach.
12️⃣
Xanthos
UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ancient capital of the Lycian civilization.
13️⃣
Letoon
Major religious sanctuary dedicated to:
Leto
Apollo
Artemis
14️⃣
Pinara
Beautiful hillside city with hundreds of rock tombs.
15️⃣
Tlos
One of the oldest Lycian settlements.
Features:
stadium
Roman baths
acropolis
FETHIYE AREA
16️⃣
Telmessos Rock Tombs
Huge Lycian tombs carved directly into cliffs.
17️⃣
Kayaköy
Ghost town abandoned after the 1923 Greek-Turkish population exchange.
18️⃣
Lycian Way
540 km trail connecting ancient Lycian cities.
19️⃣
Simena Castle
Hilltop castle overlooking a sunken ancient city.
20️⃣
Olympos
Hidden ruins in a jungle valley near the sea.
Nearby is the eternal flame of
Mount Chimaera.
🗺️ Best Archaeology Travel Route (Southern Turkey)
10–14 day route
Adana
Mersin
Antalya
Demre
Kaş
Fethiye
You will pass dozens of ancient cities along the coast.