This ancient path of approximately 500 km crosses from Fethiye to Antalya over the Mediterranean coasts of Turkey.
Originally a pathway for the Lycians - a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire- today it is one of the best trekking and expedition routes in the world .
The Lycian League founded in 168 BC was an early federation with democratic principles; these later influenced the United States Constitution. The major cities of the League included Xanthos, Patara, Pinara, Olympos, Myra, and Tlos, with Patara as the capital. Phaselis joined the League at a later time. The league continued to function after Lycia became a Roman province in 46 AD. Lycia ceased being a federation in the fourth century AD, when it was taken over by the Byzantine Empire.
Our walking route from Kas to Kekova surrounded by essences of sage, oregano and the shades of olive trees was only a part of the main path. We made it even shorter and took a daily trip from Kas to a coast where the Uluburun architectural dig took place. (The Ulusburun shipwreck and the treasures were displayed in the Met with an exhibition called “Beyond Babylon”, today they can be seen at the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archeology). But we ended up travelling from Fethiye to Olympos with car crossing the whole of ancient Lycia in the end.
Fethiye to Kas
After our stops at Göcek- the centre for sailing with its beautiful coasts, Ölüdeniz- the famous lagoon, we headed for Kas.
Hotel@ Kas: Lycia Club Hotel. A small boutique hotel located on the Cukurbag peninsula.
Kas is centre for diving and sea, it is located just across the Greek island of Megi. And we had the best fish and fresh almonds... highly recommended.
Kaş to Kekova
The second day consisted of trekking from Limanağzı- one of the beaches of Kas region- to the site of Uluburun shipwreck. From there, the Bayındır village we hopped into the car of one of the locals which took us back to Kaş. From Kaş it was onto Kekova region that is surrounded by green houses and valleys.This region is the heart and guts of Turkey for its fruit and vegetable plantation. The soil that is copper colour is very fertile. The juxtaposition between the hearty brown earth, blue seas and the greens of olive trees in very intimidating.
Hotel: Kekova Hotel . A cute family run small hotel with approximately 10 rooms.
The region is surrounded by carob trees. Carob and its molasses was used to replace sugar , choclate and sugarcane in the Lycian world.
Superfood: Carob
Nutrition and Health Benefits of Eating : Carob contains Gallic acid that works as an analgesic, anti-allergic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral and antiseptic. Carob improves digestion and lowers cholesterol level in the blood. It is used for treating diarrhea in children and adults alike. Since it does not contain caffeine, carob benefits people with high blood pressure. Regular use of carob helps in preventing lung cancer. The vitamin E content in carob helps in treating cough, flu, anemia and osteoclasis. Carob fights against osteoporosis, due to its richness in phosphorus and calcium.
To be continued...
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