Holidays on the Turquoise Coast

The lighthouse at Cape Gelidonya lies on the 23 km long stage Karaöz - Adrasan of the Lycian Hiking Trail. This 509 km long hiking trail from Fethiye to Antalya runs mainly along the coast of ancient Lycia.

The way to the lighthouse is already signposted in Karaöz. The path, which at the beginning could also be used by a normal car, usually leads along the coast to the peninsula, on the top of which the lighthouse is located. 3.5 km after Karaöz, a path branches off to the right to Pirate's Bay Melanippe.

Many hikers have already fallen for this (old) signposting at the branch to the lighthouse. The indicated 2 km refer to the distance to the lighthouse, but not to the distance to Adrasan. It is only 17 km from here. The corrected sign indicates the correct distance.

The almost straight track leads relatively slightly uphill directly to the top of the peninsula.

In between, the sometimes lightening forest allows a view of the sea.

At the end of the straight, always southwards leading runway the wide sea with Cape Gelidonya and the small islands in front suddenly spreads out before the hiker. The Cape is notorious for the unpredictable currents that occur there. Since the Bronze Age, these islands have been the doom of many a ship.

In 1960, underwater archaeologists were able to excavate an approximately 9-metre-long cargo ship from the period around 1200 BC from the seabed in its entirety. The ship loaded with ores was probably owned by a migrant blacksmith of Cypriot or Syrian origin.

The way leads a bit inland at an acute angle and then turns east to the lighthouse. For the experienced hiker, this trail may have a low degree of difficulty up to here, but for the untrained tourist, possibly in light bathing slippers on the way, the slope becomes a strain at the end.