Idyllic Phaselis : Beautiful Beaches and Ancient Ruins

 

Phaselis is backed by magnificent mountains and surrounded by the clear waters of the Mediterranean sea. It is an idyllic setting in which to spend the day relaxing on a beach and soaking up the vibes of a Turkish holiday.

Phaselis

Phaselis

There is an added bonus though as Phaselis is not just about golden sand beaches. It is also an old sea-port city dating back to the 7th Century BC which was a delight for me as I have never seen an ancient sea port that is still located next to the sea.

Main street at Phaselis

Main street at Phaselis

I love visiting ruins around Turkey but most of them have been located inland as over hundreds of years, the sea has receded back from the coastline. Phaselis though, has always maintained its rightful place directly next to the sea and the result is glorious ruins to explore and beautiful beaches to relax on.

Phaselis Beaches

Phaselis Beach

Start your tour at one beach, explore the ruined houses, baths and shops  and when you reach the other beach, get the swimming costume out and run into the Mediterranean sea.

Houses at Phaselis

Houses at Phaselis

Considering how old Phaselis is, I really did get a feel for how daily life was, when the city was in its prime.  The long waterway canals, round theatre and ancient agoras were carefully planned and built around the main harbor street that gives way to views of the crystal blue sea and golden beaches.

Waterway Canal At Phaselis

Waterway Canal At Phaselis

You certainly don’t need a guide to explore the ruins as you are handed information when arriving and at certain points around the ruins, detailed information is given to fill you in on the background of the area of the city that you are exploring.

Theatre at Phaselis

Theatre at Phaselis

Phaselis – Additional Information

There is no cafeteria near the ruins or the beaches so remember to take your own refreshments.

There is the dodgy dude on the beach who sells refreshments from his boat however he has obviously realized that he has no competition and his prices reflect his desire to achieve millionaire status in the refreshment industry!

Phaselis Refreshments

Dodgy Dude!

The entrance fee is 8 Turkish liras whether you are viewing the ruins or just using the beaches as both are situated within a protected area.

Boat trips to Phaselis

Boats docking into Phaselis

How to Get To Phaselis

It can be reached by using local transport on the Antalya coastal highway. The turning to reach Phaselis is between the resorts of Cirali and Kemer. Once you are at the turning, you will need to walk for around 1km to reach the entrance.

Alternatively there are many boat trips that dock into the bay for a couple of hours and this is ample time to walk around the beautiful and glorious city of Phaselis and lay down on the golden beaches to soak up the Turkish sun.

Beach at Phaselis

Beach at Phaselis

Readers Question – Have you been to Phaselis? If so, did you enjoy it as much as I did?

About Natalie  (176 Posts)

Hi. My name is Natalie and I am the author of The Turkish Travel Blog. You can follow me on Facebook. Got something to add? Let me know what you think by filling in the comments box below. If you want to be notified of when I publish new posts, subscribe to my newsletter. Till the next time...happy travels.


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25 Comments

 
  1. Dayna says:

    Some beautiful photos… looks like quite the idyllic retreat! The ruins look fun to explore as well!
    Dayna recently wrote about..From Princes to Paupers – Meeting Counts and Vagabonds in Transylvania

  2. Jack Scott says:

    I’ve been to Phaselis twice over the years and each time I found it enchanting. The second time we took a picnic for the beach.
    Jack Scott recently wrote about..Perking the Pansies Book Trailer

  3. Alan fenn says:

    delightful place; delightful post and delightful photos. Thanks Nat

  4. Nina F says:

    What a charming place – I am already imagining myself there, poking around the ruins, ready to dip a toe into the blue Mediterranean Sea!
    Nina F recently wrote about..Sand In My Toes

  5. No matter how much time I spend in Turkey traveling, I never seem to whittle away at the Gotta See list. It grows faster than I can check things off. Never heard of this. Thanks for making my Turkey travel life more complicated. ;)
    Kevin – The Mad Traveler recently wrote about..Six Great Rock’n’Roll Destinations

  6. phil + Di marina gateway says:

    not been to any of the resorts on the med but its something we want to do when we have more time

    your blog has given us lots of ideas and shown us lots of places we would like to visit

    this place looks lovely and its on our to do list thanks for sharing your photos with us

  7. Andrea says:

    Love your photos! Looks like such a relaxing place with quite a bit of history too!
    Andrea recently wrote about..Romancing the Cobblestoned Streets of Antigua, Guatemala

  8. Hobbit says:

    Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go, thanks for this, as usual, good stuff Natalie!

  9. I spent time at the ruins on Olympos by the water. Love these!! How beautiful!
    dtravelsround recently wrote about..Heartbreak and healing at Elephant Nature Park

  10. I cannot wait until we get around to Turkey. It’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit and it seems absolutely stunning. Your pictures have me pining to visit even more!
    Tawny- Captain and Clark recently wrote about..The Hunt for the Monk

  11. Looks beautiful there – despite our inevitable seller of soft drinks. ;) We must explore that area more soon. Great photos.
    Julia
    Turkey’s For Life recently wrote about..Istanbul: Exploring Çukurcuma

  12. Cheryl says:

    Looks divine! I could easily see myself spending the day there … or more. :)
    Cheryl recently wrote about..Street Art And Graffiti In Krakow.

  13. That dodgy dude definitely has the market sewn up! Cannot believe there is no other competition.
    Cole @ Four Jandals recently wrote about..Walking the Birks of Aberfeldy: The Falls of Moness – Exploring Scotland

  14. Kerri says:

    Gorgeous photos…I am definitely day dreaming!

 

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