Tlos

Tlos is one of the oldest and largest cities of ancient Lycia, perched on a steep rocky acropolis above the Xanthos valley near the modern village of Yaka, roughly 42 kilometres from Fethiye. Settlement here is thought to go back to before 2000 BC, and Tlos later became one of the six leading members of the Lycian League, the federation of city-states that once governed the region. The site was continuously inhabited for thousands of years, through the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods, leaving behind ruins from very different eras layered on top of one another.

The most striking feature of Tlos is its collection of rock-cut tombs, carved directly into the cliff face below the acropolis. The largest and best known is a temple-fronted tomb traditionally linked to Bellerophon, the mythical hero said to have tamed the winged horse Pegasus and slain the monstrous Chimaera in the mountains behind the city. Elsewhere on the site, visitors can walk through a well-preserved Roman theatre, bath complex and stadium, along with the remains of a Byzantine basilica, all set against wide views over the valley below.

Because of this depth of history in a single compact site, Tlos remains a popular stop for gulet charter guests exploring Fethiye looking to combine sightseeing with time on the water.