South West Turkey - Pamphylia & Pisidia

Our day begins at the Archaeological Museum in Antayla with its superb collection of staturay from Perge as well as many other treasures from the region. One of Turkey’s largest museums, it includes an open air gallery and 13 exhibition halls. We then continue to Perge, the chief city of Pamphylia from the time of the Hittites. Here, there is a fine stadium, theatre and a colonnaded street complete with a fountain, as well as many shops and baths. Since 1946, there has been numerous excavations and discoveries, including well-preserved mosaics showcasing Medusa, Oceanus, and the sacrifice of Iphigenia.

Today we visit Aspendos, which is famous for its theatre and aqueduct — a remarkable example of hydraulic engineering, owing to its unique inverted siphon. The theatre is known for being the best-preserved in antiquity and it once provided seating for 12,000, and in the 13th century, the building was converted into a palace by the Selijuqs of Rum. Aspendos was also one of the earliest cities to mint coins, many of which featured scenes from Olympic sports. This afternoon, we pay a visit to the easternmost city of Pamphylia — Side, in a lovely setting among the dunes. An ancient port city known for its Greco-Roman ruins and long beaches, the city centre is home to the remains of a 2nd century theatre and the Side Museum is located within a restored Roman bath complex.

We travel to Sagalassos this morning, an extensive site not excavated until the mid 1990s but which has been revealing wonderful architectural adornment on a grand scale ever since. A pair of superbly restored nymphaea are just some of the beautiful Roman-era buildings uncovered here, the remains evocatively set against wild mountains.

This morning, we explore a Pisidian stronghold, Termessos, built on a natural platform high in the Taurus mountains. Hidden by pine forests, this site boasts an impressive atmosphere and is one of the best preserved ancient cities in Turkey. Alexander the Great failed to take this ‘Eagle’s Nest’, as he called it, during his campaigns in Asia Minor. There are tremendous views from here over the mountains, forest and the sea. Later, we return to Antalya for some free time in Kaleici, the fascinating walled old quarter which the modern city has grown around.

Today, we explore the two easternmost cities of the Lycian League — Phaselis and Olympos. Seaside Phaselis, founded in the 7th century by settlers from nearby Rhodes, has a small but picturesque theatre and a well-preserved Roman harbour. The ruins at Olympos, largely covered by vegetation, are among the most picturesque in Turkey. The settlement was a pilgrimage centre for the nearby temple of Hephaestus in Cirali. Here, we climb to the mythical Chimaera, where natural flames flicker from vents in the mountainside.

After breakfast, our tour comes to an end and we catch our included flight back to London.