The fabulous ruins of Termessos, climbing up impossible mountain slopes to an heigh of 1000 metres above the sea. It is framed by forested mountains, but on the top, the world still opens up, and the blue Mediterranean Sea can be spotted, 20 km southeast. Termessos is, despite being this far south, close to Lycia, part of Pisidia, the country of what today is known as the Anatolian Lakeland. The original inhabitants here called themselves Solymias. The Solymiasians proved able to withstand an attack by Alexander the Great in 333 BCE. Termessos' location was ideal, serving both as the perfect natural fortress, as well as overlooking part of the road between the Aegean and the Mediterranean Sea, allowing it to thrive from customs extracted from trade routes. Termessos entered an alliance with Rome in 70 BCE, which secured its independence. Never did the Solymians include the face or name of a Roman empreror on their coinage. Termessos end came not by the force of man, but nature. It is believed that an earthquake in 243 CE marks the end of the city, it appears to have been fully abandoned with this.
Practicalities
Termessos has no services at all; except a ticket booth. Since a decent exploration of the place takes 2-4 hours, and it can get very hot during the middle of the day, bring enough water! There is no form of public transportation back and forth from here. Trips can be arranged in Antalya, or at least taxis can be hired.
