Last weekend, 20th March 2022, we have taken a trip to the old ruins of Phalesis and the Tekirova settlement which has been somewhat unchanged since the ancient times. During the walks and travel we have discovered a number of interesting sites that are unbelievable and this blog will discuss some of those parts.
Phalesis at its glory days was one of the main ports and entry points for the trade between Asia, Europe and Greece it has seen a number of empires rise and fall throughout its history. It was also a known city for creating the essence of the roses and other herbs which was then presented via its coins that has circulated for centuries. As a stronghold it has also fallen into an unfortunate times of when various pirates and armies wanted to take a hold of it, but the biggest fall came after the city was left to its own destiny and over the years it has lost its importance and was left to its own destiny.
A bit about Phalesis
The city of Phalesis is part of the Tekirova settlement and is currently within the Olympus National Park. Given its close proximity to the Olympus, it was the important place to attack from and a number of armies that went through it took the advantageous position of the city to then successfully attacking and overtaking the city of Olympus.
In comparison to other cities that have been ruined to its last stones, it could be said that the Phalesis is well looked after as well as its not at all. The walkways and alleys are clear of the debris but the pathway to get to it from the Tekirova is quite hard as its quite abandoned and the old structures of the road are no longer to be seen. Among the walk way with large stones it is quite visible that a large portion of the city walls have fallen into the sea and there are large marbles lying all around.
A bit about our trip
Our trip has started from the Matreshka Maidan in Liman the sea side port of the city at 9.30 a.m. We have travelled via transfer services to get via Kemer through Tekirova which takes approximately 60 minutes. We had to wait in Kemer for a few more people to join our group hence the estimation is approximate. Upon arrival you get mesmerized by the combination of the modern day farms that are surrounded by the ancient ruins and looking at the back of the Tekirova mountain top which was covered in snow. The temperature unusually low for the time of the year where we were facing 3 Degrees Celsius with winds hitting us left right and center.
When you walking via the beach side there are a few spots for the bbq pits as well as an access to modern day amenities such as public toilets and once you reach the small hill at the end of the walk, this is where the fun starts of climbing the hill and if you are not fit enough or have not hiked for a while you could still be ok to climb as my 7 years old child managed to get up there no problem. Upon arrival on the first hill you can be swept away by the amazing views and the ruins of what once was a castle would surround you.
Why do you need to have ikamet?
After a bit of photo taking session we have continued our trip to the actual entry to the Phalesis entry. There is a guard that wants money from you, if you do not hold a local residency pass then the entry fee is 50 Lira per adult and 30 Lira per child. If you do have an ikamet then you would be able to purchase a museum card which is 60 Lira per person which allows to have an “unlimited” passes to all of the museums across the country as well as the ancient sites such as Phalesis city.
It is fairly small place to walk through and around Phalesis but has its amphitheater intact in comparison to the antique cities around Antalya. If you have forgotten water or other food, there is a small cafe/quick stop by the Aqueduct but the prices are horrendous in comparison to the city, so make sure that you pack plentiful with you before you come to the trip as the closest petrol station would be 5 km away.