Termessos — the most astonishing ancient theater you’ll ever see (and how to get there)
Everybody thinks they know what Antalya stands for: all-inclusive resorts, lying on the beach, buffet lunches, and sleazy entertainment programs in the evening. Yet, this stereotype could not be further from the truth: the region of Antalya is home to some of the best ancient sites in Turkey, including the jewel in the crown, the “Turkish Machu Picchu” — Termessos.
Ancient Greeks knew how to pick a good location for a theater. If you have been to Taormina in Sicily or Delphi in Greece, then you know what we mean. The scenery behind the stage — mountains, valleys, sea, and sky — become part of the performance. Landscapes, together with great acoustics and the possibility to sit down on the ancient stone rows of seats and relax, are part of the fascination that Greek theatres hold for tourists. So, it’s no wonder that most of them are visited by dozens of tour groups every day. For an independent traveler, this can come as a disappointment (apart from the fact that any picture you take will have tons of people in it).
And yet, among all the magnificent ancient theatres, there is one where you can be utterly and perfectly alone. Even more amazingly, it is not just some theater. In our humble opinion, it is the best of them all. In fact, the location of Termessos so splendid, its solitude so grandiose, that we are not surprised some people compare it to Machu Picchu. Though if you’ve been to Machu Picchu, you will probably agree that the reality is far less romantic than the pictures, but that is a discussion for another day.
Termessos is very ancient and was built by one of the Pissidian tribes, but we know little about its history. Alexander the Great sieged it in 334 BC but soon gave up and went away — it was one of his very few defeats. Termessos is almost impregnable thanks to its protected position in the Taurus mountains. Romans did eventually conquer it, of course, but its ruins don’t look a typical Roman city.
In fact, the whole site has a very mysterious air about it — almost swallowed by the forest, with stretches of cyclopian walls peeking out from under the branches and sarcophagi covered with green moss. Wandering around Termessos feels a bit like being in a forgotten city of the Inca or ancient Maya — the sense of adventure and exploration is overwhelming.
So how do you get to this marvelous place? It is not exactly straightforward, which is probably a good thing, since Termessos would be instantly invaded by tourist hordes otherwise! First of all, get to the otogar (bus station) in Antalya. And by the way, the historical center of Antalya is absolutely charming and full of affordable guesthouses, so give those huge resorts a go!
Once at the otogar, explain that your are going to the turn-off for Termessos. There is no public transport to the actual site, so both buses and dolmus (shared minivans) will drop you off at the turn-off 9 km from the ruins. The bus journey is only about 30–40 minutes. At the turn-off, there are often taxis waiting, but they are a total rip-off; we advise that you hitchhike instead. Even for a female solo traveler, it is quite safe; in the worst case scenario, you can wait for the taxi to find more passengers… or walk, of course. We hitchhiked, it was a piece of cake. Bring water and snacks: there are not facilities at the ruins! Even better — bring picnic supplies: it will be one of the most memorable picnics you will ever have, we promise!
Entrance to the site is very cheap, and after a 10-minute walk or so you will reach the first ruins — impressive walls, a gate, and remains of a bath complex. 20 more minutes and a short climb up a rather nondescript hillside and… suddenly a unbelievable panorama opens before you. You are at the great theater. Seriously, we were left without words. Time for a picnic!
Theater is not all there is to see, however! Just 100 meters away is the Bouleuterion (council house) with perfectly preserved high walls. Continue up the path, and you will reach the necropolis, and after 10–15 more minutes, an abandoned lookout tower. From the tower, you will get a fantastic view of the site and the mountains.
The site opens at 8:30 AM, and you will be wise to come early — this way you will be back in Antalya with plenty of time to eat and go to the beach! By the way, in the old center there is a small paid beach (entrance costs 2.5 euro), which is quite decent.
If you’d like to learn more about the attractions of Antalya, ask us in the comments or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/STplatform/ . And remember — the Smart Trip Platform ICO has started, and you can already purchase your tokens at http://smarttripplatform.io/!
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