Detour #213: The Twists and Turns of the Turkish Riviera, Turkey

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From weathering unexpected storms to negotiating cliff-hanging hairpins and exploring roman ruins a road trip along the Turkish Riviera is full of surprises.

Purchasing a scarlet umbrella during the height of Turkey’s summer is not the done thing. It’s not supposed to rain. I know this for a fact. I’ve been coming to Turkey twice a year since I was seven, and now I’m in my mid-twenties.

And yet, I’ve dashed (as fast as I could while wearing leather sandals) to get an umbrella. I’m determined to visit Antalya’s Hadrian’s Gate before I embark on a road trip covering roughly 360 miles. I’ll follow D400 along the Turkish Riviera, and virtually track the ancient Lycian Way.

Antalya is Turkey’s “capital of tourism” and the largest international sea resort. But behind back roads, clusters of palm trees and skyscraper-like apartments is a hive of ancient ruins. For one, there’s Hadrian’s Gate. It was named after the eminent Roman emperor and built to commemorate his visit in 130 AD. Its three ornate arches support four lofty pylons and passages with floral decorations and rosette reliefs.

It’s mindboggling and transfixing to think I could be standing where Hadrian once stood, but a rude honk forces my attention onto the road. It’s time to explore the rest of Turkey’s wonderous landscape.

I find myself on the D400 highway, where undulating mountains compete with the sparkling Mediterranean Sea for my exclamation of WOW. I’m awed by the number of mountains popping up around every hairpin turn - the kind that makes you squeak “whee” as you go. Some have peaks covered by low-hanging clouds. Masses of trees front others, the sort befitting Tarzan. These give way to translucent green waters and pearly white beaches enjoyed by locals DIY-ing a BBQ.

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This cycle repeats for nearly three hours until Kaş comes into play; a postcard-perfect fishing town at the base of a cliff. Grecian-influenced architecture is overrun by pink bougainvillea. Below are hotchpotch cobblestone streets, and dotted across the bay are exotic islands and sailing boats. This charming town is also home to Lycian rock tombs.

It's quite a while before I’m back in the car, detouring on small roads to Saklikent National Park. This is Europe’s second largest and deepest canyon, towering 1,000 meters in some places! Much of my time is spent wading through gushing water, passing 16 dark caves and thundering waterfalls.

But after falling for the eighth time, I cut my losses, get in the car, and drive D400 to Fethiye, a harbour town with markets, a bazaar, and more Lycian rock tombs. The sweet smell of fresh peaches, mangos, and nose-tingling spices reminds me of why I call Fethiye my second home. Seven minutes away is Çalış Beach, an expanse of sand and pebbles, where I watch the sunset paint the sky with shades of honey, tangerine, and gold.

I could easily stay here forever. But twee seaside towns like Göcek and mud baths at Dalyan await me. The latter’s mud has many health benefits, like easing lower back pain from a long drive. It just about gets me to my final stop - Muğla, a thriving city.

But this detour of ancient wonders deserves a better ending. So, I extend the journey along D330/D585 to Pamukkale. Turkish for “cotton castle”, Pamukkale is a spellbinding sight that doesn’t look real, even before your eyes. Its travertine terraces of 17 hot springs resemble frozen waterfalls draping over mountains. Above is Hierapolis, a complex of Roman baths and Greek temples.

I elect to clamber over the gigantic 2nd-century amphitheatre built under Hadrian to fit more than 12,000 spectators. And just like that, I finish my road trip as I started it – marvelling at Emperor Hadrian’s legacy.

Words & Photography Jade Braham Twitter | Instagram

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ROADBOOK

CLASS:COAST ROAD

NAME: tHE TURKISH RIVIERA

ROUTE: antalya to pamukkale

COUNTRY: turkey

Distance: 360 Miles

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