A short drive away from the main Kalkan hotels lies the beautiful Xanthos Valley, full of ancient Lycian sites and cities, just waiting to be explored.
The Xanthos Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Xanthos, the oldest and most important city in the region. Xanthos was once the capital of ancient Lycia and Homer mentions it in Iliad; as it was from here that Arpedonte led his troops. Although Homer’s Iliad may be a tragic tale, it pales to the real history of the city. On at least two separate and unrelated occasions, the population chose mass suicide rather than submission to invading armies.
Xanthos has many notable sights and although some monuments now stand in the British Museum, there are a number of relics that can still be seen in their original habitat. A tomb called the ‘Harpy Tomb’ which dates from 5 BC is one of the most visited attractions, and located just a short drive away from the majority of the Kalkan hotels. The chamber at the top of this tomb is decorated with beautiful marble motifs showing sirens carrying the souls of the dead.
Another nearby tomb is the Pillar Tomb, shaped like a large bird table. This ancient tomb is believed to be a lot older than the nearby ‘Harpy Tomb’, and dates from the 3rd or 4th century BC.
The Xanthian Obelisk is the largest inscription of the Lycian language known to exist and altogether this large monument boasts over 250 lines of text. This inscription covers all four sides of yet another tomb, which was built in the 3rd century AD to replace the old Roman Agora. The Xanthian Obelisk used to contain a pillar mounted on two stepped krepis and a funerary chamber, both of which are now housed in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
Xanthos’ highlight is its ancient amphitheatre, and many companies run excursions to this site from various Kalkan hotels nearby. However, if you’ve rented a car, then the amphitheatre is just a short drive away from the resort centre. It was built in the 2nd century AD to replace an earlier Hellenistic one which stood on the site. Nowadays, only the two upper rows of the auditorium are missing and the stage area still remains intact.
The next town that you’ll come across on your tour of the Lycian Valley is Patara. This city was once the chief port of Lycia, but its ancient port is now little more than a glorified salt marsh. Much of the city still remains buried underground and is believed that this is one of the reasons for its remarkable state of preservation. With the Lycians gone, these days the city has another claim to fame; it is the home of the Bishop of Myra, better known as Santa Claus! There is little to mark Patara as the home of Santa Claus and the place definitely isn’t a winter wonderland. Instead you are likely to come across a vast sandy beach, which is popular with holidaymakers and believed to be one of the longest in the region.
Offering a perfect blend of sandy beaches, ancient architecture and its local celebrity, the Xanthos Valley is the ideal place to explore from Kalkan hotels.
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