Ancient Cities of Lycia: An A to Z Guide

The Lycian ancient cities are the most tangible legacy of the people of the “Land of Light”, an Anatolian civilisation whose roots reach back to the Lukka of the Bronze Age. Spread from the rugged mountains of the Teke Peninsula to the shores of the Mediterranean, these settlements are known for their rock-cut tombs and sarcophagi, unique to Lycia, and for the Lycian League, which united its cities in a federal structure. This guide brings together more than 50 ancient cities of the region in alphabetical order.

Lycian ancient cities: the assembly hall of Patara and Lycian sarcophagi

📜 Beyond a Name: Lycian Identities
Do you know the Lycian names of the ancient cities you visit? Tlos, for example, was originally “Tlawa”, Patara was “Pttara” and Xanthos was “Arñna”. These names are a reminder that the cities belonged to an Anatolian people with a language of their own. For the original names of Lycian cities, see our guide: Lycian City Names.

Lycian Ancient Cities from A to Z

The icons next to the city names show how to reach each city and its notable features:

🚶 (Walking): Cities on the Lycian Way or other walking routes in the region.
🛥️ (Blue Route): Coastal cities accessible by boat tours.
🏛️ (UNESCO): Cities on the World Heritage List.
📍 (Major City): According to Strabo, the six largest cities of the Lycian League, each with three votes.

Cities A – C

Akalissos – A small settlement in the hills above Kumluca, south of Idebessos.
Aloanda – A hilltop settlement at Asarcık in the Kocaçay Valley, between Fethiye and Pinara. 🚶
Andriake – The ancient harbour of Myra; its Roman granary now houses the Museum of Lycian Civilisations. 🛥️ 🚶
Antiphellos – The ancient city of today’s Kaş, known for its theatre overlooking the sea and the Lion Tomb. 🛥️ 🚶
Aperlai – A harbour city whose shoreline ruins are partly underwater. 🛥️ 🚶
Apollonia – A walled hilltop city in the Kekova area. 🚶
Araxa – A city in the Eşen valley, near the village of Ören.
Arneai – A hilltop city near the village of Ernez.
Arsada – A small city near Arsaköy, overlooking the Xanthos valley.
Arykanda – A city built on terraces on the slopes of the Bey Mountains.
Balboura – One of the highest cities in Lycia, in the Kabalia region.
Boubon – A city in the Kabalia region, known for its Roman imperial statues.
Choma – A settlement on the Elmalı Plain, near the village of Sarılar.

Cities D – K

Daedala – A city of rock-cut tombs overlooking the coves of Göcek.
Dolichiste – The ancient name of Kekova Island; the ruins along its shore are partly underwater. 🛥️
Gagai – A coastal city near Mavikent, in Kumluca. 🛥️ 🚶
Hoiran – A small hilltop city overlooking Kekova, known for rock-cut tombs with Lycian inscriptions.
Idebessos – A mountain city in the hills above Kumluca, known for its sarcophagi. 🚶
Isinda – A city at Belenli, above Kaş, known for its sarcophagi. 🚶
Istlada – A settlement near the village of Kapaklı, in the Kekova area. 🚶
Kadyanda – A city on a wooded hill above Üzümlü, north of Fethiye, known for its stadium. 🚶
Kandyba – A city north of Kaş, near Gökçeyaka (Gendive).
Karmylassos – The ancient settlement on the site of today’s Kayaköy. 🚶
Kibyra – Lycia’s northern neighbour at Gölhisar in Burdur, known for its Medusa mosaic and stadium.
Kitanaura – A small city on the slopes of the Bey Mountains in eastern Lycia.
Korydalla – The ancient city beneath modern Kumluca.
Kyaneai – A city near the village of Yavu, known for its many sarcophagi. 🚶

Cities L – P

Letoon – The federal sanctuary of the Lycian League, where the Trilingual Inscription was found. 🏛️ 🚶
Limyra – The seat of the Lycian ruler Perikles in the 4th century BC, a city among springs. 🚶
Myra – Known for the Church of St Nicholas and the rock-cut tombs above its theatre. 📍 🚶
Neisa – A city near Sütleğen, north of Kaş, known for its small theatre and paved street.
Oinoanda – Known for the long inscription set up by the Epicurean philosopher Diogenes.
Oktapolis – A small league formed by eight settlements.
Olympos – A valley city at Çıralı, once a refuge for pirates. 🛥️ 🚶 📍
Patara – The League’s centre in the Roman period, a harbour city known for its assembly hall. 📍 🚶
Phaselis – A trading city with three harbours. 🛥️ 🚶
Phellos – A city in the mountains above Kaş, which gave its name to Antiphellos. 🚶
Pinara – Known for the hundreds of rock-cut tombs on the slopes of Babadağ. 📍 🚶
Podalia – A city at Söğle, near Lake Avlan in Elmalı.
Pydnai – A walled coastal fortress west of Patara. 🚶

Cities R – Z

Rhodiapolis – The city of the benefactor Opramoas and the physician-poet Herakleitos. 🚶
Sidyma – A city at Dodurga, known for its Roman-period buildings. 🚶
Simena (Kaleköy) – A settlement in Kekova known for its castle and the sarcophagus in the sea. 🛥️ 🚶
Sura – A sanctuary where Apollo was said to give oracles through fish. 🚶
Teimiussa – The ancient settlement at Üçağız, known for its shoreline sarcophagi. 🛥️ 🚶
Telmessos – Today’s Fethiye, known for the Tomb of Amyntas. 🚶
Tlos – A city known for its rock-cut tombs and wide acropolis; traditionally the home of Bellerophon. 📍 🚶
Trebenna – The north-easternmost city of Lycia, in Konyaaltı, Antalya.
Trysa – Known for its heroon, whose reliefs are now displayed in Vienna. 🚶
Tyberissos – A settlement near Tirmısın, in the Kekova area. 🚶
Xanthos (Arnna) – Lycia’s leading city in the Classical period; a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Letoon. 🏛️ 📍 🚶

The Lycian League and Its Legacy

The Lycian League, which united the cities of the Land of Light, is attested from the 2nd century BC. According to Strabo, it comprised 23 cities, each represented by one, two or three votes according to its size. This system of proportional representation is what made the League remarkable among the federations of the ancient world.

In The Spirit of the Laws, the French philosopher Montesquieu wrote: “Were I to give a model of an excellent confederate republic, I should pitch upon that of Lycia.” The Lycian League was later cited as an example in the debates surrounding the drafting of the US Constitution. The restored assembly hall (bouleuterion) at Patara is thought to be where the League’s representatives met.

Getting There: Lycian Way and Sea Routes

There are two ways to reach the ancient cities of Lycia. For those wishing to explore by land, the Lycian Way stages based on Kate Clow’s routes are the best option. Walkers can also try the Fethiye Alternative Walking Routes prepared by Ersin Demirel and Nihat Tokdil, the Kemer Walking Routes established by Kemer Municipality and the Konyaaltı Walking Routes designed by Mahmut Güngör. Those wishing to explore by sea can visit the coastal ancient cities on Lycian boat tours departing from Kaş and Demre.

🏛️ Official Archaeology and Excavation Information

For the excavation histories of the cities in this list and current visiting hours, please visit the website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye.