Termessos – the Eagle's Nest

Termessos lies high in the Taurus, hidden among pines and rocks. From the car park in the national park we climb on foot to the city walls, gymnasium, cisterns and the theatre that hangs like an eagle's nest above the gorges – with views as far as the Bay of Antalya.

Highlights

• Theatre at over 1,000 m with views over the Taurus
• City that Alexander the Great could not take in 333 BC
• Gymnasium, agora, cisterns and rock tombs
• Güllük Dağı National Park with pine forest
• Few visitors, unspoilt and quiet

Full description

The Pisidians built Termessos in an almost impregnable position. Alexander the Great besieged the city and moved on without taking it. Today it lies in the Güllük Dağı National Park, and many buildings are barely excavated – columns and walls stand among trees and rocks.

The path up is stony and steep, but not long. At the top we reach the theatre on the edge of the gorge, one of the most impressive theatres in Turkey, and continue to the cisterns and the tombs of the necropolis.

What we see

We adapt order and selection to weekday, opening hours, weather and your wishes.

• 1 · Lower city
  City wall, Propylon of Hadrian, gymnasium.
• 2 · Theatre of Termessos
  Theatre on the edge of the gorge with panoramic views.
• 3 · Agora and cisterns
  Five large rock-cut cisterns beneath the agora.
• 4 · Necropolis
  Rock tombs and sarcophagi among the pines.

Included

• 5 hours private, state-licensed guide in your language (Mehmet Humayunoğlu or an experienced colleague from his team)
• Planning, coordination and time management of the day
• Headsets for groups of 16 or more
• Vehicle with driver for the whole day, pick-up and return from cruise port or hotel (€250 for 1–3 persons, each additional person +€10)

Not included

• Entrance fees (paid on site)
• Lunch and drinks
• Personal expenses, tips

Meeting point

We pick you up with vehicle and driver at Antalya cruise port (Port Akdeniz) or at your hotel and bring you back there.

You will recognise me by the sign “MeinReiseleiter.de” and the visibly worn guide licence. We confirm meeting point and time with your booking.

Open in Google Maps →
(opens in a new window)

Important information

German, English, Turkish, French, Italian, Spanish – 25 more languages on request.

• Cruise guests – Please state ship and time in port. We pick you up directly at Antalya cruise port and plan the return to the ship with ample buffer.
• Comfortable shoes and sun protection – Ancient sites and old-town lanes have uneven paving and little shade; please bring water in summer.
• Entrance fees – Not included in the price and paid on site; we buy the tickets for you at the counter.