Kemer is a region founded by ancient Rhodesians, developed by Lycians and Ottomans, and is one of the holiday paradises of Turkey today.
It is a Mediterranean town on the southern slope of the Taurus Mountains which are located in south of Anatolia. This Mediterranean town offers us the sunshine 300 days of the year and the opportunity of swimming in turquoise waters for almost eight months.
The settlement in Kemer begins in the seventh century BC. The first visitors of this earth’s paradise are ancient Rhodesians. Then the Lycians add Kemer to their territory. That’s why a significant part of the 500 kilometers long Lycia Road passes through Kemer. The Lycians call Kemer as “Idryos”.
Discovery of Kemer by Turkish people dates back to early 13rd century. This area is named “the Old Village” because of its history. After a few centuries of Ottoman sovereignty, at the end of the 20th century,it becomes one of the most beautiful touristic regions in the Mediterranean.
Kilometers long beaches which connect Anatolia with the Mediterranean, Tahtalı (Olympus) Mountain where you can reach its peak with one of the longest telpher line in Europe and watch the entire Mediterranean Sea; may be your break point in Kemer. Çıralı, a breeding ground for endangered sea turtles, located along a three-kilometer bay, and it’s not a bad alternative(!).
The sunshine during 300 of the year and one of the world’s most beautiful blue flag beaches make Kemer a must-see place. But also, the history of the area which is too deep to briefly describe in these pages gives us dozens of reasons to visit Kemer.
The settlement in Phaselis Ancient City, one of the first living areas in Kemer, begins in the 690s B.C. This ancient city is one of the oldest residential areas on the Mediterranean coast of Anatolia, as well as Kemer.
The Ancient City of Olympus, where you go through the large bay in Çıralı and the cold waters, Beldibi Cave, which is a natural site area and offers have the ruins from the Paleolithic Age; are some of the places that will require you to extend your journey in Kemer…
We can now start talking about sporting activities. Water sports, trekking on ancient Lycian roads, climbing, and of course cycling… Kemer offers you great alternatives for road and mountain biking. With ready-to-go routes where you can combine your workouts with a cultural trip, Kemer is is one of the most attractive cycling centers in Turkey and Europe. Come and look at those routes one by one on the next pages.