Antalya is Turkey's premier Mediterranean resort region — but behind the beach hotels and the Roman harbour lies one of the richest concentrations of deserted ancient cities in the world. Termessos, at 1,665 metres in the Taurus Mountains, was one of the few cities Alexander the Great could not conquer — and was abandoned when an earthquake destroyed its water supply, leaving its 4,000-seat theatre, six temples and extensive necropolis entirely intact and open to the sky. Olympos, nestled between two beaches, retains Roman bath ruins, a Byzantine church and more than 200 inscribed tomb sarcophagi. And Phaselis — attacked by pirates so relentlessly that its citizens simply left — spreads its ruins across a forested peninsula between three beaches. Discover the 5 best abandoned places in Antalya, selected from our Turkey Urbex Map — 200+ verified GPS locations across Turkey and Cyprus.
Why Antalya Is One of Turkey's Outstanding Destinations for Abandoned City Exploration
The Antalya region served as a crossroads for Lycian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Ottoman civilisations — each leaving a distinct layer of settlement across the Mediterranean coastline and the Taurus Mountain backdrop. Unlike the managed archaeological tourism of sites like Ephesus, several of Antalya's ancient cities remain in a genuinely exploratory state: reachable only on foot, with minimal facilities and a density of historical detail that rewards the curious visitor over the casual tourist.
1. Termessos – Güllük Mountain National Park, 1,665m Altitude — Alexander the Great Could Not Conquer It, Abandoned After Earthquake Destroyed Water Supply, 4,000-Seat Theatre Intact (Known Location)
Termessos sits at over 1,000 metres in the Taurus Mountains, providing natural defences against invading armies. An earthquake that destroyed its aqueduct and water supply led to its abandonment. The 4,000-seat theatre offers magnificent views over the surrounding plains. Other landmarks include rock tombs on the road into the city, the agora, a 100-seat Odeon and six temples. Reached via a 9km mountain road through the national park (no public transport), Termessos is among the least-visited of Turkey's major ancient cities — its altitude, its lack of tourist infrastructure and the genuine sense of discovery as the ruins emerge from the pine forest make it widely regarded as the finest archaeological urbex experience in the Antalya region.
🔗 Source: Property Turkey – Historical Ruins of Antalya
2. Olympos – Cirali, Antalya Coast — Hellenistic City Between Two Beaches, Roman Baths, Byzantine Church Ruins, 200+ Inscribed Sarcophagi, Eternal Flame (Chimaera) Nearby (Known Location)
Olympos' ruins are known for their well-preserved Roman remains, including the Olympos Theater, the Temple of Hephaistos, and the Roman baths. The necropolis has more than two hundred inscribed tombs. The ancient city occupies a forested coastal valley between two beaches — the agora street runs from the northern harbour through dense pine forest to the southern bay, with Roman, Lycian and Byzantine ruins distributed along its length. Three kilometres north of the beach at Çıralı, the Chimaera's eternal flames — methane vents burning spontaneously from the hillside above the Temple of Hephaistos — have been burning continuously since antiquity. The combination of ancient ruins, twin beaches and eternal fire creates the Antalya region's finest multi-day exploration base.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Turkey →
3. Phaselis – Kemer District, Antalya Coast — Lycian Port City, Pirate Attacks Forced Abandonment, Three Beaches, Roman Aqueduct, Alexander the Great Wintered Here
Phaselis was an immensely successful trading port but faced demise in the 3rd century because of constant attacks by pirates, who forced citizens to flee to safer locations inland. Founded in the 7th century BC, the city achieved fame when Alexander the Great wintered here in 334 BC — the locals reportedly received him so warmly that the tradition of giving him a golden crown began here. The ruins spread across a forested peninsula between three beaches, with the agora street connecting the harbours and the Roman aqueduct still standing to considerable height above the tree line. Accessed via a short walk from the Olympos National Park entrance. GPS in our Turkey Urbex Map.
4. Derelict Ottoman-Era Caravanserai – Antalya Region — Silk Road Infrastructure, Stone-Vaulted Halls, Abandoned Trade Route Heritage (Exclusively on Our Map)
The Antalya region was a key node on the medieval trade routes between the Anatolian interior and the Mediterranean coast — and the Seljuk and Ottoman empires left a network of stone caravanserais along these routes whose commercial purpose evaporated when the trade routes shifted. Several of these stone-vaulted hans stand in various states of abandonment or partial ruin across the Antalya hinterland: the great central hall with its stone arched ceiling still intact, the individual room cells along the outer walls collapsed and the specific atmosphere of a trade infrastructure whose logic belongs to a world before railways and roads. GPS in our Turkey Urbex Map.
5. Derelict Coastal Resort – Antalya Region — 1970s Package Tourism Infrastructure, Bypassed by All-Inclusive Development, Sea Views, Mediterranean Vegetation Reclaiming the Grounds (Off the Radar — Our Map Only)
Antalya's coastline experienced a construction boom in the 1970s as Northern European package tourism arrived — a wave of concrete modernist resort hotels built quickly, with beach access and sea views but without the long-term investment that would have sustained them against the competition from the all-inclusive megaresorts of the 1990s. Several of these early-era coastal hotels stand in progressive dereliction along stretches of the Antalya coastline: Mediterranean scrub reclaiming the terraces, the specific 1970s architectural character of their concrete forms aging against the extraordinary Taurus mountain backdrop. Find them on our Turkey Urbex Map.
Safety Tips
- Mountain conditions at Termessos: paths are steep and loose — proper hiking footwear is mandatory; the site has no facilities beyond the entrance gate
- Flash floods at Olympos: the valley site can flood rapidly after rain — check the weather forecast before setting out
- Summer heat: the Antalya region reaches 42°C in July–August; all outdoor ancient city sites are best visited at dawn; carry substantial water
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person, particularly at remote mountain sites like Termessos where mobile coverage is unreliable
❓ FAQ
What is the most impressive abandoned place in Antalya?
Termessos — perched at 1,665 metres in the Taurus Mountains, its 4,000-seat theatre, six temples, agora and extensive necropolis are intact and freely explorable, with no café, no souvenir stalls and no tour groups obscuring the extraordinary mountain setting. Widely regarded as one of the finest ancient city ruins in Turkey precisely because of its deliberate inaccessibility. It requires a car and a half-day commitment — which keeps it blissfully uncrowded.
Can you swim at Phaselis?
Yes — Phaselis is one of the rare ancient city sites where you can swim in the archaeological zone itself. The ruins spread across three bays and the beaches at the northern and southern harbours are accessible to visitors. No facilities (no showers, changing rooms or cafes) — come prepared. The combination of Roman harbour ruins and clear Mediterranean water makes Phaselis one of Turkey's finest half-day excursions.
How do I get to Termessos?
By car only — the Güllük Mountain National Park entrance is approximately 30km northwest of Antalya on the D350 road toward Korkuteli. From the park entrance, a 9km mountain road (passable by standard car in dry weather) leads to the parking area below the ruins. A 20-minute uphill walk from parking reaches the first ruins; allow 2–3 hours to explore the full site.
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