Ciraly: a non-tourist resort in Turkey

Ciraly is a village located just 40 km from Kemer in the Antalya region. Rest here is secluded, quiet and measured, but not called detached from civilization.

8 facts about Cirali:

1. The area of the village used to belong to ancient Greece. The remains of the town of Olympos, which existed as early as the 2nd century BC, have been found here in the gorge.
2. Cirali is located on the Likya Yolu (Likya Yolu) trail — the ancient Lycian people used to live here, and now trekkers walk here.
3. The village is located in the protected area of Beydagları National Park, it is forbidden to build houses higher than 2 floors, which means there are no large hotel complexes and crowds of tourists.
4. Ciraly resembles our dacha cooperatives: many Turks have their own summer houses, which they rent to tourists for recreation.
5. The name of the village is translated as «igniting» because of the close proximity of the fiery mountain of Chimera (Yanartaş), where flames constantly ignite. This very mountain is described in Homer’s Iliad: according to legend, it was the home of a terrible monster.
6. There are scorpions in the area. We did not see them, but the owner of the villa, when asked about the chickens that were constantly walking in his yard, told us that they protect against scorpions.
7. On the wide beach of Cirali, you can see structures made of metal mesh that indicate a clutch of turtle eggs. The entire beach area is protected by the European Environment Agency.
8. The village is a pleasant place for camping. There are several camping sites in the shade of huge pine trees with appropriate infrastructure.

How to get from the airport to Cirali

Cirali is 85 km from Antalya and 40 km from Kemer. There are several ways to get from Antalya Airport (Antalya Havalimanı):

1. Transfer from the landlord. As a rule, when booking accommodation, this issue can be discussed, sometimes the transfer is even free of charge. There were 3 of us, we were met by the owner of the villa and taken directly to the final point. The cost was 50 €. The trip took 1,5 hours.
2. Cab transfers can be taken directly at the airport or booked online in advance. The cost starts from 60 €. If you book online, the driver will already know where to take you, which eliminates the language barrier, and the price includes a 1-hour wait (flights are often delayed).
3. The bus is the cheapest, but long and difficult way. First you need to get to the bus station (Otogar) by streetcar, which leaves from Terminal 1. In the terminal with suburban routes, find a bus to Cirali. The fare costs 3—3,5 €. Get off directly on the D400 highway at the turn to the village. There you transfer to a dolmusha (Turkish minibus cab), the price of which is almost 1 €. It runs every hour from 8:30 to 19:30. From the highway to the coastal part of Cirala is a 7 km ride. In general, this way will take more than 2 hours, but will cost up to 5 €.
4. Renting a car is convenient if you plan to travel outside of Cirala during your vacation. Renting a car per day costs from 50 €.

Where to stay in Cirali

In the village there is a wide choice of accommodation from a tent in a camping site to a 2-storey villa. For the 1st floor of the villa, consisting of 2 bedrooms, kitchen-studio and bathroom and distance from the sea about 1 km we paid 35 € per day. On the 2nd floor lived the owner of the villa, but during the week of vacation we crossed paths only 1 time in the yard. The average range of prices for accommodation is 35—40 €/day.

1. A tent in a camping camp will cost from 3 € per day. The price depends on the distance from the sea. On the first line, as a rule, it is more expensive. The price includes renting a tent or bungalow, use of a toilet, hot water shower, local kitchen and Wi-Fi. The place can be booked either online or upon arrival.
2. A room in a pension with an authentic village atmosphere and 700 meters from the sea costs from 20 €.
3. Comfortable rooms in guesthouses like Simge Pension, 200 meters from the beach and near the village’s only main road, cost from 40 €/day.
4. An atmosphere as close as possible to resort hotels with a restaurant at the Ayris Hotel. The price from 55 € includes buffet breakfast. It is a 3-minute walk to the sea.
5. Renting a whole villa, for example in Çirali Villas 600 meters from the beach will cost from 60 €/day.

Chiraly is about ecotourism, communion with nature and relaxation, so whatever accommodation you choose in terms of distance from the sea, it will still look amazing and the way to the beach will not be difficult. Almost the whole area is covered with tall pine trees, cedars, mandarins, ficus and laurels, so finding shade on the way is not a problem, and it is a pleasure to walk.

Çıralı beaches

Çıralı's 3 km of beach should be seen with your own eyes and felt under your feet. The coastline is divided into 3 beaches — Çıralı Sahili, Çıralı Beach and Olympos Beach, but there is no boundary between them. The beach is surrounded on three sides by cliffs and mountains, forming a bay. Here you feel disconnected from the world around you. If you want, there will be no one within 15—20 meters from you on the beach, so it is so huge and crowded. Cirali beach is one of the best and biggest beaches in Turkey.

• The water is clear and clean. When you are up to your neck in the water, you can see fish swimming up to your feet, which will not forget to tickle you.
• The bottom is pebbly, as well as half of the shore. Closer to the water — pebbles of various sizes, and in 10 meters from the water — light sand. The stones are smooth, not sharp, so there is no urgent need for special shoes.
• The depth is steep, for a vacation with children this is something to consider.
• The bathing season opens in May (average +22°C) and lasts until October (average +24.7°C).
• The eastern part of the beach is wider, gradually narrowing to the west.

Çıralı Attractions

For a small village like Cirali, which is officially just a quarter of the village of Ulupinar, there is plenty to see during a relaxing week-long vacation. This resort is not the place for party people, noisy parties and active nightlife, but for history, nature and esotericism fans, it is ideal.

Olympos (Olympos)

Olympos is located just 4 km away from Chirala, at the foot of Mount Tahtala. This ancient city belonged to the ancient Lycians, who lived in the II–III millennium BC. The condition of its impressive ruins is inferior to other ancient cities of the Lycian Union, such as Phaselis and Mira, but there is much to see here.

The most memorable places are the huge entrance to the great Roman Church, the necropolises, the amphitheater, the ruins of the Byzantine basilica and the high fortress walls that protected against attacks from the sea. In general, the ruins are heavily overgrown with lush shrubbery, and the narrow paths of the ancient city are sometimes difficult to follow.

• Entrance to the open-air museum costs €1.8.
• Museum hours are from 10:00 to 17:00.

Chimaera or Yanartaş.

Mount Chimera is the only mountain in the world that «spews» fire all year round. In its depths are deposits of methane with impurities, which ignite on contact with oxygen. Such an amazing natural phenomenon has given rise to many legends. According to one of them, the fire on the mountain appeared as a result of the Lycian hero’s pursuit of the three-headed fire-breathing monster Chimera. He cut off its head, and the flames from its jaws hit the mountainside.

It is better to climb Chimera in the evening, when the flames look especially spectacular. During the day on the beach you can see how from time to time excursion boats arrive with groups of tourists going to Chimera. When vacationing in Ciraly, it is not difficult to climb the mountain on your own. You can also book an excursion for 119 € (per group), which, in addition to the fire-breathing Chimera, will include a walk on the ancient Olympos.

• The road to the top is paved with stones, it is difficult to get lost.
• There is a ticket office at the foot. The cost of visiting the attraction is just under 1 €.
• If you come to the mountain by car, you can leave it in a free parking lot 1 km from the foot of the mountain.
• There is a café and a souvenir shop near the ticket office. Here you can rent a flashlight for evening or night climbing.
• The climb is not difficult, but the rocks on the trail can be wet, so comfortable shoes and enough physical strength are key to a comfortable ride.

Tahtali Mountain (Tahtali Dag)

Those who like to see the scenery from a height can visit Tahtaly Mountain, or Olympos, which is 2365 meters above sea level. It is part of the Western Taurus system and is the peak of the Beidagları National Park. Its peak can be seen in Cirali.

The 4,350-meter-long Olympos Teleferik cable car takes you up the mountain. The cabin can accommodate up to 80 people and the trip takes 12 minutes. Before leaving, it is better to check the weather at the top of the mountain, which is broadcast on the website.

There are two ways to get to Olympos: come on your own to the cable car or book a tour, which includes a visit to the ancient city with its picturesque photo-zones.

• The ropeway’s operating hours are from 10:00 to 16:30.
• The ascent and descent costs 25 €, children under 6 years old are free.
• At the top there are observation decks, a cafe, and a souvenir shop.
• How to get there on your own: take a dolmus to the highway D-400, from there take any bus to Antalya. Exit at the turn to Olympos Teleferik. There you can take a regular shuttle bus for 1,8 €.
  

Faselis

Just 30 minutes drive from Chirala is another ancient city, former territory of Lycia — Fazelis. Unlike Olympos, its ruins are better preserved and more interesting. The founding of the city dates back to the 7th century BC. Most of the remains belong to the Roman and Byzantine period.

The city was left in ruins: a theater, an aqueduct, a market square, a main street, fortress walls, a small basilica, necropolises and public baths.

• Admission is 5 €, children under 11 years old are free.
• Office hours are 8:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.
• There is a parking lot at the entrance.
• There are 3 harbor beaches (Central Port, North and South). Only the South beach has facilities in the form of a toilet, changing cabin and shower.
• There’s a buffet by the aqueduct.
• From Fazelis, it is easy to reach Mount Tahtala, so you can combine a visit to these two attractions.

What else to do in Cirali

1. Fishing. You can often see locals at this fishery, sitting on the shore in the evening or morning with long rods. The owner of our villa would go fishing on his boat, which just sits on the shore all high season. Check with your landlord, they may have a boat for rent and tackle too.
2. Boat trip. You can book a boat trip at the tour operator on the main street of the village. The trip usually includes lunch and stops with swimming in 4 picturesque bays. The cost starts from 6 € per person. Lasts from about 10:00 to 16:00.
3. Walking tour along the Lycian Trail. The whole 540 km long road along the ancient Lycian settlements is difficult to overcome for an unprepared person, but you can walk any section at will. The trail is marked with red and white markers. It offers amazing views of the bays. You should prepare for such a walk in advance.
4. Travel to the nearest towns. If you take a dolmus to the main highway D-400, you can take a bus in any direction (every 30 minutes) and get to the nearby towns: southwest — Finike and Demre; northeast — Tekirova and Kemer.
5. Trout farm in Ulupinar. Here you are given a rod and bait upon entry and the catch can be cooked in one of the restaurants. The main local attraction is the restaurants on the water: the tables are located right in the mountain river. TheBotanik restaurant is very popular.
6. Seminars and trainings on yoga, esotericism and psychology. Along the main street there are announcements about such events in boarding houses.
   

Local cuisine, restaurants and cafes

In Cirali you can eat on your own, if you rent accommodation with a kitchen, or in local restaurants and cafes. Often boarding houses offer their own kitchen, which is at the same time a restaurant. The cuisine here is national and European.

Don’t expect to see a cluster of shawarma places, there are none at all. The menu is usually meat dishes of chicken, lamb or beef, various side dishes, salads and various Turkish flatbreads. For example, lahmajun is a Turkish-style pizza.

Breakfast in the guesthouses, if included, usually consists of jams made by the hosts from what grows in the garden, with Turkish flatbreads, vegetables and fruit.

Cafes, restaurants, bars and citrus frais stalls are concentrated on the main street of the village and on the western part of the beach. The beach establishments and restaurants in the eastern part of the village have higher prices than in the center. The menu is similar everywhere. When ordering fish or meat, vegetables or salad are served together with these dishes, so it is not necessary to order separately.

Infrastructure of the settlement

Despite being just part of a village and nature reserve, Cirali has everything you need for a fulfilling stay.

• Minimarkets, vegetable stalls and grocery stores are located along the main street. Prices are a bit higher than in big cities in Turkey, but there is everything you need for self-cooking.
• There are several souvenir stores on the main street. They also have everything you need for the beach.
• The center has a currency exchange office and an ATM.
• Bicycle rental is very popular in Cirali. There are several rental shops in the center of the village. The cost of renting a city bike for an hour is 1.5 €, for a day — 3 €. Often a bicycle can be offered by the owner of the accommodation, so it is better to ask him about this possibility first.
• There are car rentals in the center, as well as tour companies offering local excursions and boat trips.
• Everything you need for vacation and lodging is on the main street, so it’s hard to get lost.
• You can pay in stores with a bank card, but for payment in local cafes it is better to have cash (Turkish lira, dollars or euros).

Ciraly is a paradise corner of Turkey, minimally affected by the tourist business. Turks come here with their families for weekends. This is where savage vacationers rest and yoga devotees find nirvana. The very stay on the local picturesque beach is already a full-fledged happiness. A week in Ciraly is not enough, so you will not get tired of coming back here again and again.