Explore the Olympos–Fethiye coast on 4 days blue cruises: Cirali’s turtle beach, the Yanartaş flames, Lycian Way viewpoints, ancient ruins and quiet coves. An informative look at olympos fethiye sailing and turkey sailing boat cruises.
Olympos is a carefree hideaway beloved by young travellers, backpackers and flashpackers who come for wild nature, ancient ruins, cosy hangouts and long days in the turquoise waters of the Turkish Riviera. About 90 km from Antalya, it’s a superb launch point for turkey sailing boat cruises and an iconic leg of olympos fethiye sailing. Founded in the Hellenistic era and sharing its name with the beach, Olympos was among the six principal cities of the Lycian League. The city later fell under Cilician pirate control before Rome took over around 78 BC. In the medieval period, Venetian fortifications rose along the coast; today you can wander through these remnants on the way to the broad shingle shore. The national park around Olympos is a lush mix of oleander, bay, fig and pine.
Whether you’re slipping off-grid in treehouses or staying active with hikes, mountain-bike tracks and rock climbs, Olympos fits both moods. It also sits directly on the Lycian Way, a celebrated long-distance trail running roughly 500 km between Fethiye and Antalya. Guletcruises operates two itineraries of 4 days blue cruises that begin or end here, and the olympos fethiye sailing route is a perennial favourite for first-time and repeat visitors alike.
Cirali lies at the far end of Olympos Beach: a small, low-key resort framed by pine forest and a shoreline stretching for about five miles. The coast here is strictly protected as a nesting ground for endangered loggerhead turtles; marked areas safeguard the nests, and bonfires or camping on the sand are not permitted. Hikers prize this segment of the Lycian Way; red-and-white waymarks and small cairns guide you up to sea-view lookouts, and a spur path leads on to Yanartaş, home to the famed “eternal flames.” You can also take a seaside path to pocket beaches with sweeping views of the Mediterranean. With its orchards, garden cafés and easy rhythm, Cirali offers a peaceful retreat between stages of turkey sailing boat cruises.
Yanartaş is a national park famous for its “eternal flames”: small jets of fire that seep from the rocky slopes of Mount Olympos due to natural methane emissions. In antiquity, sailors steered by these hillside beacons as if by a lighthouse. Here, pockets of gas burn continuously from the rock, and nearby you’ll find remnants of a shrine dedicated to Hephaistos, the fire god of Greek mythology. Hike up at dusk for the full effect—stone, flame and sea views—before returning to the coast to continue your olympos fethiye sailing adventure or to board one of the 4 days blue cruises toward Fethiye.
