Tlos Tours and Activities

Sitting above a Lycian hilltop, Tlos is an ancient settlement now in ruins that is considered to be one of the most important religious sites in the area. Its foundation is estimated to date back to 2000 BC. Today an entire citadel remains, including a fortress and acropolis, city walls, ancient baths, a Roman amphitheater, and the remains of an Ottoman castle. Set against the Akdağlar mountain range, sweeping views of the Xanthos Valley and the river Esen can be seen from atop the ruins.

Equally fascinating are the Lycian rock tombs carved into mountainsides. The Tomb of Bellerophon resembles a rock temple — with four columns, an unfinished facade, and a relief of the hero Bellerophon on a Pegasus horse. Historical evidence suggests that Tlos may have been the most powerful of six Lycian cities in the Roman era. Tlos was only recently discovered in 1838, and archeological discoveries are still being made there.