Termessos, the City on the Mountain

Northwest of Antalya, at a thousand metres, stands a city Alexander besieged and could not take. What makes Termessos special is not only its history but the way the ruins are scattered through pine forest and the approach itself becomes a hike.

Getting there: thirty five kilometres from central Antalya, forty minutes by car. Turn off the Korkuteli road at the entrance to Güllük Mountain National Park. Public transport is impractical; you need your own vehicle or a tour. A forest road continues from the park gate to the car park.

The day: the climb from the car park to the theatre takes thirty minutes and is steep. At the top you understand the effort: the theatre is set right at the edge of a precipice and from your seat the whole mountain is in view. Around it lie a gymnasium, an agora and enormous cisterns. The greatest surprise is the necropolis, where hundreds of sarcophagi are scattered across the slope, some toppled by earthquakes with their lids ajar. Walking the king's road takes about two hours.

Eating: there is nothing inside the park. Bring food and water; the village restaurants on the Korkuteli road serve gözleme and slow roasted lamb on the way back.

Tips: footwear matters most, as the path is stony and slippery. Climbing in the midday heat of high summer is hard, so be at the gate by nine. The road can ice over in winter, so check conditions before setting out.