Turkey’s Lycian coast is one of the country’s most beautiful regions. Set along the coast of the Meditteranean sea, it’s a pleasure to explore the beautiful beaches, charming seaside towns and breathtaking valleys.

Our first stop was in Antalya, a big city often compared to Nice (France). Set in a lovely mountainous environment, it is a great place to put your bags down for a few days before you set out to explore the rest of the region. The old town, known as Kaleiçi is simply beautiful.

We spent two nights in Antalya, then set off to Olympos, The ride through the beautiful Taurus mountains was exhilarating, with spectacular views all along the way. After a two hour trip (with a bus and a shared taxi) we arrived at the secluded village.

Olympos is a road lined with pansions, restaurants and bars. Known for its treehouse accomodations and impressive ruins (dating back to the 2nd century), it attracts a young crowd, especially during the busy summer months. Had we been traveling in the months of June or July, I would have considered staying elsewhere (there are tons of great options on the coast), but since we were there early in the season, Olympos seemed like a good place to stay for a few days of R&R.

I was right. We had a blast and loved staying at Saban Pansion. The sibling hosts Meral, Ali and Mustapha took great care of us, preparing delicious meals every night and going out of their way to help us plan day trips and airport transfers.