Kaunos, Dalyan

Explore the ancient ruins of Kaunos, once an important sea port founded in the 9th century BCE between the empires Caria and Lycia. Because of manmade alterations to the landscape, the site no longer sits directly on the coast. You'll need to join a guided boat trip or board one of the private rowing boats in Dalyan that take you across the river and walk 20 minutes to the site. Walk along the remnants of city walls up to the acropolis perched on a 152 m (500 ft) high rock, which offers vistas of the ruins, the river, the bay, and the beach. A Hellenistic-Roman theater on the slope of the acropolis is still occasionally used for performances. See the gymnasium with its Roman baths, a wind-measuring platform, and a domed Byzantine basilica. Do not miss the floor mosaics next to the basilica. Wear sensible shoes, since you'll be doing lots of walking. PutKaunos into our Dalyan road trip planning tool and find out what's close by, where to stay, and where to head next.