Çıralı Çıralı is an agricultural village in the southwest of Turkey in Antalya Province. It is close to the ancient ruins of Olympos and the Chimaera permanent gas vents. It is a very small rural village located just over an hour's drive southwest from Antalya and boasts a beautiful 3.5 kilometer long secluded beach, the ruins of Olympos, the flames of the Chimaera/Yanartaş, as well as being declared a protected area by the WWF for the nesting of Caretta, also known as loggerhead sea turtles. Also near Çıralı is the Ulupınar region which is rich in rivers and creeks and certainly some great restaurants serving excellent fresh water fish. Çıralı is one of the last unspoiled natural areas along the Antalya coastline. For the avid trekker there are highlights of the Lycian Way with paths found in Çıralı. One runs from Çıralı to Tekirova about 19 kilometers long and another travels from Çıralı to Ulupınar and then back down to the flames of the Chimaera which is around 12 kilometers away from Çıralı. All these trails and paths are marked in red and white. Another excellent section of the Lycian Way - Turkish:Likya Yolu near Çıralı is the summit of Tahtalı Dag - also known as Mt. Olympos. It is located in the National Park of Olympos or Olimpos Bey Dağları Parkı. There are no large hotels but numerous small pensions with accommodation. Although it is close to Olympos it is not possible to drive between the road of Çıralı and the road to Olympos since they are separated by the beach and the ruins of ancient Olympos. The village lies at some 80 km distance from Antalya Airport and is easily reached by road. Çıralı is surrounded by groves of orange and lemon trees and is a true paradise for those that wish to experience the beauty of an unspoiled natural environment coupled with the famous Turkish hospitality. In the immediate vicinity of the village one finds many sites of historical importance and natural beauty such as Mount Chimera (Yanartaş) with its eternal flame and the ruins of the ancient port of Olympos with the tomb of Eudemos.
Çıralı
