Kayaköy (Livissi in Greek) is an abandoned village near Fethiye, Turkey. Its history goes back to the Lycians, and recently in the 18th century, Greeks built a newer town on top of the ancient one.
Unfortunately, it was abandoned entirely in 1923 due to the population exchange between Greece and Turkey.
Kayakoy is located on a hillside overlooking a valley on one side and a bay on the other. The village is full of abandoned homes, churches, and other buildings, and it’s a great place to explore for an afternoon.
Even though there’s no actual to-do list as you just wander around, there are a few places you need to check out while there.
Make sure to climb the hill with a little chapel on top of it. That spot offers a fantastic view of the whole village, and you can even see the sea on the other side. Pretty amazing!
It takes about an hour to explore Kayaköy properly. However, you can easily get lost in this unique place and spend even more time.
Sunset time is often recommended as the best time of the day to visit, as the village gets that beautiful sunset glow. We came in the afternoon and stayed till (almost) the sunset, and we can confirm that it gets really amazing.
You do not need a tour guide to visit Kayakoy, but if you want to learn more about the history of the village, it’s definitely worth it.