Footprints of past lives and historical artefacts, ruins, temples that resemble the peninsula from one end to the other... An archive with a rich trace of human history, a large library...

Are you ready to walk on one of the important trade routes of 2400 years of Caria Civilization? On this route; history, nature, tourism, and sports are intertwined.

The oldest-known inhabitants of Bodrum, the Lelegians are the very first owners of the culture in the region… The Lelegians who had made history as very good stonemasons and warriors are well-known for the architectural structures they had built without using mortar or lime. Although have passed thousands of years and despite all the pressures of Greek civilization, Lelegian structures have survived to the present day as indelible traces.

In fact, the Lelegian Path is the western extension of the historical Lycian and Carian roads reaching the Bodrum peninsula. The legendary route is 185 kilometres long. It is a path where anyone following the trail markings and signs can easily walk. In order not to lose your direction, it will be enough to follow the red and white markings on the stones. The signs you will see along the way will direct you to the ruins.

The beginning of the adventure dates back to 2015. By the initiatives of Bodrum Chamber of Commerce (BODTO) and the support of South Aegean Development Agency, the ancient walking route the "Lelegian Path", which contains historical and natural beauties, has been included in the both national and international tourism literature. 

Thanks to the project launched by BODTO, the roads, which had been used as trade and transit routes for hundreds of years before they were forgotten, have been identified, repaired, added signs and markings by great effort and eventually opened to tourism that way. 

The first phase was opened in March, 2016 and the second in April, 2017 therefore the 185 kilometre route was completed. Marking and route determination works were done on the path. The roads were marked, cleaned and direction signs were placed. There is more... A mobile application available in 3 languages is to be offered to nature lovers. The users are to be able to view where to go by using the mobile application, where the walking path, the 20 kilometre cycling path, the camping places and the landscape hills are marked, and generate their own routes. 

With the slogan "Discover Bodrum as you walk", BODTO invites those, who want to be in touch with history and nature, to this route. We strongly recommend that you put it on your bucket list…

What is in the route?

Pedasa 

It is located on the untouched hills of Konacik, in the Gokceler locality surrounded by the shades of green. The ruins of the city wall and inner fortress can be seen on the hill in a 150 meter diameter circle. On the slopes in the south and southeast of the area the Lelegian-specific mausoleum-shaped graves can be seen. 

Telmissos 

It is in the village of Gurece and the hill with the remains is in the north side of the Bodrum-Turgutreis road. The bastion ruins from the Hellenistic period can be seen on the hill. According to Herodotus, the historian, the Temple of Apollo had been located in Telmissos, however, there is no trace left to be seen from the Temple today.

Musgebi

It had been a Lelegian settlement in Ortakent. In the excavations carried out in the necropolis of this settlement, some Mycenaean earthenware dating back to the fifteenth-thirteenth century BC was found.

The Castle of Aspat& Ancient Termera Settlement

Aspat Castle is located at the peaks of the conical hill overlooking Aspat Bay in Akyarlar and the ancient settlement of Termera is on Asarlik Tepe (Asarlik Hill), 1 km above Mandra Village, which is 2 km away from the Castle. In Termera, the inner castle at the peak is completely destroyed but some of the walls below still remain. 
 


Old and New Myndos

It is on the hill called Bozdag, 1 km far from Old Myndos in Kadikalesi. Going up to the hill takes one hour or so. On the hill, you can see the remains of the walls and the square-planned structure of the city. On the other hand, Old Myndos and Gumusluk village are nested. The ruins of the walls surrounding the town are also seen on the islet opposite Gumusluk.

Uranion

There are ruins of the Lelegian settlement on the two hills above the Geris Village 3 km away from Yalikavak. The ruins of the monumental tomb, city walls and bastion can be seen on the hill on the shore and on the other hill the ruins of the fortification walls can be seen. 
    

Madnasa and Sibda

On one of the hills overlooking Turkbuku and Golkoy there is the Settlement of Madnasa, and there is Sibda/Side on another hill. The ruins that have survived to the present day are the remains of walls and bastions which are in the acropolis, and several ceramic pots and pans scattered around. Sibda can be reached by car from the village of Yukari Golkoy to Belen Village. Then the hike from Belen takes about 40 minutes to the ruins of the church and castle. After walking up for 40 minutes more, the top of Karadag, where the ruins of Sibda are located, is reached. Rather than the ruins, the view, where that part of the peninsula is widely seen, is magnificent. 

Syangela

There are the ruins of Syangela, the ancient city, on the top of the hill above the Alazeytin Neighbourhood of Ciftlik Village on the Gokova Bay side of the peninsula. The ruins still remaining are the walls, houses and some other structures.

Thaengela

Thaengela founded by Mausolosto settle the people of Syangela is on the hill 1.5 km above the Village of Etrim which is around Pinarlibelen Village. Among the ruins that have survived from the city, bastion and city walls are in the forefront. You can also see a stadium-like structure, monumental tombs, public buildings, houses, and ruins from wells and cisterns in the city, which also carries the traces of the Hellenistic civilisation.