Info about Lycia - Funwheelers Jeepsafari in Turkije

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Now also Single Holidays at Funwheelers!

Despite the fact that most of Funwheelers guests book alone, Funwheelers reserved coming season 4 of the 17 tour dates for 'Singles-Only'- groups. These Single Holidays are being organized in cooperation with Single Travel Specialist One2gether Travel. The package of Single Holidays includes the 15 Day 4X4 Lycian Adventure Safari in combination with Relax, Windsurfing and Kitesurfing. In this way it is possible for the Adventurous Holiday Maker, who wants to travel in an original way with other singles, to book a Single Holiday at Funwheelers!

Info about Lycia

Rock tombs

"Looking back over twenty-five years of exploration in Anatolia, I remember with most pleasure my journeys in Lycia... the country has, at least for me, a fascination not equaled elsewhere. The scenery is impressive, often spectacular, and seen by moonlight is out of this world; and the ancient monuments, especially of course the tombs, have a quality of their own."
George Bean, Lycian Turkey

"Take a blind man to Lycia, and he’ll immediately know from the smell of the air exactly where he is. The acrid perfume of lavender, the pungent fragrance of wild mint and thyme, will tell him."
Cevat Sakir "Fisherman of Halicarnassus", famous Turkish author

Telling remainings

Southwest Turkey, along and inland from the popular "Turquoise Coast", was home to the ancient Lycians who were one of the most enigmatic people of antiquity. Although little historical record has been left behind them, what has been discovered reveals a fascinating people culturally distinct from the rest of the ancient world. Around twenty major sites remain today with the Lycians' unusual funerary architecture dominating the breathtaking unspoiled land of Lycia. The history of Lycia is a story of fierce struggles against those who sought to invade and dominate it, as it was a very desireable region. It appears that Greek efforts to colonize Lycia during the first millennium B.C. were largely unsuccessful even though there were several Athenian expeditions.

The Lycian city Xanthos

The first recorded instance of Lycian resistance fighting occurred around 540 BC when the Persians under the commander Harpagos overran all Asia Minor during the rule of Cyrus II (The Great). The Persians attacked the Lycian capital city of Xanthos and the Xanthosians put up a heroic fight. In the end however, they chose mass suicide over surrender. The men of Xanthos gathered their wives, children and possessions in the acropolis and set fire to all before rushing out fighting to die to the last man. Herodotus of Halicarnassos reports:

"The Persian Army entered the plain of Xanthos under the command of Harpagos, and did battle with the Xanthians. The Xanthians fought with small numbers against the superior Persians forces, with legendary bravery. They resisted the endless Persian forces with great courage, but were finally beaten, their womenfolk, children, slaves and treasures into the fortress. This was then set on fire from, below and around the walls , until destroyed by conflagration. Then the warriors of Xanthos made their final attack on the Persians, their voices raised in calls of war, until every last man from Xanthos was killed."

This disaster was confirmed during excavations by a thick layer of ash covering the site.

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