Kaunos

De antieke stad Kaunos

The name of the farm is not a random English word. It comes from Kaunos — in ancient texts Caunus. Opposite Dalyan, the once seafaring city of Karya. It bordered Lycia. The Dalyan River has filled its harbour with alluvial deposits over the years, and the city has been buried in the land. Today, the ruins of a theatre, walls, a bathhouse and a church stand on the hillside. There is a breeze, stones, and a bit of silence. In the afternoon, the sun warms the steps.

The most recognizable feature of the island is its well-known tomb walls carved into the rock. These walls, in the Lycian style, are visible from the water on the steep slope. When you first see them, you stand still for a moment — that “wow” moment happens on most boats. The cemetery is the town; it’s not the “own rock” of the town, but the other side of Kaunos. You can get there by boat from the town or by land from Çandır. Opening hours and tickets are the town’s own business; we don’t run the gate, we’re just the neighbors.

It’s good not to rush the experience. When you go to the theatre, there are both the view and the stairs. Take water with you in summer, look for shade. In the middle of the day, the sun is burning; in the morning or at dusk, it’s more gentle. When you come down, take a moment to sit, close the chapter of that day, and then move on to something else… as far as we can tell, that rhythm stays in your mind.

Na de bezoekers komen de paarden

De Atlar kazı alanına binmek imkansız. De boerderij ligt op dezelfde rivier, maar een stukje verder in. Van het theater naar beneden lopen en dezelfde middag een lange tocht over het meer maken kan vermoeiend zijn; de trap, het heet, en daarna twee uur op de paard. Die dag een korte rit, de volgende dag is het meer weer zoet. 's Ochtends de graven vanuit het schip bekijken en 's middags naar de begraafplaats gaan, de paard voor een andere dag laten, is ook een mooie volgorde.

To avoid confusion, here’s another sentence: Kaunos is history, Caunos is the Horses. The same geography, two different stops. Putting them both next to each other on the same holiday is something that people who love this place often do. For a three-day itinerary, you can check out the Dalyan plan.

Als je de plek wilt zien, kun je de kaart bekijken.