Sillyon Antik Kenti
A neighbour of Perge and Aspendos that almost no one visits. It stands on a flat-topped hill rising out of the plain — one of the rare settlements Alexander besieged and failed to take.
Sillyon sits on a table-shaped hill standing alone in the middle of the Antalya plain. That natural defence let it withstand Alexander the Great's siege in 333 BC — very few cities in Pamphylia managed it. The ancient ramp up to the summit and the remains of its towers can still be traced.
On the upper plateau, Hellenistic cisterns, a gymnasium, a Seljuk-era mosque and stretches of curtain wall stand side by side. A landslide in 1969 collapsed part of the hill and took most of the theatre and stadium with it; what survives are the northern and eastern structures facing the plain.
Sillyon's strongest asset is its outlook: from the plateau the Taurus range, the Aksu plain and — on a clear day — the sea are all visible at once. The site is unmaintained and unsigned, so finding your way among the ruins takes a sense of exploration. It fits onto a Perge and Aspendos day with a half-hour detour.
- Best time
- Spring and autumn
- Budget
- Free
Tips
- The climb is a footpath — sturdy shoes and water needed.
- There is almost no signage; work out your route on the map first.
- Can be added to a Perge–Aspendos route on the same day.