Akseki: Historic Houses, Hillside Setting and Caravan Route

Akseki combines a historic hillside urban layout with distinctive timber construction and an old caravan route that is now also used as a hiking trail. This gives the town different focal points for planning your trip: you can explore its architectural history or include a hike in your stay. When choosing a holiday apartment, it helps to first consider which of these aspects of Akseki you want to shape your days.

A historic town center on a hillside

Akseki’s historic urban layout lies on a sloping hillside and has largely been preserved. More recent residential areas spread toward the plain. The town center and its historic layout were designated an urban conservation area in 1998. Visitors to Akseki encounter a townscape whose history can be read not only in individual buildings but also in its preserved center.

Düğmeli Ev: a distinctive timber construction method

Akseki’s historic houses are characterized by the Düğmeli Ev construction technique. Wooden beams are set into the walls opposite one another at intervals of 50 to 60 centimeters. The beams that project outward are made of pine and black pine; the vertical elements, called “Düğme,” are made of Andız and juniper wood. The facades are worth examining for the way these elements work together: the construction method can be experienced firsthand through the arrangement of the timber and its different materials.

For travelers who enjoy discovering historic townscapes, details like these make Akseki especially tangible. Instead of visiting just one landmark, you can also appreciate the town’s character in its houses and the historic urban fabric of its center.

Akseki Merkez Cami in the town center

Akseki Merkez Cami was built in 1314 according to the Islamic calendar, corresponding to 1896–1897, during the Ottoman period. It has a rectangular floor plan and a single dome. In 2000, it was registered as a cultural asset worthy of protection and placed under protection. Its precise location is in the town center, north of the district administration building, between Aşağı-Çarşı Street and Rasih-Kaplan Street. Today, the mosque is open for worship.

The protection of the entire historic town center and the mosque’s individual protected status are two different aspects of the town’s history: the center was designated in 1998, and the mosque was registered in 2000. Together, they provide a concrete context for the historic architecture that defines Akseki.

Hiking and the history of the caravan route

The Historic Caravan and Migration Route is now used as a tourist hiking trail. The section between Akseki and Sarıhacılar begins at the entrance to Akseki and is about 3,650 meters long. Approximately 100,000 visitors from Türkiye and abroad travel along it each year. An ancient 3,400-meter section between the two towns was restored as part of an alternative tourism development project.

The history of the Akseki–Sarıhacılar caravan route also goes back a long way: it was opened in the 2nd century AD, during the Roman imperial period, to connect Alanya with Konya. It was repaired during the Seljuk period and used as a caravan and migration route in both Seljuk and Ottoman times. The route therefore combines a present-day hiking activity with a long history of use. When planning your day, you can treat the town center and the hiking trail as separate focal points of your stay.

Nature in Akseki District

At the district level, Akseki is known as the home of the snowdrop. Visitors from Türkiye and abroad come to the district to see it. This is a nature attraction in the wider district, not just in Akseki town center.

The Kaya Ağılbaşı Çukuru, also known as “Meteor Çukuru,” is another nearby destination. This circular natural sinkhole is located about 6.15 kilometers west of Akseki and 975 meters east of the Sarıhaliller neighborhood, in the Kaya Ağılbaşı area. The snowdrops and the sinkhole represent different connections with nature: one is associated with the district, while the other can be located precisely in relation to the town.

Discover more destinations: Çandır, Bahçelievler, Demirtaş, Sarıbelen, Payallar, Kumluca, Kadriye, Kas.

Return to the main travel overview: Antalya.