Phaselis is not simply a group of ruins beside a beach. The ancient city occupied a narrow peninsula on the coast of Lycia, where a sheltered maritime setting connected sea routes with inland communities. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism places it near Tekirova in Antalya Province, within the landscape of Beydağları Coastal National Park. Three natural harbours shaped the settlement: the North Harbour, the Military Harbour and the South Harbour. Their arrangement explains why the city’s identity was tied to shipping as much as to its monuments.
Ancient sources associate the foundation of Phaselis with settlers from Rhodes in the seventh century BCE; the official regional account says the date is traditionally placed around 690 BCE. That chronology should be read as a historical tradition rather than a precisely documented foundation day. The location, however, is visible on the ground. The peninsula narrows between the mountains and the Mediterranean, creating several landing places within short walking distance and a central route linking the bays.