Anatolian Greeks never wasted fertile land by building on it, instead choosing rocky sites for their homes, and Kayaköy is a typical example. The two churches, Panaghia Pyrgiotissa in the lower part of the village and Taksiyarhis in the upper part, are still standing, but the around two thousand stone houses, chapels, workshops, schools, hospital, library and other buildings have not resisted the passage of time so well. Nonetheless, the paved roads and squares, and in the houses, the stone hearths, unusual lavatories reached by spiralling passages, cisterns and pebbled flooring give a clear impression of what the village must have been like a century ago.

Pioneered by the Chamber of Architects and the Turkish-Greek Friendship Association, a project was launched in 1988 to restore Kayaköy as a symbol of peace and friendship between Turkey and Greece. The project won the support of the Ministry of Public Works, and Kayaköy was declared a grade three urban and archaeological conservation area.

If you happen to have your paraglider with you, the flight down from Babadag is one of the most memorable in the world. This mountain soars almost sheer from the shore of the Mediterranean up to 2000 metres, and depending on the wind direction, you can glide towards Ölüdeniz lagoon or Kayaköy. The beaches near Kayaköy are suitable for swimming most of the year.

When you climb the narrow streets of Kayaköy to the chapel at the top of the village, there is a wonderful view over the abandoned village. From the chapel a pleasant thirty minute walk takes you to Soguksu, where you can enjoy bathing from empty beaches encircled by pine trees. To take photographs of Kayaköy wait for sunset at the chapel on your return journey. As the sun sinks towards the horizon, the stone houses on the hillside glow with colour. And if there is a full moon, do not miss the chance to wander through the ghostly houses of Kayaköy by moonlight!

Having explored Kayaköy take a rest in one of the cafés in the square, and try some of the delicious sage tea. Now there is one thing left to do, and that is to hire a horse from Atçi Nadir and ride to Afkula Church. It does not matter if you are an inexperienced rider. Nadir’s horses are well trained, and you will soon get used to them. This church, built by a monk called Ayios Elefterios, is built on top of steep cliffs rising from the seashore, and is just as fascinating as the more renowned Sümela Monastery in Trabzon. Inside the church is a cistern built between the rocks, where water filtering down from the mountain into the cistern has formed stalactites.

Exciting progress is being made where restoring Kayaköy is concerned. The Chamber of Architects and TÜRSAB have embarked on restoration of the churches, with their stone carving, stucco reliefs and frescos, and also some of the old houses.

It is hoped to reopen one of the churches for worshippers when the work is completed, as part of the Anatolia 2000 Religious Tourism Project. Then Kayaköy will become an important halt for those making their way from the Church of the Virgin Mary at Ephesus to the Church of St Nicolas in Demre.

* Faruk Akbas is a photographer.