DEMRE MYRA KEKOVA FROM ANTALYA

• Discover three beautiful destinations in one day with the Demre Myra Kekova tour. Visit the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre for a spiritual experience, admire the unique Lycian rock tombs and the Roman theater in Myra, and enjoy a boat trip to the sunken city of Kekova where you can swim in the turquoise waters where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Aegean Sea.
• Check out the latest prices and detailed program descriptions on our website. Book your excursion today and pay on the bus. We have ensured that traveling with us is not only interesting but also comfortable, so the price includes transfers from hotels in Kundu, Lara, Kaleici, Antalya, and Konyaalti. Enjoy your vacation with us.

Tour Program

• Pick up from hotels in the region between 05:00 - 06:00 (Exact pick-up time will be included in your e-ticket after booking confirmation.)
• 10-minute stop
• Visit to an icon shop
• Visit to the Church of St. Nicholas
• Guided tour of the church
• Free time at the church for prayer and photography
• Visit to the Lycian rock tombs and the Roman theater in the ancient city of Myra
• Lunch at a restaurant
• Boat trip to the sunken city of Kekova
• Swimming in the sea
• Visit to an onyx shop
• Return to hotels between 19:30 - 20:30

Tour Details

• Our tour program begins at 05:00 - 06:00 in the morning. We will pick you up from your hotel and head to Demre, located 145 km from the center of Antalya. Enjoy the beautiful sea views and scenic towns along the way, such as Kumluca, famous for its greenhouses and tomatoes, and Finike, known for its oranges.
• The first stop is in Demre, home to the Church of St. Nicholas. After an engaging narrative from our guide about the life and works of St. Nicholas, you will have free time to explore the church and its attractions, including ancient frescoes depicting the saint. You can pray, light a candle, and take memorable photos. Please remember to turn off the flash on your camera. You will also visit an icon shop, where you can buy a wonderful souvenir for yourself or your loved ones.
• Following the church visit, lunch will be served at a restaurant, which is included in the tour price. After lunch, we continue our tour in the ancient city of Myra, where you will see the well-preserved Roman theater and unique Lycian tombs carved into the rock.
• The final part of our tour includes a boat trip to the sunken city of Kekova, also known as the Turkish Atlantis. Through the transparent bottom of the boat, you will see the sunken ancient city and hear about its history from our guide. During the boat trip, there will be a stop for swimming. After exploring these historical sites, nothing is more refreshing than a swim in the crystal-clear, cool sea.
• After the swimming break, we will begin our return journey, stopping at an onyx shop where you can buy souvenirs made from this beautiful stone.
• The transfer will take you back to your hotel around 19:30 - 20:30 in the evening.

Included in the Price

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off
• Air-conditioned bus
• Lunch
• Boat trip to the sunken city of Kekova
• Insurance
• Guide services

Not Included in the Price

• Entrance ticket to Myra (13€) (optional)
• Entrance ticket to the Church of St. Nicholas (17€) (optional)
• Personal expenses (photos, souvenirs, etc.)
• Any drinks during the tour

What to Bring

• Camera, water
• Towel, swimsuit
• Sunscreen, sunglasses
• Money for personal expenses
• Order a lunch pack (dry ration) a day before the tour at the reception

Distances

• Distance from Konyaalti to Demre: 140 km - 2 hours 45 minutes
• Distance from Lara to Demre: 160 km - 3 hours
• Distance from Antalya center to Demre: 145 km - 2 hours 45 minutes
• Distance from Kaleici to Demre: 145 km - 2 hours 45 minutes
• Distance from Kundu to Demre: 160 km - 3 hours

Watch the Tour Video

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Additional Information

Early Booking Discounts

• Book early!
• Book your tour at least 7 days in advance and get a 4% discount
• Book your tour at least 30 days in advance and get a 5% discount

Additional Information

• The guide reserves the right to change the order of the tour without altering the overall program.
• Children traveling for free do not have separate seats on the bus. They will sit with adults (on their lap). If you want your child to have a separate seat, please book them as a paying child.

About the Attractions

Church of St. Nicholas in Demre

• The Church of St. Nicholas in Demre was built in the 4th century. It was expanded in the 6th century and damaged by Arab raids in the 7th-8th centuries. In the 11th century, during the reign of Emperor Constantine IX and Empress Zoe, the church was restored and surrounded by walls. In the 11th century, the relics of St. Nicholas were transferred to the city of Bari, after which the church was gradually forgotten.
• This church was discovered during excavations in the mid-19th century. The first restoration was led by Russian researchers. Excavations and restoration of the church continue to this day.

Rock Tombs

• The ancient city of Myra is a five-minute drive from the Church of St. Nicholas. Here you can see the Lycian tombs, dating back to the 4th century BC.
• Inside these tombs were valuable items placed with the deceased. The tombs were sealed with stone or bronze doors, but neither the doors nor the items inside remain. The tombs were looted in ancient times.

Theater

• There are 206 Roman theaters in Turkey, and the theater in Demre - Myra was built in the 2nd century AD and could seat 10,000 spectators. The Demre amphitheater is the fourth largest after Ephesus, Aspendos, and Pamukkale.

Lycia - The Land of the Sun

• Lycia translates from the Lycian language as "the land of the sun." The Lycians were one of the indigenous peoples of Asia Minor, indicating that the history of the region dates back thousands of years, specifically to the 4th century BC. Lycia was a very small state, its territory covering today's Antalya.
• But it was a very democratic country. 2,300 years ago, the first democratic parliament in human history was opened in Lycia. The Lycian League consisted of twenty-three cities, each with voting rights in the parliament. However, large cities had three votes in the parliament, while others had one. The head of parliament was elected annually from different cities, and even women could hold this position.

Sunken City of Kekova

• The name of the island - Kekova - comes from the Lycian language. The Lycians called it Kavakua. The island of Kekova was once part of the mainland. It is seven and a half kilometers long. The maximum depth between the shore and the island is 105 meters, and the maximum height of the island is 188 meters above sea level.
• As a result of an earthquake in ancient times, much of the city of Kekova went underwater. No one lives on the island of Kekova anymore. Occasionally, you might see goats brought there by locals.
• There are no restoration works on the island of Kekova because it is impossible to restore it. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism prohibits swimming and diving in the area of the sunken city.

Simena (Kaleköy)

• Opposite the island of Kekova is the fortress of Simena (Kaleköy). Kale in Turkish means "fortress," and köy means "village." It is called Kaleköy because it has a 13th-century fortress from the Ottoman period. Inside the fortress is the smallest Roman theater, which seated only 400 people. The residents of Simena were primarily fishermen, but now they live off tourism.
• In Kaleköy, you will see Lycian sarcophagi. The Lycians made sarcophagus lids in the shape of an inverted boat because they were fishermen, and they believed that each Lycian should have his boat in the afterlife.

Kumluca

• The population of Kumluca is 67,000 people. 95% of the population is engaged in agriculture, growing various vegetables in greenhouses, mainly tomatoes. The tomato is the symbol of the city. Every year in May, there is a tomato festival where the main attraction is a tomato fight!

Finike

• The population of Finike is 47,000 people. Tourism is not developed in Finike; the residents are engaged in fishing and agriculture. The city is known for its oranges, which are its symbol.
• As you know, oranges are grown in all areas of Antalya, but the tastiest oranges (not only in Turkey but in the world) are grown in this small town. In 1994, at the "Orange Taste" competition in California (USA), Finike took first place.

Demre-Myra-Kekova

• Modern Turkey is located on the territory where great civilizations, states, and empires once formed, developed, and flourished. The Demre-Myra-Kekova tour is a journey into ancient history, an acquaintance with unique architectural and cultural monuments from the Lycian, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. It is an opportunity to walk the lands where one of the most revered saints in the world, Nicholas the Wonderworker, lived, preached, and was buried. He is the patron saint of children, the poor, and sailors.
• Two to three kilometers from the modern city of Demre are the ruins of Myra, once the largest and most important city in Lycia. It was here that St. Nicholas arrived with his missionary work.
• St. Nicholas was born in the ancient Lycian city of Patara (modern Turkey), which is now an open-air archaeological museum. He arrived in Myra at the age of 30 and lived there until his death. The saint died on December 6, 343.
• A church was built in his honor, where his body rested in a sarcophagus until 1087. Sailors from the Italian city of Bari stole the relics and transferred them to their city. When the sarcophagus was opened, it was discovered that the relics of the saint exuded fragrant myrrh oil, which is used in various church rituals. Some oils exuded by the relics and icons are believed to have healing properties.
• You will visit this church first during the tour. Although the relics are no longer there, the sacred place still holds powerful healing energy. The walls of the church are adorned with fragments of frescoes, the most famous of which is "The Last Supper." You can also see the faces of saints, including St. George.
• You will have free time to explore, take photos, and pray, but using a flash is prohibited. You can also light a candle.
• The Church of St. Nicholas is open year-round, but services are only held on December 6 and May 9. Anyone can attend the service, but women must cover their heads with a scarf during the service, although it is not required at other times.
• The second stop of our tour will be the city of Myra. Here, you can stroll among the ruins, descend to the arena of the ancient theater built in the 2nd century BC, which seated 10,000 spectators, and see the tombs carved into the rock.
• The Lycian rock tombs are unparalleled in the world. The exact date of their creation is unknown, but they date back to approximately the 4th century BC. In ancient times, people believed that the soul of the deceased turned into a winged creature and flew to heaven. The higher the person was buried, the easier it was for the soul to reach the afterlife. Naturally, wealthy and noble people were buried as high as possible, while the poor were buried lower. Interestingly, the tombs were often started while the person was still alive, as a preparation for the future. This process could take several years.
• The third part of the tour offers a chance to relax - you will take an exciting boat trip to the sunken city on the island of Kekova, sometimes called the "Turkish Atlantis." An earthquake caused part of Kekova Island to sink, and its residents left around 1850. Today, it is a protected area, and tourists are not allowed to disembark.
• A narrow strait separates Kekova Island from the peninsula with the ancient village of Simena (Kaleköy). The main attraction is a fortress with the smallest amphitheater seating 150 people and houses carved into the rock.
• Interestingly, the waters around the island are still not fully explored. Among the houses, columns, and household items, French researcher Jacques-Yves Cousteau found a ship believed to have sunk around 1300 BC. The Mediterranean Sea here is crystal clear, and you will see part of the city through the glass bottom of the boat.
• The Demre-Myra-Kekova tour lasts all day and includes lunch at a restaurant. Be sure to bring a supply of drinking water, a hat, and sunscreen. Wear comfortable and practical clothing and footwear.

Average Temperature in Demre

• Weather in Demre in January: +15°C
• Weather in Demre in February: +16°C
• Weather in Demre in March: +18°C
• Weather in Demre in April: +21°C
• Weather in Demre in May: +25°C
• Weather in Demre in June: +30°C
• Weather in Demre in July: +35°C
• Weather in Demre in August: +35°C
• Weather in Demre in September: +31°C
• Weather in Demre in October: +26°C
• Weather in Demre in November: +21°C
• Weather in Demre in December: +16°C