Demre, Myra and Kekova Sunken City Tour

After an early breakfast, your guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to our first attraction for the day, Myra.

The city was named after the Myros River (Demre Stream) and, in Lycian times, was one of the six essential members of the Lycian Union and had three voting rights. Myra prospered under the Lycian and Roman civilizations, eventually becoming the capital of the province of Lycia in the 4th century CE. After that, however, it started declining from a combination of Muslim raids into Anatolia and natural disasters like flooding and earthquakes.

Today, the ruins are of great historical significance to Antalya province, attracting tens of thousands of tourists each year. Their most iconic feature is the impressive necropolis that houses magnificent tombs of Lycian rulers and their family members. The city itself sits proudly on the rocks high above the tombs, its crumbling walls giving the site a genuinely ancient feel.

The Lion’s (or Painted) tomb with its 11 life-sized figures on the inside walls stands out among the rest. Explore this intriguing structure and marvel at the sophisticated architecture of other rock-cut dwellings and temples on the site and the thick city walls before proceeding to the local arena. Constructed in Roman times, the heavily restored theater has 35 rows of seats and makes for a helluva sight.

Myra was also home to the Temple of Arthemis Eleutheria, the city’s protective goddess. Legend says that it was the most breathtaking building in the Lycian Kingdom but was unfortunately destroyed under the instructions of St. Nicholas (he had vowed to erase paganism from the region).

Within the ancient city of Myra is the Church of St. Nicholas, an ancient Roman basilica that is today a museum in modern-day Demre. The saint was born in the 3rd century CE in nearby Patara and, in the 4th century, became the bishop of Myra. He was a highly charitable man who regularly donated to the poor and miraculously cured diseases, a nature that is the main inspiration for Santa Claus’s character.

Upon his death in 343 CE, St. Nicholas was laid to rest in the location, where he lay in relative peace for more than 700 years. In the year 1087, Italian merchants raided his tomb and smuggled his remains to Bari in Italy.

Before that, in 1043, the 6th-century church over the tomb had been restored into a richly decorated basilica. St. Nicholas being the patron saint of Russia, further restoration was funded in 1862 by the Tsar of Russia, Nicholas I. Turkish archeologists have also conducted some repair works to keep the structure from crumbling.

Today, the church is a museum and a popular pilgrimage site for pilgrims (mainly from Russia) and tourists alike. It features incredible Byzantine mosaic floors and frescoes and a couple of statues of St. Nicholas.

From the church of St. Nicholas, we cruise to our next stop- the island of Kekova. Near the island are the ruins of Dolchiste, a Lycian settlement that sank partly into the sea after a 2nd-century earthquake.

The underwater ruins of the city are one of the most jaw-dropping sights in the region. As you cruise among the ruins in a glass-bottomed yacht (optional add-on), don’t forget to take photos as they make for an incredibly picturesque scene.

Our final attraction will be Simena Castle, home to the remains of a small Lycian settlement in the region. The ruins are mainly intact and thus, make for an enjoyable historical visit. However, what attracts people are the incredible views.

At the highest point of the castle, enjoy brilliant views of the Mediterranean and Kekova island, displaying a stunning cluster of tiny islands, bay curves, and the ruins of Dolchiste lying below the azure waters.