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Pro
very nice charming
Con
none to say
In a nutshell
Rock tombs, Father Christmas and a sunken city - what a combination!
![THEATRE ART WORK [MYRA], Kale](http://cdn2.vtourist.com/1/6463250-THEATRE_ART_WORK_MYRA-Kale.jpg)
gwendar Says: THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE OF THE CARVED STONEWORK, WHICH IS TO BE FOUND ON THE GROUND ALL AROUND THE THEATRE.
THE ANCIENT CITY OF MYRA NEAR [KALE]
![THE ANCIENT CITY OF MYRA NEAR [KALE], Kale](http://cdn3.vtourist.com/1/6321885-THE_ANCIENT_CITY_OF_MYRA_NEAR_KALE-Kale.jpg)
gwendar Says: THIS IS A FIRST RATE ANCIENT SITE,IT IS FOUND SOME 24K FROM FINIKE ON THE FINIKE TO KAS COAST ROAD.THERE ARE A EXERLENT ROCK TOMBS TO BE SEEN ,AND A VERY WELL PRESERVED THEATER,ALL THIS AND THE CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS[SANTA CLAUS]WITH PLENTY OF SHOPS AND A MARKET TOO.
sandysmith Says: St Nicholas, yes the Santa Claus actually came from Patara in Turkey and he died in Myra around 350 AD. Stories of his charitable works became legendary and by the 10th century St. Nicholas was the most popular folk saint in the Byzantine realm, counting as the patron saint...
sandysmith Says: The original church of St Nicholas was destroyed in an Arab raid and the church was rebuilt in its present form with the help of Constantine IX and Empress Zoe in 1043. It later fell into disuse in Turkish times until 1862 when Czar Alexander I bought the edifice and began...
sandysmith Says: As you wander around the rubble and rocks of the theatre strewn at you feet are fragments from the façade, which was richly decorated with theatrical masks and mythological scenes. They make for great photo opportunities of modern faces against the old! Keep an eye out for...
sandysmith Says: Just down the coast from Kale is Myra where some impressive and well preserved Lycian monuments can be seen. In particular there are collection of rock tombs and an imposing 2nd century theatre. Well worth a stop here - once you get past the thronging souvenir market stalls...
sandysmith Says: In later years the theatre at Myra was used for gladiator fights. This Greco-Roman theatre with its 38 rows of seating is the largest theatre in Lycia and enjoys a fine backdrop with the tombs in the cliff face behind. The site is a bit of a jumble with loose rocks and...
sandysmith Says: Ok you just have to see this place - situated roughly between Fethiye and Antalya on the southern Turkish coast. We were so glad to return here and actually visit the village rather than just sail past. as in our first visit to this area. The approach to Kalekoy from the sea...
Helpfulness
If after such a great trip you feel hungry, both in Kale (Simena) and Ucagiz you have the possibility to taste the local food.
It is useless to say that all the dishes are based on fish (as I already mentioned both are fishermen villages).
We have tried a small restaurant located in the harbor in Ucagiz is I have to confess that the calmars were the best I have ever eaten.
I don't remember exactly how much we have paid but it was almost nothing compared to the price you pay in the town for the same food.
Updated Mar 27, 2006
sandysmith Says: Several options:An organised trip combining Myra/Demre/Kekova and Kale using coach and boat.Boats sail from Kas - - takes a while though and thus probably less time in Kale but more time at sea if that's what you prefer. Boats from Kalkan take even longer and not...
Diana75 Says: To get to Kekova you need to rent a boat. There are a number of boat companies that will take you there at reasonable prices, but in my opinion the best option is to ask a local fisherman to take you to Kekova. It certainly is more interesting and more over you'll be alone...
Helpfulness
Near the Church of St. Nicholas you have a couple of places where you can find local craft and other souvenirs.
In front of the church there are some small shops selling both souvenirs related to St. Nicholas but also suits for belly dancing and other items related to it.
On the left side watching the church is an open-air market from where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, but also other small souvenirs.
From Ucagiz we bought an old Turkish coffee pot for which we paid 12,000,000 TL, but also other interesting items were available.
Updated Mar 26, 2006
Santa Claus in his native city
traveloturc Says: You know that Turks dont celebrate the christmas but only the new year.This reality doesnt prevent to celebrate the Santa claus as a native citizen of Demre.In Turkish his name is Noel Baba ( father Noel)
Diana75 Says: The base of the unique necropolis in Myra it was a Lycian custom to bury the dead people high up because they believed that in this way they were more easily transported to heaven. The funeral monuments were built isolatedly or cut out of the rock-facea and some of the...
Swimming around the Sunken city
Diana75 Says: The turquoise clear water which allows you to see much of the ruins under the water, temptes you to swim around Kekova and dive to see the sunken city.But the swimming is not allowed in this area due to the fact that there are too many boats going around the island.Still a...
Diana75 Says: Great landscape, a wonderful experience...The road trip to these sites shouldn't be missed, but don't do as we did.Be sure that you have full tank because just some kilometres before arriving to Demre we have noticed that our gas finished.Sure, now we have fun just thinking...
Diana75 Says: Some tombs located on the lower part are opened and if you are curious to see if there is something inside you can step in.Some of the tombs used to have paintings presenting the scenes from the dead person life but today there is not trace of these paintings anymore.The...
Myra's Rock-Cut Tombs features
Diana75 Says: The large number of rock-cut sepulchres are imitating wooden houses and shrines, with pillared facades and reliefs.Most of the reliefs are presenting moments from the daily life of the family or of the person buried there. For example in the relief of the so-called "Painted...
Diana75 Says: Due to the fact that the water in this part of Turkey is particularly warm many yachts stops in Kale and Kekova. The biggest advantage is that this site is still relatively unknown to tourists, that's why you can relax and swim in the wonderful turquoise waters without being...
sandysmith Says: The turquoise coast is great for lazy day boat trips - and longer cruises by gulets must be wonderful in this area. We settled for just a day here but its something I could easily get used too. Warm sunshine, interesting villages and ruins and a dip in that blue blue warm...
Demre, Myra, Kale, Kekova and the Sunken city
It might be only my opinion, or maybe not, but it doesn't matter from which direction you approach Demre because you'll always be part of one of the most beautiful sceneries in Turkey. Demre The...
Myra, Kale - Simena - Sunken city of Kekova
We visited here on a day trip a few years back and looking at these pics again its definitely the place I want to go to return to on my next - long overdue visit to Turkey in 2007! I'd forgotten how...
Demre(or Kale ) lies in the south-western corner of the transcontinental oblong that is Turkey.It’s only 140 km to Antalya. In that part of the world, the Mediterranean is the colour of flawless...
A day at sea visiting kekova island
This trip was all at sea,it was just pictures taken from the boat,a general view KALEKOY turkish i think for castle,the picture shows the village and the byzantine fort
Demre, officaially known as Kale, is an important place on the SW coast of Turkey. It is the site of the ancient Lycian city of Myra and was also the home of the Middles Ages bishop St Nicholas who is...
Build your own Kale page
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