Activity - Excursions

As a tourism center, you will find that Demre is not developed as neighbour vacation spots along these shores. There are not even some accommodation other than a couple of pensions and hotels in down town. Despite this fact, there are hundreds of tourists that arrive in Demre on daily tours to see the Church of st.Nicholaus and the ancient city of Myra which contains the most beautiful examples of Lycian rock tombs.

However, once night fall, a deep silence descends upon Demre. After filling the restaurants that surround the St.Nicholaus church and the stone tombs, within a very disciplined parade for lunch (very cheap meal is served for tourists of everything is included type tourists), as the sun sets and crowds have pulled out of town, a handful of tourists are left to face it off the towns people.

If you enjoy having an active holiday, then you probably discover the nights in Demre a bit of boring. If you have been longing for a relaxation vacation with sea, sun and history all inclusive, or you intent eco-tourism and if you prefer the sound of the night over a disco beat you perhaps love Demre.

There are ruins of several cites in and around Demre, some of which whose names you have probably never heard before  and some of which are located in some rough terrain. Do not forget to include these ancient cites on your tour itinerary if you want to get out and walk around a bit and get to know something about ancient Lycian culture.

Daily boat excursions

You will definitely want to join one of the daily boat trips that drop anchor at Kekova Island, Kaleköy and Üçağız.

This area has been embellished with natural and historical beauty, with snug recessed coves hidden along the shores and tombs that are sprinkled everywhere from under the sea to the top of the hills. Yachts anchoring in these coves, allowing their passengers to swim in the crystal clear waters, aptly named "aquariums" by the local inhabitants, and drop anchor at either Üçağız or Kaleköy for lunch.

You can feast on fish and other seafood at Üçağız, which is a typical fishermen's village. There are also some nice restaurants in Kaleköy, which is one of the most beautiful villages in the region, one that can only be reached by boat.

If you wish to do something different one day, go on out to the lagoon that is near the Demre-Finike road. There you can dine on fresh fish in one of the restaurants found near the fishing weir.

On the other hand, Andriake (Çayağzı) as a port of Demre is a place full of motion. Despite of this, you may spent your day in the sea and may have your dinner while sipping your drink in front of a very panoramic view. Çayağzı beach is totally sundy but a shallow one.

Festivals

Visitors from all over the world join in two big winter festivals that are held in Demre. Every year on December 6th, thousands of people arrive to participate in the St.Claus festival at the church of St.Nicholas, which officially kicks off the month of Christmas. With an abundance of local color and excitement, the Camel wrestling Festival much to the photographer's delight, is held at the end of the 3rd week of December.

Sports Activities

The Beydağları range between Finike and Elmalı offers some of the best trekking routes throughout Turkey. A serious physical challenge is in store for those determined to get to the top of the 3070 m. Kizlar Sivrisi (Girls peak), the highest point in the western Taurus mountains. Turning off the Finike-Elmalı highway onto a dirt road with a road sign that reads "Cedar research forest" you follow this road tuntil you arrive at the forestry station guesthouse, which is the climb's starting point. You should give yourself 12 hours at a decent pace to get up the western face of Kizlar Sivrisi and back down again to the guesthouse. If you are not up to such a long and demanding climb, save the summit for another time and descend from the hill instead. You can complete this course in about three or four hours.

As for water sports, the shores along Demre and Finike are especially suitable for windsurfing. However, if you do not come with your surfing rig, you will have to go to Kemer to rent some equipment as you will nor find any renting facilities on these virgin beaches.