Demre (Myra), Turkey

Demre is a district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Demre is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus. The district was known as Kale until it was renamed in 2005. It is located on the coast of the Teke peninsula, west of the bay of Antalya, with the Taurus Mountains behind.

The main attraction at Demre is the ancient Lycian city of Myra, located just outside the modern town. Here visitors will view ancient rock tombs, a Roman theatre and other remains. In Demre itself, the St Nicholas Church is the main attraction. St Nicholas was a native of the town during the days of Myra. The story of “Santa Claus” is based on St Nicholas who had a reputation for giving presents secretly.

Things to See & Do

* The Roman theatre and other remains of Roman Myra
* Tombs carved into the rocks
* The Church of St Nicholas of Myra
* The antique cities of Andriake and Simena
* A boat rip to the islands and sunken ruins of Kekova

General Information

Cruise Season – March - Dec
Currency – Turkish Lira (TRY)
Language - Turkish
Land Area – 4,732 km²
Population – 16,000 approx
Electricity – 2 round pins European style.
Time – UTC plus two hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 90

Port Location – The closest port to Demre is located at Finike, approximately 20km from Demre by road.

Travel Links – Demre lies on the highway D400, which connects Fethiye in the west with Antalya in the east along the Lycian coast. Many buses running town to town on this highway connect Demre with Kalkan, Ka?, Finike, and Olympos among others

General Information

Cruise Season – Feb to Dec
Currency - New Turkish Lira (YTL)
Language – Turkish
Population – 45,000 approx
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC plus two hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 90