Demre (formerly Kale) is a Turkish Mediterranean town in Lycia. Known as Myra in ancient times, the most famous inhabitant of the town who ever lived is perhaps Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop on whom the Santa Claus figure is usually said to have been based.
Get in
Demre lies on 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, Kaş, Finike, and Olympos among others.
A bus from the Olympos junction will cost you 15 TL (March 2016).
The Lycian Way, a way-marked hiking trail connecting Fethiye with Antalya, also passes through Myra, just north of Demre.
Get around
The sights of Demre are in easy walking distance of each other.
See
- 1 St Nicholas Church (Noel Baba Kilisesi). The main attraction of the town is the church of St Nicholas, a native of the town during the days of Myra (late 3rd/early 4th century CE). He had a reputation for giving away presents secretly. The figure of Santa Claus is based on him. 50 TL.
- 2 Myra. An ancient Lycian city just outside the modern town. 45 TL.
Do
Climb up to the castle. The track is not marked well and is harder to follow on the way down. If you go up for the sunset, make your way down quickly afterwards.
Buy
There is a Carrefour supermarket beside the bus station.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Kent Pansion, located 1.4 km from the bus station and 500 m from Myra. Basic rooms. Price for a single person including breakfast is 50 TL (March 2016).
Connect
The town's telephone code is ( 90) 242, which it shares with the rest of Antalya Province (i.e., eastern Lycia, and Pamphylia).
Go next
| Routes through Demre |
| Marmaris ← Kaş ← | W  E | → Finike → Antalya |