← Runtalya Marathon·3 nights

Demre and Kaş: Lycian Tombs and a Harbour Town

A slow move west along the Turquoise Coast, with Myra's rock-cut tombs and a harbour town built around diving, Lycian tombs and a ferry to a Greek island.

Duration3 nights
TransitCoach from Antalya towards Demre, Kaş and Kalkan; Kaş is 168 km west of Antalya
DepartsAntalya

After the Runtalya Marathon: Demre and Kaş

The Route: Antalya → Demre (Myra) → Kaş → Antalya Airport or Dalaman Airport Logistics: One long coach journey west, then short local moves. Pick a base and stay there. Marathon Month: April Duration: 3 nights

Antalya Otogar ──(coach west)──> Demre (Myra)
                                    │
                               (coach or taxi)
                                    │
                                   Kaş ──(ferry)──> Meis (Kastellorizo, Greece)
                                    │
                    Antalya or Dalaman airport (no airport at Kaş)

This is a plan for runners with three nights to spare and an appetite for coastline. The Turquoise Coast west of Antalya is a long drive, so treat the day of travel as the plan and keep the rest of it small.

April in Kaş: the sea is usually still cold in April, so plan boat trips and the harbour rather than swimming.

Getting there

Kaş is 168 km west of Antalya, and the town has no airport. The regional coach operator Batı Antalya lists Demre, Kaş and Kalkan among its routes. Check the operator's current timetable for frequency and journey time, and book a seat before you leave. If you are flying out of Dalaman instead of Antalya, price the one-way coach and any transfer against the airfare before you commit.

Night one: Demre and Myra

Demre sits on a fertile plain between the Massikytos range and the sea. Myra, the ancient city, has two Lycian necropoleis with tombs cut into the cliff in the form of temple fronts. When Charles Fellows saw them in 1840, they were still painted red, yellow and blue. The Roman theatre was destroyed in an earthquake in AD 141 and rebuilt.

The Church of St Nicholas stands in the town. Its earliest form dates to the 6th century, and the present building was mostly put up from the 8th century on. Nicholas was the bishop of Myra, and merchants from Bari took his bones in 1087. Alexander II of Russia bought the church in 1863 and began a restoration that was never finished.

Both sites involve steps and uneven ground. Check current opening hours and admission before you go.

Nights two and three: Kaş

Kaş is a small harbour town on a hillside. The Lycians founded it as Habesos, and in Hellenistic and Roman times it served as the port of Phellus under the name Antiphellus. Its necropolis is one of the richest in the region, and a Hellenistic theatre sits above the water.

Spend a morning in the harbour. Most of the 15 or more dive centres in the district are there, and boats run to Kekova, where ancient cities lie in the bays, some of them partly under water. The Greek islet of Meis (Kastellorizo) is about 6 km offshore, with a daily Turkish ferry and same-day return options. Take your passport if you plan to go, and check the crossing rules for your nationality.

Kalkan is a coastal settlement in the same district and is another place to stay if you want a quieter base. Streets in Kaş are hilly, so choose a hotel near the harbour to keep walking to a minimum.

Getting home

Allow most of a day for the return to Antalya Airport. The coast road is long, and a delayed coach can cost you the flight. Leave a margin of at least four hours, or fly from Dalaman if the schedule suits.