Patara (Gelemiş)

Patara is 45 km away from Kaş. This ancient city is spread over a wide area on the east side of the harbor. The city and its port are about 3 km long at the entrance of the long valley. Patara Harbor took its present appearance when it was filled with alluvium brought by Xanthos (Eşen) Stream.

Herodotus mentions the name of the city for the first time. According to the legend, Patara is the birthplace of the founder of the city who were the water nymph Lykia and Apollo. For now, the history of the city is BC. VI. and until the 5th century. The city also gained an important position in the Byzantine Period because it is Saint-Nicholas Patara, who is known as "Santa Claus". Saint Paul, one of the apostles of Jesus, got on the ship from Patara to go to Rome and Patara became the episcopal center in the Early Christian Period.

While entering Patara, you can see the Lycian type Roman period tombs on the road. At the entrance there are the ruins of the Triumphal Arch, the submerged Harbor Church with three naves and the Hurmalık Bath.. 100 m away of it there is a road guide showing the distance between Lycian cities which was found in the last excavations. The guide is the oldest and most comprehensive road sign of the world's highways. Vespasianus Bath located in the ancient city was built in AD 69-79. If you follow the path next to the bath, you will reach Patara's marble-paved main street. Beyond the street, the wide walls of the Byzantine Castle are encountered. There is the Corinth Temple to the east of this castle and the Byzantine Church at the west end.

Patara Theater (2nd century BC) was established on the foot slope and has an estimated capacity of 10,000 people. The parts of the theater covered with sand were cleaned and after that, the structure was exposed. Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Patara has been continuing.

Patara Beach, 18 km. length (the narrowest 280m. widest part of 1500 m. reaching measure) and is the longest sandy beach in Turkey. Patara beach, declared as a "Special Environmental Protection Area" by the Ministry of Environment, is a breeding ground for Caretta-Caretta sea turtles. In the region, measures of precaution are meticulously applied in order to maintain the ecological environment of turtles during the breeding periods of Caretta-Caretta.

In Patara, which is a very touristic region, there are many accommodation facilities such as hotels, motels, pensions, shopping centers and restaurants where delicious local dishes are served. In addition, greenhouse cultivation has also made great progress.