• Pick up at 8 am from the hotel
• Visiting ST.NICOLAUS Church (more information) in Demre
• Lunch
• Visiting Historical Places, Yatch Tour in Kekova
• Arriving at the hotel around 7 pm

Tour Fee Including:

• Pick up from your Hotel and back transfer to hotel
• Transportation
• Professional and experienced licensed guide during the tour
• Entry fees to the museums and sites
• Parking fees, Tax included
• Lunch

Excluding: Drinks

Saint Nicholas, born in Patara in the second half of the 3rd century A.D. and the Bishop ofMyra, was beatified after his death and became the most popular Saint of Tsarist Russia and other European countries.

The Church of Saint Nicholas, its important architectural style and ornamentation in Byzantine art, is the finest example from the Middle Byzantine Period. The fact that Myra (Demre) was the capital of the Lycian province in the 5th century A.D. and the Archbishop of Myra was the second highest religious authority in Anatolia played an important role in increasing reputation of the city after the death of Saint Nicholas. The people of Myra built a monument and then a big basilica in the name of the Saint after his death. Within the same period a big church was built in Istanbul in the name of St. Nicholas. The basilica in Myra suffered a lot from earthquakes and invasions in the 8th century and was rebuilt as a domed church in the 9th century. The later additions were made in the 11th century during the Middle Byzantine Period. It is known that the most important restoration was carried out by order of Emperor Constantine IX, who became the emperor in 1042 and his wife Zoe. Most of the wall paintings and floor mosaics date well back to this period.

The antique city of Myra, in the district center of Demre and surroundings, was built on a plain of the same name. The sea was connected to the city by a canal constructed to the west of the Myros River (today called the Demre River). The port of Andriake (Çayağzı) on the other end of the canal was the centre for access to the sea and trade. The antique city of Myra is famous for its Lycian rock-cut tombs, for its Roman theatre and for the Church of Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) dating back to the Byzantine period.

The rock tombs, Lycian inscriptions and coins show that Myra was settled from at least the 5th century B.C. According to Strabon, Myra was one of the six leading cities of the Lycian League, and was then named Myrrh in Lycian inscriptions. The 2nd century A.D. was a period of great development in Myra. Many buildings were constructed and restored by the rich Lycians in the city which was the Metropolis of the Lycian League. During the Byzantine period Myra was the leading city of the region for religion and administration. It achieved its popularity through the Church of Saint Nicholas, which was built for Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) who was the Bishop of the city in the 4th century A.D. Myra lost its importance after the 7th century, a consequence of earthquakes, floods with alluvial silt deposited by the river and because of the Muslims coastal raids; and in consequence was reduced to county status after the 12th century. Its remaining consists of a theatre to the south of the acropolis and rock-cut tombs on both sides of the theatre. Inspections have shown that -except for the erecting, firmly built walls from the Roman period- other wall remains dating from the Hellenistic period and even from the 5th century B.C. can be found on top of the acropolis and thereabouts.