Demre is the modern town on the site of Myra, one of the great cities of ancient Lycia, and it sits in a flat, fertile plain between the Taurus mountains and the Mediterranean on the south coast of Turkey. A great cluster of tomb houses, cut into the cliff face above the old city around the fourth century BC, looks down on the town, their stone fronts carved to imitate wooden buildings, and a large Roman theatre stands at their foot. It is one of the most impressive ancient sites on the coast, and visitors are often surprised at how few people are there.
The town's other claim to fame is Saint Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop of Myra who became the model for Santa Claus. A Byzantine church in the middle of town, restored in the nineteenth century, is said to have housed his tomb, though in 1087 sailors from Bari in Italy took his bones back to their own city, and Venetians claimed the rest. The church is still a pilgrimage destination, with a good deal of tourist traffic, and the fine mosaic floor is worth a look.
The plain around is covered in greenhouses, producing tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers for export. The sight of plastic roofs glinting under the mountains is not romantic but explains the local economy. Beyond the town, a short drive leads to Üçağız and Kekova, where boats take you over sunken ruins of a Lycian city drowned by earthquakes, with stairs and walls visible beneath the clear water.
The D400 is the coast road, and it is a good ride. Between Fethiye and Demre it winds through pine forest and across rocky headlands, with views of turquoise bays, and the bends are frequent and the surface good. Traffic can be heavy in summer, with buses and lorries, and drivers overtake with optimism, so keep your wits about you. In the hot summer months, the best riding is in the early morning or the evening.
Demre has several petrol stations, shops and simple restaurants, and the grilled fish and fresh vegetable dishes are excellent. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild weather and fewer crowds. Orange and lemon trees line the roads, and the scent of citrus blossom in spring is wonderful.