Do Myra and the Church of St Nicholas together — they're minutes apart at Demre — and build the day around a Kekova sunken-city boat trip, which is the classic pairing and turns it into a genuinely memorable full day. Walk up into the Roman theatre for the best head-on view of the tomb cliff, bring a zoom lens or binoculars for the carved detail, and come in spring or autumn. It's the standout cultural stop on the central Lycian coast.
What to be sensible about: the site is open and shadeless, so high-summer middays are punishing — go early or late, with water and a hat. You can't climb up into the tombs themselves (they're roped off, and rightly so), so don't expect to clamber inside. And the church can get busy with coach groups and pilgrims, so time your visit around them if you can.
The rock tombs: a cliff full of houses for the dead
The headline sight is the Lycian rock-cut tombs — burial chambers carved straight into a sheer cliff above the ruins of Myra, dating to around the 4th century BC. What makes them extraordinary is the style: many are cut to resemble the fronts of Lycian timber houses, with carved beams, pillars and pediments, so the whole cliff reads like a stacked village. The Lycians believed a winged, bird-like creature bore the soul to the afterlife, so setting tombs high on the rock made spiritual sense — the higher the better.
The cluster sits directly above a large, well-preserved Roman theatre, and that combination — tier upon tier of stone seats below, the honeycombed cliff of tombs above — makes it one of the most dramatic ancient sights on the entire Turkish coast.
The Roman theatre below
Don't treat the theatre as a sideshow. While you can't climb into the tombs themselves, you can explore the theatre freely — walk through its vaulted passages and up the seating tiers. From the upper rows you get the best head-on view of the whole tomb-covered cliff, and a real sense of the scale of the ancient city. It's also the best vantage point for photographs.
Myra ruins: tombs + theatre
View the house-front tombs from the base of the cliff, then climb the Roman theatre for the head-on panorama. Bring a zoom lens or binoculars for the carved detail high up, and water and a hat in summer — there's little shade.
The Church of St Nicholas — the real Santa Claus
A short distance from the ruins stands the Church of St Nicholas, and the story is genuine: St Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop of Myra, renowned for his generosity and secret gift-giving, and the legends around him grew over the centuries into Father Christmas / Santa Claus. The church in Demre is built on the site associated with him and holds a tomb traditionally said to be his — though most of his relics were carried off to Bari in Italy in the 11th century.
It's a lovely early Byzantine church, with surviving mosaics, frescoes and stonework, and it's a place of quiet pilgrimage as much as sightseeing. Myra and the church are almost always visited together; allow around 45 minutes here.
Church of St Nicholas
An atmospheric early Byzantine church on the site linked to the historical Santa Claus, with old mosaic floors and a much-revered tomb. Separate entry fee. It draws coach groups and pilgrims, so visit early or late if you can.
Combine it with Kekova's sunken city
Here's the move that turns a good visit into a great day: pair Myra with a Kekova sunken-city boat trip. Right next door, Kekova is famous for its partially submerged ancient ruins — house walls, steps and harbour lines slipping beneath clear water, glided over by boat or viewed through a glass-bottomed gulet — plus the pretty castle village of Kaleköy.
A typical day does the Myra rock tombs and St Nicholas church in the morning, then a Kekova boat trip in the afternoon (or the reverse). Many organised tours bundle exactly this, and with your own transport it's an easy, satisfying full day mixing cliff-tombs, a Santa-Claus church and a sunken city. For more, see our things to do in Lycia roundup.
Getting there
Myra is at Demre, on the central Lycian coast. The nearest base is Kaş, a short, scenic drive away; from Antalya it's a longer run west; from Fethiye and the western resorts it's a real haul, better as part of a wider trip or an overnight near Kaş or Kekova.
| From | How | Rough time |
|---|---|---|
| Kaş | Hire car, taxi or dolmuş; easiest base | ~40 min |
| Antalya | Car or bus west along the coast | ~1.5–2 h |
| Fethiye | Long drive; best as part of a longer trip | several hours |
| Myra entry | Rock tombs + theatre, per person | separate fee |
| St Nicholas entry | Church, per person | separate fee |
Entry fees move with Turkey's inflation, so treat any figure as approximate and check at the gate. By public transport, intercity and local buses (dolmuş) run to Demre; otherwise book a private transfer or join a day tour. A hire car gives you the freedom to combine Myra, St Nicholas and a Kekova boat trip at your own pace.
When to go
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are best — comfortable temperatures and lovely light on the cliff, without the fierce midday heat of high summer. The site is quite open and shadeless, so in July and August go early or late and bring water and a hat. Allow about 1–1.5 hours for the Myra ruins and around 45 minutes for the church. For how this fits the wider season, see our best time to visit Lycia guide.
Plan your trip
Or read: Kekova guide · Kaş · Things to do · Best time to visit
Frequently asked
What are the Myra rock tombs?
Lycian burial chambers carved into a sheer cliff above ancient Myra, around the 4th century BC, many cut to look like the fronts of timber houses with beams, pillars and pediments. Clustered above a large Roman theatre, the cliff reads like a stacked village of the dead — one of the most dramatic ancient sights on the coast.
Is the Church of St Nicholas really about Santa Claus?
Yes. St Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop of Myra, famous for secret gift-giving, whose legend grew into Father Christmas / Santa Claus. The church in Demre is on the site linked to him and holds a tomb traditionally said to be his (most of his relics went to Bari, Italy, in the 11th century). It's a beautiful early Byzantine church, usually visited with Myra.
Can you go inside the rock tombs or the theatre?
You can walk up to the cliff base and view the tombs close-up, but the chambers are roped off for conservation and safety — climbing into them is forbidden. The Roman theatre below, though, you can explore: walk its passages and seating tiers for the best head-on view of the tomb cliff. Bring a zoom or binoculars for the detail.
Should I combine Myra with a Kekova boat trip?
It's the classic, recommended pairing. Demre is right next to Kekova and its sunken city — submerged ancient ruins you glide over by boat or see through a glass-bottomed gulet, plus the castle village of Kaleköy. Do Myra and St Nicholas in the morning, Kekova in the afternoon (or the reverse); many tours bundle exactly this.
How do you get to Myra and Demre?
Myra is at Demre on the central Lycian coast: about 40 minutes' scenic drive east from Kaş, roughly 1.5–2 hours west from Antalya, and a long haul from Fethiye. Buses (dolmuş) run to Demre, or book a private transfer or day tour. A hire car lets you combine Myra, St Nicholas and Kekova at your own pace.
When's the best time, and what are the fees?
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are best — comfortable and good light, without high-summer heat on the shadeless site; in July–August go early or late with water and a hat. Myra and the Church of St Nicholas each charge a separate entry fee at the gate; prices shift with inflation, so check on arrival. Allow 1–1.5 hours for Myra and ~45 minutes for the church.