Demre (ancient Myra) is a small town on the Lycian coast about 160 km west of Antalya, best known for two reasons: the extraordinary Lycian rock-cut tombs carved into a cliff face above the town, and the Church of St Nicholas — the actual burial place of the historical bishop who became the template for Santa Claus.
The Lycian necropolis at Myra is among the most impressive in Turkey. Hundreds of elaborate tombs are carved directly into a sheer cliff face, some with carved facades imitating wooden house fronts, others with painted interiors still faintly visible. Below the cliff, a well-preserved Roman theatre completes one of the best ancient sites on the coast.
The Church of St Nicholas in town is a Byzantine building on the site of the saint's original church. Nicholas was born in nearby Patara around 270 CE and served as bishop of Myra until his death around 343 CE. His bones were taken to Bari by Venetian merchants in 1087 — an annual service on 6 December still commemorates this connection. Combine Demre with a boat trip to the sunken ruins at nearby Kekova.