Antalya Demre Myra Kekova Tour: An Honest Review

Dreaming of checking out some cool historic spots and chilling on the turquoise coast? A tour to Demre, Myra, and Kekova from Antalya sounds just like what you are after. It is almost a full-day thing, so you’ll be covering a good bit of ground and packing a lot of awesome sights. Is that tour actually worth your precious vacation time? Let’s see!

What to Expect on the Tour

Okay, first things first: this is normally a guided tour, so that means somebody is going to handle transportation. Expect an early pick-up from your hotel in Antalya or nearby areas – could be as early as 6 AM because there is very, very much driving involved to get all the way down to Demre. After that, it’s approximately a two-to-three-hour drive down the coast, the landscape is so beautiful; winding roads with mountain views and a shimmering ocean that should make that drive feel like less of a drag.

You usually start in Myra, which had so many Lycian rock-cut tombs carved into the cliff faces. These things are impressive. The sheer scale of it gets your attention, and so the guide is right there to walk you through a bit of the background on Lycian civilization. Think history lesson but told while you are standing right in front of the stuff. There’s also the Roman theater in Myra, and that is quite nicely preserved, too. It’s not difficult to imagine the crowds cheering for some dramatic play centuries ago.

Next on the agenda is usually Demre itself, more specifically, the Church of St. Nicholas. Yes, that St. Nicholas. We are talking about the inspiration for Santa Claus! That Byzantine church houses St. Nicholas’ tomb. Expect a bit of a queue as you may visit, and prepare for it to be very, very crowded inside, basically, just because this place is popular among religious pilgrims and just tourists.

Finally, perhaps the highlight of the whole tour: Kekova. You board a boat for a cruise around the Kekova Island. It’s almost like a proper highlight simply because of what you get to see – the Sunken City. Centuries ago, earthquakes caused the ancient city to sink gradually underwater. It’s amazing to peek at partially submerged buildings and walls. The water there is super clear, often, and you can catch fantastic glimpses even without snorkeling. Most tours include a stop for a swimming break, too, in one of the bays around Kekova, so remember your swimming stuff.

The Good Stuff: Why You Might Dig This Tour

There are a lot of reasons to seriously think about booking this tour, mostly, especially if you are somebody who wants a little variety in your vacation. It isn’t just baking on a beach, basically you know? Here is what it might bring:

History Buff Heaven: If old civilizations get your engine running, you will like Myra a lot. That is almost where you can actually see and touch history. Plus, hearing all about St. Nicholas in Demre gives this trip a certain magical kind of appeal, in some respects.
Eye Candy Landscapes: From those coastal drives down to the views from Kekova while on the boat, there is barely any shortage of postcard-ready scenarios, right? Make sure that your camera is charged, really.
A Break from the Beach: Antalya has so much coastline, but this tour shows that the area has far more things than just great sunbathing spots, it seems. This makes it a super choice for those wanting more things to do in their vacations.
No-Fuss Logistics: Truly, very few people on vacation love worrying all about rental cars, finding parking places, and all of that jazz. That tour handles all of the details – transportation, entry fees (in some cases), and so guides are provided. Basically, this takes away some pressure to allow yourself to just relax and actually enjoy it.

Things to Think About: The Potential Downsides

Okay, let’s keep this completely real here. This trip has its downsides, and being aware of them might aid you to get the best expectations and better manage how the day unfolds, okay? Here are some aspects that you might think are not too cool:

Long Day: Seriously, be prepared to basically spend 10-12 hours from hotel pick-up till return. Driving takes up a big chunk of that period, really. So this trip probably wouldn’t be the best idea, maybe, if you have young kids who get quickly restless on long rides.
Crowds: Demre, and particularly St. Nicholas Church, could get intensely busy. Sometimes it gets tough to totally soak in the place while you are shoulder-to-shoulder with fifty others. During peak season – July and August – this will be highly pronounced.
The “Shopping Stop”: It’s basically the rule for many group tours in Turkey: there’s usually that designated stop in some jewelry shop or a local craft center in that tour. These are actually money making agreements between the tour operators, and the shop people will seriously try to sell items to the tourists at inflated costs. If you are a fan, knock yourself out. If not, prepare to politely say “no, thank you” a good number of times or just hang around outside to look at things.
Quality of Guiding: Depending on your guide you get, it could be super fantastic and full of awesome trivia and facts, or it could be slightly dull with rote recitation from memory. Some tour companies focus more on selling volume, instead of securing that their guides are truly knowledgeable.

Making the Most of Your Tour: Tips and Tricks

Want to have the greatest time possible in your tour? So here’s the way to actually rock it:

Pack Smart: Bring comfortable walking footwear, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. And if you’re going in that summertime heat, remember, light, breathable outfits are literally the way to go, arguably. Swimsuit as well!
Hydrate: Long day, and the Turkish sun is actually no joke. Carry a refillable water bottle and refill every time you are able to. It will certainly do a body good.
Snacks: While it’s normal to get lunch included in the tour deal, throwing some snacks might assist keeping low blood sugar from messing with the fun for the rest of the period, especially that the lunches that they provide tend to be late.
Ask Questions: If your tour guide is worth their money, take the chance. Ask something! Getting clarification helps give dimension to your traveling experiences and you might know a little more than the other tourists.
Respect the Sites: When traveling cultural sites, ensure that you act appropriately. Refrain from literally climbing over any of the historical monuments, and when you are in the church, take into account that this could actually be a sacred place.
Review: Make sure you have a better than good idea of what it really looks like prior to your visit in the church, the shop or anything else. Many shops will make sure things look good, so it pays to get prepared.

Is the Demre Myra Kekova Tour Worth It? The Final Verdict

So here’s actually the million-dollar question: If you find yourself actually vacationing around Antalya and you’re thinking about going with it – absolutely? Even taking into account the period on that vehicle and those probably packed areas? Probably yes! It seems that the prospect of viewing the amazing Lycian tombs, walking within the path of the guy who basically became Santa Claus and witnessing that unique Sunken City tends to make it such a genuinely worthwhile undertaking. Basically just get fully prepped for a busy day, handle your expectations relating to crowds, but just get your eyes totally peeled for the impressive sightseeing, you know.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lunch included in the tour?

It basically depends on what tour company you opt to go with. Double-check your package descriptions before anything. Most packages usually provide this for you, yet generally confirm whether actually drinks are an added extra!

Will there actually be opportunities to swim?

Yep! Most Kekova boat cruises include a swim stop somewhere among bays near Kekova Island, typically. Bring your swimwear if that sounds exactly up your lane.

Can you swim over the Sunken City?

Though once allowed, this is currently not allowed to literally help protect what remains for the submerged old relics. View this from atop boat level rather.

Do all trips go by boat?

To view that Sunken City, boat passage definitely is compulsory due largely in part to it actually being partially beneath the waves, obviously.

Could these tours be fitting for actually kids?

Shorter bursts are perhaps more enjoyable! Just bring distraction material as it is probably a lot longer on one vehicle during daytime runs, also keeping children’s shorter capacity periods. If that group tour’s program doesn’t suit junior travelers at any instance — check individual travel services since many might accommodate exclusive travels with greater modifications geared towards kid stuff.