Famous Turkish tour Demre-Mira (Limira)-Kekova is among the most visited excursions of Turkey. Here we are not spared the much publicized tour party. Bought a tour in travel Agency in the city of Kemer.
This day tour is designed for all day, includes:
- visit the ancient city of Mira,
- the Roman theater and rock tombs Limira;
- the Church of St. Nicholas;
- lunch;
- yacht tour to the sunken city off the coast of the island of Kekova.
Overall, the tour saw us quite informative and rich. In principle, in fact, and so it was, except for some nuances.
So, on the morning of the appointed day, near the hotel we took the sightseeing bus and took a tour.
We drove for quite a long time, about two hours. But the trip was not boring, along the way, from the window of a bus, you can see beautiful rocky shores of the Mediterranean, small and cute Turkish Polozkov and towns. So we went and admired the scenery, so for us the road did not seem tedious.
During the journey the driver made a stop at a roadside cafe. Here you can go to the toilet, to buy water or a snack. All at their own expense.
The first tour stop was a visit to the ruins of the ancient cities in the World. Currently, the town is called Demre, until 2005 was called Kale, is a town and district in the province of Antalya Turkey. The world was once a mighty city and capital of the ancient Lycian Kingdom. Presently, the city remained only the rocky ruins, tombs and amphitheater, located here and there in the vicinity of the Mira (Demre).
Rock-hewn Lycian tombs was just the first stop in the World. The uniqueness and originality of these tombs is due to the fact that the peoples of Lycia was the custom to bury the dead in the high places, as it was assumed that it would help them faster and better to go to heaven.
Entrance to the tombs is fenced and pay $ 10 per person. This nuance has become the trouble in the tour. The fact that the purchase of the tour, we were not informed that entrance anywhere will be paid, which we did not bring enough money and to come close to the ruins rock tombs Worlds we failed.
So we looked at the rocky ruins of Lycian tombs only from a distance
Near the entrance to the rock tombs are shops with Souvenirs and icons. We have the impression that we have stopped here just for this. The guide apparently garter with traders stalls, he makes us certain, where the traders were set to work and scraped his fabulous stories about superpowers and naturalness of its products.
The ruins of ancient Worlds are just two kilometers from the modern city center of Demre. So if you have the time, then walk through the picturesque streets of the modern Worlds. Unfortunately, such was not possible, due to the saturation of the tour, the guides drove us almost at a gallop.
The second stop was a visit to the Church of St. Nicholas in the lower Worlds. The Church of St. Nicholas (Demre) or, as it is also called the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, is the main attraction of the whole city and excursions.
The Church of St. Nicholas, and the whole city in the World, considered one of the centers of Christianity. The place where he lived and preached by Nicholas of Patras, better known in the Orthodox tradition as Saint Nicholas or Saint Nicholas. Hence the name of the Church, the Church of St. Nicholas. Nicholas was the son of a sailor, as was his status of protector of sailors, he has studied in Xanthus and became Bishop of Myra, where he preached with approximately 310 ad. And remained within the walls of the Worlds until his death in 343 years. Immediately after the death of the Saint in the World, a Church was built. It is in this Church and carry tourists, where they brought us.
Currently, the Church is an ancient ruins, but try to maintain more or less proper form. What in the walls of the temple visible on the fresh bricks and cement.
Interior view of the Church
Church yard
The original Church was destroyed by an earthquake in the second century of our era. Later, in its place was built the Basilica, which was destroyed in the 7th century by the Arabs. The modern building, which can be seen to this day, a cruciform Basilica, built only around the 8th century ad.
The legend says that the walls of this Church, in a marble sarcophagus, was originally buried the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. They say now the relics are located in Italy in the Middle ages they were taken by Italian sailors to Bari.
The sarcophagus is behind a glass partition, in the southern nave of the Church, which is located between the two columns behind the broken marble walls. Natural currently inside the sarcophagus nothing, and indeed he had not marble.
The legend says that touching the sarcophagus and making a wish, it will surely come. In recent times, often traveling to such places, we noticed that each thing (wall, house, rock, monuments, sarcophagi, etc.) assigned to the wonderful power of wish fulfillment. Well, anyhow... tourists we need to attract.
In the second version of the legend, of every single girl that touched the sarcophagus of St. Nicholas of Myra, will be married in the near future!
The walls of the Church is the sculpture of St. Nicholas. Interesting facts: Nicholas the Wonderworker in addition to the patron Saint of sailors and children, is also a symbol of the new year in many countries, Ded Moroz in Russia, Babbo Natale in Italian, Santa Claus in English.
After visiting the temple we ate in a cafe across the road. Lunch consisted of chicken and horns on the side. So so obedik turned out to be.
Then we were brought to the boat where we had to go to a small island in the Mediterranean sea Kekova. On the North side of the island are the ruins of the ancient Lycian city Dolihiste (another name for Karawala), destroyed by an earthquake in the 2nd century BC and partially gone under water.
On assurances of the guide, this is one of the main Turkish attractions. During the trip on the boat with a glass bottom we had to see the remains of ruins from many structures that lie below the water level. Also, we were told that the coastline of the island of Kekova is just littered with antique items, at a depth of 5-6 meters, we will see marble columns, statues, stone stairs, sidewalks, walls of houses, the seafront, the remains of the ancient port of the Lycian sarcophagi, also household items and interiors once the Lycian people.
In fact, the glass-bottom yachts were small and hazy Windows in the floor through which nifiga not visible. Nor columns, nor sarcophagi, nor of the houses or sunken port on the bottom of the sea we have not seen. Is that something where it was seen lying a few broken pitchers and cups, maybe especially there, throw, or maybe not, who now will disassemble.
However, the trip itself on a yacht on the sea we loved
On returning from a sea voyage stood on the shore the man with bagels on her head. It traded at a price of $ 1 apiece. Approach him, give a dollar, he leans down, and you take the top bagel. The bagels were fresh and delicious. Good and tasty idea, I thought I'd even take a picture.
Then we again boarded the bus and drove on a mountain road along the coast was very beautiful
Next stop, the remains of the Greco-Roman amphitheatre, located in Lemire, right by the road. The amphitheatre was at that time quite a large building, designed for 400 seats.
During the reign of the Romans, the amphitheatre was converted into a ring for gladiatorial combat. Something arena similar to the Colosseum in Rome, of course, such impressive size and the dazzling beauty and mystery.
At the upper levels of the ruins of the Greco-Roman theater there are passages, once the tunnels and cellars, which were gladiators. In these holes we climbed ourselves. The stop was short, a couple frames and went on.
The last stop was the tomb of Limira. Now the tomb is a small stone room, in which emptiness and darkness.
Our informative one day tour Demre-Mira (Limira)-Kekova came to an end. We boarded the bus and went back to his hotel. Arrived at the hotel in the evening.
Virtual tour of Demre-Mira (Limira)-Kekova can be divided into three blocks:
- sightseeing: ruins of ancient cities, tombs and amphitheatre Limyra;
- tour to the temple-Basilica of St. Nicholas;
- a trip to the shores of the island of Kekova.
Council on tour, Demre-Limira (Mira)-Kekova! Before buying a tour, contact agent, selling tours, what is included in the price. This is especially true if the price is below the market average. Very often, having bought at low cost trips, you have to pay on the spot entry fees, lunch or any further tour guide services. How come we have bought the trip for 45 USD for two, so some of the seats were paid and lunch is tasteless. Later learned that this tour is from 50 USD per ticket. Although not the fact that paying a higher price, the quality of services is better.
