Belek→Patara

Belek and Patara sit at opposite ends of the Turkish Riviera, and they could hardly feel more different. Belek is the planned, polished one. Its irrigated fairways, pine-backed beach and large all-inclusive resorts spread across the flat land east of Antalya, in the Serik district. Patara is the wild one. It lies at the far western end of the old Lycian coast, where a dune-backed beach about 18 kilometres long runs beside the ruins of an ancient Lycian capital. The transfer between the two covers 169 km and takes about 178 minutes, which is just under three hours of driving before any stops. Much of the pleasure of the trip is watching one version of the coast give way to the other.

This page is a guide to that journey and to the place at the end of it. It covers the road, the best time to leave, how the arrival works, the areas to stay in around Patara, the beach and the ruins, evenings, travelling with children, the way back to the airport, and the day trips that make sense once you are there.

Your driver collects you at your Belek hotel and heads west towards Antalya. The first part of the trip is fast, flat and familiar. You pass the same resort belt that most visitors see on their arrival day, then the road runs along the southern side of Antalya on the coastal highway, the D400. The city is the busiest section of the whole route, so this is where traffic can add time.

West of Antalya the character of the drive changes. The road runs along the foot of the Western Taurus Mountains, and the sea appears on your left in wide, bright flashes between the pines. Near Kemer the mountains close in. The road climbs and bends above the water, past the coves and holiday villages around Tekirova, and the pine forest comes right down to the cliffs. Further on, the signs for Olympos, Cirali and the Chimaera flames point towards a very different, quieter holiday coast, and the drive gives you a first view of how undeveloped much of this shore still is.

After the mountain section the land opens out. Around Kumluca and Finike the highway crosses a broad, fertile plain. Greenhouses and citrus and orange groves fill the flat ground between the mountains and the sea, and in the cooler months you can see fruit stacked at the roadside. Beyond Finike the road reaches Demre, the ancient Myra, famous for the Church of St Nicholas and for its rock-cut Lycian tombs carved into the cliff face. Many passengers ask the driver to pause here, and it is a good place for a short break.

The last part of the drive is the most dramatic. The highway climbs and falls along the headlands, with long views of small islands and the blue water of Kekova. Kas is a natural place for a coffee stop. After Kas, the road continues past Kalkan, a hillside town that looks out over a deep bay, and then turns to Patara. The whole route is a real mountain-and-coast drive, so a calm, steady style of driving and a cool cabin matter more than speed. If you tend to feel sick on winding roads, tell the driver at the start and sit in the front seat if you can.

The listed duration of 178 minutes is a sensible figure for an ordinary run without stops. Real trips vary. A short coffee stop in Demre or Kas adds time, and a leisurely lunch adds more. For planning, treat the drive as roughly three hours moving and add the stops you want.

Several things push the journey towards the long end.

• Summer weekends and the middle of the day around Antalya and Kemer are busier than early morning.
• Slow trucks and farm vehicles are common on the Finike plain, and overtaking spots are limited in the mountain sections.
• Roadworks on a coastal highway can reduce a stretch to one lane for a while.
• Hot weather in July and August makes people stop more often.

An early start almost always gives a more comfortable trip. Leaving Belek in the morning means you pass Antalya before the heavy traffic builds up, you cross the mountain sections in good light, and you reach Patara with the afternoon still in front of you.

For a hotel check-in in Patara or Kalkan in the afternoon, a morning departure from Belek fits well. Breakfast at the resort, a relaxed checkout and a pickup around mid-morning leave time for a lunch stop on the way. If you prefer to arrive for the beach, an earlier start is better.

Before the day, check these points with the driver or through your booking contact:

• The exact name and address of your Patara or Kalkan accommodation, because some villas sit on small lanes that do not appear clearly on a map.
• The number of people and the amount of luggage, including golf bags, so the right vehicle comes.
• Whether you want a stop in Demre, Kas or at a viewpoint, and how long you want to stay.
• A phone number that works on arrival, since the final lanes to a villa can be hard to find.

At the Belek end, the pickup takes place at your hotel entrance. The Belek resorts are large, so tell reception which gate or lobby the driver should use. Bring water for the road, and a light layer if you are sensitive to cold air conditioning on a long trip.

Patara is a spread-out place. There is no real town centre in the usual sense. The area is made up of the village of Gelemis, the archaeological site and beach a short drive away, and scattered guesthouses and villas in the farmland around them. The beach and the ruins share one approach road that runs from the village. Because the entrance is the same for most visitors, the road can fill up with cars, bicycles and minibuses around midday in high summer. Mornings and late afternoons are calmer.

Your driver takes you to the door of your accommodation, whether that is a small hotel in Gelemis, a pension with a garden, or a private villa. Some places stand at the end of narrow or unpaved lanes. If so, the driver may stop at the nearest practical point and help with the bags for the last stretch. Giving the exact address and a contact number in advance avoids confusion.

Note that there is no airport in Patara and no fast road that shortcuts the mountains. The transfer is the journey. For many guests, the transfer is a good way to see the coast and arrive without having to find parking, read Turkish road signs or handle a rental car after a flight.

Patara itself is the quietest base. Gelemis village has small hotels, family-run pensions, a handful of restaurants and shops, and easy access to the beach and the ruins. It suits people who want a simple, slow holiday: early mornings on the sand, long lunches, walks among the ruins and early nights. It is not a nightlife destination.

Close to the beach, you find a few places that put you within walking distance of the sea. These suit guests who plan to spend most of the day on the sand and prefer not to depend on transport. Check the walking distance to the beach before you book, because some accommodation that is described as being near the beach is a short drive away.

Kalkan lies back along the same road, before you reach Patara, so the transfer passes it on the way. It is a small harbour town with white and stone houses stepping down a steep hillside to a bay. It has more restaurants, bars and shops than Patara, and it suits couples, friends and people who want an evening with a view. Its own beaches are small and pebbly, but the big sand beach of Patara is a short drive away. Many villas in the hills around Kalkan have a private pool and a sea view, which makes them popular with families and groups.

Kas lies on the road just before Kalkan. It is a lively, creative little town with a pretty harbour, narrow old streets and a relaxed, independent feel. It suits travellers who like a walkable town with boat trips, diving and cafes. It is also the place from which many boats leave for the Kekova area.

Patara beach is the reason many travellers make this long trip. It runs for about 18 kilometres, and the sand is fine, pale and backed by tall dunes with a wide-open feel that is rare on this coast. In places the shore slopes gently, so the sea is shallow near the water's edge and good for wading. When the wind is up, waves roll in, and the sea can have a strong swell. Swimmers should follow the flags and any local advice.

The beach is also a nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Because of this, access and lighting are limited at night, and the beach is not for evening parties or camping. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available in the part of the beach nearest to the entrance, while much of the rest of the sand stays natural and empty. Walk a few minutes along the shore and the crowd falls away.

Bring water and sun protection, because there is little shade away from the umbrellas. Late afternoon gives the best light on the dunes.

Patara was once an important port and a major city of the Lycian League, an early federation of Lycian cities. The site today is spread across scrubby ground and dunes, and a visit takes a couple of hours if you want to see the main features without rushing.

The most notable remains include:

• The theatre, built into a hillside, which gives a good view over the site.
• The Bouleuterion, the parliament building of the Lycian League, which is often described as one of the earliest examples of a democratic assembly hall in this part of the world.
• The lighthouse, which is counted among the oldest surviving lighthouses of the ancient world.
• The ancient granary, a large structure near the former harbour.
• The monumental arch at the entrance to the city, which stands beside the road into the site.

Patara is also linked by tradition with St Nicholas, who is said to have been born here. This connects the place with Demre, on your route, where he later served as bishop. A visitor who stops at the church in Demre on the way and then walks the ruins at Patara has seen both ends of that story.

Bring a hat, water and good shoes. The site has little shade, and summer midday is the least comfortable time to visit. Early morning or late afternoon is better, both for the heat and for photographs.

Eating in Patara is simple and local. Restaurants in Gelemis serve grilled meat, fresh fish, salads, mezes, and gozleme, the thin pancake rolled out and cooked on a hot plate. Several places serve food in gardens under trees, and many use produce from the surrounding farmland. After a day on the beach, a cold drink and a table in the shade is exactly what most guests want.

In the evening, Patara is calm. Some accommodation arranges dinner for guests, and a few restaurants stay open late, but do not expect a busy nightlife. This is a place for dinner, conversation and a clear sky full of stars. For a livelier evening, many visitors drive to Kalkan. The harbour and the hillside restaurants there have a good atmosphere at sunset, and the town has more bars. Kas offers a similar mood on a larger scale.

If you plan to go from Patara to Kalkan for dinner, agree the return ride before you go, since late-night taxis can be hard to find in a rural area. A private driver booked for the evening solves this problem and means nobody has to stay sober behind the wheel.

The long drive is the main challenge for families. About three hours in the car is a lot for young children, so plan it as an event rather than as a connection. A few ideas help:

• Leave in the morning, when children are fresh, and plan a stop in Demre, Kas or a roadside cafe so everyone can stretch.
• Bring snacks, water, books or tablets and a light blanket.
• Ask for a child seat when you book, so the right equipment is ready at pickup. Tell us the age and weight of each child.
• Carry a small bag with wet wipes and a change of clothes, in case a winding section upsets a small stomach.

At the Patara end, the beach suits families well. The shallow water, the wide space and the soft sand are good for building castles and paddling. Remember the sun, which is strong, and the lack of shade away from the umbrellas. Older children often enjoy the ruins, especially the theatre, where they can climb and look out over the site. The beach is also a good place to talk about the turtles and why part of it stays quiet at night.

Many travellers on this route come from the Belek golf scene, with clubs and suitcases in tow. Tell us the number of golf bags when you book so the vehicle matches the load. By public transport the same trip means changes in Antalya and near Kas, with luggage in the heat.

Because of the length of the trip, timing matters at both ends.

If you arrive late at night at Antalya Airport and continue to Patara, expect the arrival at your accommodation to be well after midnight. Rural guesthouses may need notice if they are to leave a door open or prepare the room, so tell your host in advance. For a very late arrival, many travellers prefer to sleep near Antalya or in Belek and make the journey to Patara in the morning, when the road is more pleasant and the views are visible.

For an early flight from Antalya, the plan starts the day before. Do not try to catch a morning flight with a late start. Leave Patara early enough to allow for the drive, traffic around Antalya, and the time you want at the terminal. For international flights, most travellers aim to be at the airport about three hours before departure, and the drive from Patara takes roughly as long as the 178 minutes on this page, a little less if you are heading for the airport and not for Belek, because the airport lies before Belek along the road. Add a buffer for the busy sections near Antalya.

In practice, for a morning departure you may leave Patara in the middle of the night. Tell your driver the flight time when you book so the pickup time can be planned with a buffer.

The way back follows the same road in reverse, and the same advice about traffic applies. The mountain section and the Antalya approach are the places where delays can build. Leave earlier than you think you need to, especially in July and August and on weekends.

A few tips for the return:

• Check out of your accommodation before the pickup and keep your passports and tickets in your hand luggage.
• Eat before the drive or take a snack. There are places to stop, but you do not want to lose time on the day you fly.
• Plan a pause in Kas or Demre only if your schedule is relaxed.
• If you are booking the return from the beginning, send us your flight number and time so the pickup can be matched to it.

Patara is a good base for one or two days of exploring. Some of the best-known options are within easy reach of the village.

Xanthos and Letoon. Xanthos was the great city of the Lycians, and Letoon was its religious centre. Both lie inland from Patara and are listed as World Heritage Sites. Together they make a good half-day, particularly if you have already seen the site at Patara.

Saklikent Gorge. A deep canyon in the mountains inland, where cold water runs through narrow rock walls. Visitors often walk into the gorge in the shallows, so bring water shoes and a change of clothes. It is a popular summer trip because the water is cool.

Kalkan and Kaputas. Kalkan has a pleasant harbour for a lunch stop. Kaputas Beach is a small, steep cove with bright blue water, set between cliffs on the road towards Kas. It is beautiful and busy in summer, so go early.

Kas and Kekova. Kas is a good place for a walk and a boat trip. Boats go from Kas and from the Demre area to Kekova, where parts of an ancient settlement lie in shallow water along the shore, and the village of Simena sits beneath a castle. It makes a relaxing day on the water.

Fethiye and Oludeniz. Further west is the Fethiye area, with the famous lagoon at Oludeniz. It is a longer excursion but possible in a day if you start early.

Olympos and Cirali. On the road back towards Antalya you can break the journey at Olympos or Cirali, where ruins in a forest valley and the Chimaera flames on a mountain slope bring in visitors in the evening. If you plan to return to Belek or the airport by a slower route, this can be a pleasant break on the way.

Many travellers book one full-day outing from Patara and spend the other days at the beach.

Patara works in different ways through the year.

Spring (April and May). The weather is warm and fresh, the wildflowers are out, and the ruins are comfortable to walk. The sea is still cool. It is a good time for sightseeing and for the drive, with fewer crowds.

Early summer (June). The beach season is in full swing, the water is warmer, and it is not yet at its hottest. Many travellers consider this one of the best months.

High summer (July and August). It is hot, the beach is at its busiest, and the road is busy too. Leave early, drink plenty of water and avoid the ruins at midday. The sea is at its warmest.

Autumn (September and October). The sea stays warm, the light softens and the crowds thin. This is a favourite time for people who want the beach without the heat of August.

Winter. Many small places in Patara close or reduce their opening, and the sea is too cold for most people. The coast is quiet and the ruins are empty. Check that your chosen accommodation is open. Winter weather can also bring rain and cooler days in the mountains, so allow a little more time for the drive.