Patara and Patara Beach
 
Below you will find historical details of Patara. But after you have seen the beauty of Letoon and Xanthos, my suggestion would be to drive straight through the ruins on your way to one of the best beaches in the world! This is a body surfers dream! And kids just love playing in the sand for hours on this 7 mile protected beach. Weekends and holidays can be crowded, so opt for a weekday. They serve good food, drinks and ice cream at a concession stand and you can rent umbrellas and chairs. Spend the day here. It is heaven.

Patara - the Mythological birthplace of Apollo and a principal harbor of ancient Lycia. The ruins are numerous and fascinating. Its twenty-two kilometers of pure white sand stretch as far as the eye can see, making it a natural choice for all types of beach sports. I suggest you leave Patara until last on your day tour. You can visit the site by taxi. Don't walk - it is very spread out - have the taxi take you to the ruins. Then he can drop you off at the beach (be clear where to meet up with him again) so you can have a swim on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean.
Patara was one of the five major cities in the Lycian League. Patara continued to develop during the Roman Period, within the Lycian union, and carried on its function as a naval base where the Judicial procedures of the Roman governorship were carried out and the relations of Rome with the eastern provinces were maintained. Patara continued to be important during the Byzantine Period and it is the locality where St. Nicholas was born. The harbor of Patara is filled with sand today. You see the Arch of Triumph on your way to Patara; it was the gate of entrance to Patara. This arch was built in the years of 100 AD during the time of Mettius Modestus, the Governor of Rome in Lydia. You see the tombs of Lycian type at the edge of the road. The temple of Apollon should have probably been situated on the hill above the arch. There are ruins of baths at the south of the hill. There are ruins of a basilica at the edge of the road, ruins of a bath on the west-hand side of this and further beyond, a temple of Corinthian order with its Cella Gate still standing. The theater which was built at the skirt of the slope of a hill in 147 AD, is covered with sand. The temple of Athena is located on the hill where the theater is set. There is a cistern with a depth of 8 m adjacent to this temple. There was a cereal barn in ancient times in the harbor which is filled with sand today. There is a monumental tomb adjacent to the barn building and the structures of the agora of Patara are situated at the back of the barn.

Tip: If you are interested in ancient Patara - buy the guide book from the Entrance Ticket Booth. This is the only place you can buy this book.
 
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A copy of this information is available onboard the Gundogan for your convenience.