patara ruins

happyholidays8

Like many other ruins in Turkey you have much better access to these than in say Italy. We spent about an hour wandering about savouring the atmosphere and admiring some of the reconstruction. Also great about these and others (such as Xanthos) there seems to be plenty of room and crowds do not seems to be a problem, so you can appreciate all the more the glory of these ancient buildings.

Smart_Choice_NL

Wow, what an amazing city this must have been. So cool to go in the winter with the site empty and you really can appreciate the details and work of arts. Stunning! Check out the Eucalyptus Pension to stay - very warm welcome and good experience.

983aaronw

These ruins are definitely worth the extra effort to visit. Not far from either of the main centres in Fethiye or Kaş, you can easily reach Patara on a day trip. Being here in the off season meant we had the site to ourselves, except for our canine escorts who wandered everywhere with us.The ruins are spread over a reasonable area and all are in remarkable repair. The two different theatres are beautiful examples and give a great feeling of the scale of the site in its hey day.Make the trip and if you can stay in the village of Gelemiş as it is beautiful break from the larger towns surrounding it.

juanito1111

well I come to Patara from Kas by my self as I'm solo traveler and I avoid the tours companies. there are no direct buses to Patara though, (you have to get off in the cross road to Gelemis village) witch is 3 Km from the main road, the town is small and people are really friendly,lots of accommodations you can find there,but you have to walk to get to town witch is about 30 minutes,the Ancient Roman city is amazing well preserved place,it takes about 20 minutes to get to the ancient city from town,by walk the entry fee is only US $5. there are many places to go and explore by you self,the long and sandy beach amazing, Summer time good. as I come in winter, a little bit cold raining and windy. I just expend less than US $70,for one day with accommodation, transport, and entry fee. have fun.

fethif2014

It was an important big time city. NY of its time. But ruins too much spread out. Take 2-3 hours. as you arrive go south to beach. walk west on beach keeping the watchtower in sight. as you reach the tower, then path takes you around. place looks very deserted but dont be scared. it is safe. all the remainings are worth seeing. collect info on city b4 you go.

BernieLimassol

A relatively small site but plenty to keep your interest for two or three hours. Some of the monuments have been restored but some are in ruins as found. Worth carrying on to the beautiful beach which is another kilometre or so away.

SCrealreviews

Interesting seeing something that is around the same era as some Egyptian sites. Very large amphitheatre - shame it is in complete ruin. However a local also informed us that they dislike what has been done to update the government building next door. Locals think it is ruined as no longer a ruin.... But it does give a fabulous idea do what it would have looked like. Get someone to sit on the front row & take a pic from the stage area..... It gives great perspective of its size. Covering the floor with glass to protect it.... from ourselves....

Sallydavies

The site was really extensive, with some reconstructions and recent excavations. Large noticeboards in Turkish and English helped explain the ruins and bring it all to life. It takes many hours to visit it all, from the necropolis to the theatre and the baths to the lighthouse, without much shade, so wear sturdy trainers and a sunhat. The little shop wasn't open all the time but sold cold drinks and books.Patara beach is only a short distance away, with miles of clean sand and a decent cafe with sunbeds and parasols to hire. If visiting from Kalkan go to the bus station and take the minibus that includes the beach/site admission charge- its much cheaper than going on an excursion.

SimplyFred

This area is huge and we must go again to truly understand the scale. The most useful thing for us would be a decent plan map. Walk through the Main Street / Agora down to the baths and then around to the granaries and further down the side of what would have been the port to the outer lighthouse. What an amazing location. There has been partial reconstruction of the Lycian League assembly building which had been used apparently as a desirable functioning model by James Madison in forming the constitution of the United States. It has been partially stabilised and hopefully in a sensitive way.

vi0letaaa

Visited the parliament building (the world's first)and amphitheater both just before you get to the beach. They are both in fantastic condition with work continuing. Loved being able to stand in the parliament and sit where once others had done the same thousands of years ago and imagined what that would have been like.

zxcxc

Walked through all the ruins on the way to Patara Beach came back at twilight to sit in the amphitheater and imagine the civilization that once lived there. There were lots of goats roaming everywhere. Patara was Lycia's major port.

naomiBristol

patara is a little gem nr a fantastic beach, (but please dont tell too many people).. only quiet nature- & archeology-lovers should go..

Terra_Encounters

More like a village than a town, it is not the spot for night clubbing. It is also off the main highway and remote from other towns if you do not have a car. So is it a must-see? That would be a resounding yes. But Patara is more than just seeing the Arch of Modestus, the Main Avenue, and the pièce de résistance, the Bouleuterion. Patara and the Lycians who lived here have had a major impact on the whole world. This is no exaggeration. The Bouleuterion was the first parliament in Europe where the elected representatives of the Lycian League met. Their representative government from before 100 BC was actually used by many countries around the world as the model for our modern democracies. For photos and more details see http://terraencounters.blogspot.com/2014/10/patara-turkey.html

Rich53y

The remains of the Lycian city if Patara cover a vast area just behind the famous beach.The ruins range from the well-preserved amphitheatre to mere piles of stones as well as the impressive reconstruction of the assembly building of the ancient Lycian League. Information boards are in Turkish and English so no problems there.At a mere 5TL (£1.40) entry this attraction really is a bargain. You could easily spend a whole day wandering the ruins and walking the shady paths. However facilities are sparse or even non-existent. The day we visited the tiny shop and the toilets were both locked up.

LOBSTER64

We hired a private trip for 8 of us to see Xanthos, Tlos, Yaka Park, Letoon, Patara and Patara beach. We split the £120 price between us . What a fantastic day well worth it . We booked it through Yavuz at TINY AKROPOL. Try this out wonderful views and that was just the countryside. All of these sites are worth a visit but to do 5 Amphitheatres in one day was brilliant.