Things to do at Azur Villa

Highly recommended

A day boat trip:  There are truly some wonders to experience which lie on the doorstep of Azur villa.  See the remarkable “Sunken City”, a Roman town which was destroyed by an earthquake leaving many the town’s buildings and possessions still visible under the sea.  Make a lunch stop at Simena village where you can explore the castle built by the Knights of St John during the Crusades.  And remember all of this with as much swimming as you like in a part of the Mediterranean which is truly spectacular. 

Make your way down to Andriake harbour (1km from the house) where you'll find plenty of choice of day trips.  I suggest getting a few different prices so you can gauge the price and don't shy away from a little haggling!

A visit to the ruins of Myra and St Nicholas church with lunch:  With all of this only a couple of miles from Azur villa, it is an ideal half or full day trip.  Start by visiting ancient Myra.  The Lycian civilisation prospered in this area in 500 – 200BC.  Lycian nobles were buried in elaborate tombs carved out of the side of a hill or mountain.  The effect is quite remarkable and the tombs at Myra are the best in all of Turkey.  In later times the ancient Greeks built an impressive theatre next to these tombs which the Romans would then expand.  Take a break for lunch at this point in my favourite Demre restaurant called Ipek where you can have a hearty meal with drinks at a reasonable price.  Then, down the street, finish your day at the church of St Nicholas, precursor to the modern day Santa Claus.

A day at the beach:  this suggestion may seem obvious, but the coastline and sea is so good in this part of the world that it needs to be mentioned.  There are two spots I love around Azur villa.  The first is "the rock", a small concreted platform belonging to Azur Villa and the other houses on the site.  It takes just a minute to stroll to, you dive straight into the open Mediterranean and is ideal for snorkelling.  It is perfect for adults.  For families, a 5min car ride takes you to Tasdibi beach, a 5 mile long deserted pebble beach with crystal clear water.  Just before Tastibi is a sandy beach called Suluklu which shelves very gently into the sea making it ideal and safe for younger children or toddlers.

Andriake museum: only opened in 2015, Andriake museum brings to life a site which was an important cog in the supply chain to Rome from Egypt.  A 2000 year old vast granary is just one of the many treasures to behold at this mesmerising site.  What is even better is it is less than a 5min drive from Azur Villa!

Enjoyable

A day at Kas town:  a popular tourist town which thankfully has still been able to retain its charm.  About 30 miles from Azur villa, Kas is good for souvenir shopping, eating and adventure sports such as scuba diving or parasailing.

A day trip to the Greek island of Kastellorizo/Meis from Kas town: Called Meis in Turkish and Kastellorizo (and Megisti!) in Greek, this is very pleasant day trip to a tiny Dodecanese island with the population of around 450 people. The island sits just opposite the harbour of Kas and Meis Kastellorizo is the closest Greek island to Turkey.  The boat will sail over to the island where you can spend whole your day in Meis island and see the Greek’s culture. Relax in the sun on the beach or walk the island. The harbour area in Meis is charming with warren of alleys and houses behind the pretty waterside shops and restaurants.  Meet at 9.30am at Kas harbor, all you need is your passport with you.  You can find more information here and at the well-established and Kas-based Bougainville Travel Agency.

The Chimaera flames with fish lunch:  The Chimaera flames date back to ancient times where sailors used to navigate by them and where today they are used to brew tea.  Combine your visit with a meal at the fish restaurant in nearby Ulupinar.  Set alongside a waterfall in a lush green forest, your fish will be taken fresh from the river.  A 3 course meal with drink is very reasonably priced.  Make a full day out of this trip by going swimming at Olimpos in the morning, having lunch and taking in the flames in late afternoon or early evening.  A car is essential for this trip.  Journey time from Azur villa is approximately 1-1.5 hours.

A day at Saklikent gorge:  Saklikent gorge is about a 2 hour drive from Azur villa.  Combine your visit with a meal on one of the platform restaurants which bridge the rapids.

Worth a go

Paragliding at Kas town:  This and other adventure sports are available at the well-established and reputable Bougainville Travel Agency in Kas.

The Lycian Way:  The Lycian Way is, according to the Sunday Times,  one of the top ten best walks in the world.  In full, it is about 500km long and takes two months to complete.  Thankfully, it runs straight through Demre, so you might be tempted to take a few days or a week to walk a part of it.  The authoritative book on the subject is called The Lycian Way by Kate Clow.  A copy is at Azur villa.

A day at Saklikent gorge:  Saklikent gorge is about a 2 hour drive from Azur villa.  Combine your visit with a meal on one of the platform restaurants which bridge the rapids.

A night at the Gokkaya sea disco:  This is a disco which can only be accessed by sea making it popular with passing gulet cruises.  It is only a 30min boat ride from Azur villa so you could arrange with Adnan to take you there and back.  Definitely a good night out for a price that will leave you plenty extra for your drinks.