The Patara ruins are located just outside the village of Gelemiş (aka Patara Village), on the way to Patara Beach. Patara was a major port for the Lycians. Today, the original harbor has fully silted over and the current shoreline is about a half kilometer away.

Patara was reputedly the birth place of St. Nicholas (aka Santa Clause – it was only later that he emigrated to the North Pole, though some historians insist he went to Demre instead. What do they know…). Alexander the Great visited the city in 334 B.C.

Many superb ruins are available to explore in this large, sprawling site, including an excellent amphitheater, the main street, multiple baths, a huge granary, and the very impressive ‘triumphal arch’ (presumably the city gate). Excavation / restoration is still actively underway.

Many ruins can also be seen off-site in the area, including along the road connecting Gelemiş with Patara. Iindeed, while walking along that road look for small tombs in the hillside next to you on the east side of the road.

Most of the ruins have signboards in English as well as Turkish, with lots of background information.

There’s an admission fee to get into the site. However, many of the ruins (including the impressive City Gate) can be seen from the adjacent road, which the Lycian Way follows.