Probably as famous for its beach as for the ruins scattered about the valley Patara is a nice place to spend some time. During the summer and into the Autumn the water is lovely and the 15 odd kilometres of beach are very inviting, especially after a hard day climbing around old things. Patara was a member of the Lycian federation, in common with the other city sites in the valley, and was renowned for its oracle during antiquity. The ruins you can see, including the rather fine triple arch of the proplyon, delineate what was once the harbour but has now silted up into marshes.

Whether or not you're into the ruins you should make an effort to get here. There are some pensions and basic restaurants back from the site and a couple of cafes down on the beach.

Features:

• Proplyon - triple arched edifice bordering on the spectacular and certainly set off by it's, er... setting

• Theatre - nice view of the site from here

• Hadrianic Granary - very impressive structure

• Mausoleum - a bit of a hike back from the beach but maybe worth a look

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