Finike

A twisty half-hour drive beyond Demre, the harbour town of FINIKE, formerly Phoinike, preserves little of its past. Highway 400 has proven a double-edged sword: opening up the port, but also cutting off Finike’s centre from the coast and precluding major touristic development.

The town used to empty out in summer when residents headed up to Elmalı’s ova, but now concrete high-rises – vastly outnumbering the few remaining Ottoman houses – obscure the view of the bay. Finike’s busy marina attracts gulets and private yachts put off by Antalya’s high docking fees and distance from the best cruising coasts. But otherwise the only reason to stay is for easy access to ancient Arykanda or Elmalı.

Finike’s main beach, extending 4km east of town, has little to recommend it other than sandiness and length: not terribly scenic, clean or protected, and backed by Sahilkent suburb with its apartment blocks and lodging pitched at weekending Turks. Two prettier pebble coves are Gökliman (4km west) and Çağıllı (8km west).