FİNİKE (ancient Phoenicus)

It is situated in the center of antique cities, 10 km from LYMRA, 27 km from MYRA and SANTA CLAUSE (CHRISTMAS FATHER) CHURCH, 40 km from ARYKANDA, 65 km from Elmalı, 78 km from KAŞ. You can sightsee these ruins or the submerged city KEKOVA with the seaboats departing from the Phoenician marina or the Demre River edge.

An entry port west of Olympos, Finike is surrounded by citrus trees and-gardens. A sandy beach stretches to the east, and to the west are rocky bays and coves. Limyra, an ancient Lycian city, is 10km inland from Finike, via Turuncova. The fourth-century BC Pericles mausoleum, decorated with caryatids, is a magnificent example of ancient art. The city walls and Roman theater are also of interest. Farther on this road is the Lycian city of Arikanda. Set high on the mountain overlooking one of Turkey's most beautiful valleys, the extensive ruins include the agora, theater, stadium, bouleuterion, water system, gymnasium, baths and scattered sarcophagi.

Finike (ancient Phoenicus) is a district on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya Province of Turkey, 90 minutes west of the city of Antalya.

Finike is located in the south of the Teke peninsula, and the coast here is a popular tourist destination. However, Finike is best-known for its oranges, the symbol of the town.

The local economy depends on agriculture, particularly oranges and other citrus fruits. This is supplemented by income from tourism in the summertime, although because of the lucrative orange production and the distance from Antalya. Finike has not seen the large-scale tourism boom that has so radically changed the other coastal districts of Antalya. Finike is a quiet district where people buzz around on mopeds going about their daily lives. Indeed many of the visitors that Finike does attract are retired people in search of relaxation. A type of pale limestone is quarried at Limyra, and sold as a decorative building material.

The port of Finike is now a yacht marina, and has a small fishing fleet. The coast is rich in marine life including sea turtles and fish including local specialities red porgy Sparidae and grouper (Epinephelus); other fish found along the coast include leerfish Carangidae) and the more widespread Mediterranean varieties such as bluefish, sea bream, sea bass, with swordfish, sardines and others found further out to sea. However the coast suffers from overfishing and many varieties, including the porgy, are in decline.