Patara Holidays – Boasting the longest beach in the Mediterranean

With its long, white sandy beach stretching over 20km long and 50km wide, Patara is deservedly famous for beach holidays in Turkey. The resort is located on Turkey’s south-western Mediterranean coast, and takes just an hour and twenty minutes to reach from Dalaman Airport. Patara is steeped in history, once being the most important port in Lycia, famous for its temple and the oracle of Apollo. Much of Patara’s ancient ruins lies buried beneath the sands, but historical structures that can still be seen include Byzantine basilica, various sarcophagi, a grand Roman-type triumphal arch in exceptional condition, a bath complex, Byzantine basilica, the impressive Granary of Hadrian and an amphitheatre. Somewhat bizarrely, the town is also notable for being the birthplace of Santa Claus; or at least the 4th-century Byzantine bishop St. Nicholas, on whom Santa Claus is based.

Beaches

Patara is perfect for a beach holiday. It hosts around 12km of golden and white sand beaches forming part of a nature reserve with stringent restrictions on the number of tourists per year. This makes it a great cheap holiday destination if you want to avoid the crowds. The pristine beaches are home to loggerhead turtles and it is for this reason the restrictions are in place. This beach is idyllic.

Sailing

You can lie on the beach for a relaxing holiday by the sea, or get out into the sea on a traditional Turkish gullet. You will see lots of boats floating along the coastline, and they offer another fantastic way of experiencing Patara. Diving, snorkelling, and swimming off the boats is a must, so make sure you come prepared for this as well as the breath-taking scenery.

Town

Patara is the location of a Roman town which has been amazing historians and tourists for decades. Visiting the Roman baths, basilica, and houses brings a great cultural element to a normal Turkish sun holiday, and these are easily accessible from the hotels and resorts. The buildings have been well preserved and are great to wander around with the family; however if you can hire a guide it is well worth the experience as they will bring so much more to an already amazing experience.

Horse Riding

Why not give horse riding a go? If you are a lover of horse riding, then you will be in your element. If you are a first timer, it’s well worth it.   You can either take an easy ride around the local area, or head off on organised horse treks up into the mountains. Either choice, you will get to see some fantastic wildlife. Taking a horse ride across the plains and marshlands is a great day out for everyone on family holidays here.

Trips

Take a trip to Saklykent Gorge, which is a wild experience in its own right. Its dramatic location and scenery alongside and is perfect for paragliding, canyoning and river rafting or simply take a stroll along gorge. With countryside as lush as that found on a holiday in Patara, what could be more perfect for a family holiday - there’s so much to see and do.

Weather in Patara – Perfect for a lazy beach holiday

Famed for its idyllic beach, Patara experiences a wonderful Mediterranean climate, with long hot summers and short mild, wetter winters. Conditions are perfect for a lazy beach holiday, where the average summer temperature reaches 28C, and the resort basks in 12 hours of sunshine each day. A great choice for a relaxing summer holiday, Patara Beach also offers excellent weather for an early or late season holiday, anytime from April to October.