Kas

A small cove wedged in the cliffs between Kas and Kalkan, its water a deep jade. A long stairway drops from the coast road to the sand, and you climb it again to leave. Cliff-bound sand gets no shade, so hire a parasol or come in the early morning.

Stairs and house foundations of a Lycian town sunk by earthquake show plainly under shallow water. It is a protected site, so swimming or diving over it is banned; you look down from a boat or kayak gliding past. Day boats leave from Kas or Ucagiz.

A seaside village of stone houses hanging below a hilltop castle, reached only by boat or on foot since no road comes in. At the water's edge a Lycian sarcophagus stands half submerged. The stone steps up to the castle are steep; avoid the midday climb.

A Hellenistic theatre on the hillside west of town, its seats open to the sea where Meis lies. With no fence round it you can climb up and sit at any hour. At sunset people gather on the tiers as the sun sinks past the island.

A Lycian sarcophagus from the 4th century BC stands alone where the shopping lane's slope ends. Four lion heads jut from its lid, hence the name. Gift shops and cafes press round it, and that picture of a ruin set in daily life is the town's signature.

Boats cross from the harbour to the Greek island of Meis (Kastellorizo) in less than thirty minutes. Bring a passport for the border; Korean holders need no visa for the day. Most visitors lunch facing the painted houses round the island port and sail back.

Clear water and a steeply falling seabed make this one of Turkey's top dive spots. A deliberately sunk plane wreck, rock walls and a floor scattered with amphorae all lie close together. Shops along the harbour take first-timers on trial dives.

Little beaches on the peninsula opposite the harbour, with no road, so water taxis ferry you across. Each has one restaurant with a timber deck and loungers; you order food rather than pay for a bed. Note the last boat's time, or you are stranded.

Sand runs on for well over ten kilometres, and the dunes behind half-bury the Lycian League's assembly hall and a theatre. Loggerhead turtles nest here, so in laying season the beach shuts after sunset. Ruins and beach share one ticket.

In Demre, Lycian tombs carved like house fronts cluster on the cliff like honeycomb above a Roman theatre. In town stands the church of St Nicholas, the bishop behind Santa Claus. Driving east from Kas takes around an hour.

Some 25km west of Kas, this harbour village spills white houses and bougainvillea down its hillside. Rooftop terrace restaurants are everywhere, and dinner comes with the bay below. The beach is tiny, so swimming happens off decks built on the rocks.

At Andriake, the old port of Myra, the granary built under Emperor Hadrian still stands. It has been restored to house the Museum of Lycian Civilisations. Cayagzi beach next door lies at the river mouth.

Its name means big pebble; town is a walk away from this shingle beach. The water deepens quickly and is very clear for swimming. Cafes above rent sunbeds, sometimes bundling a drink into the price.