Finike Turkey Finike Thumbs Marina

Finike Turkey, Finike Thumbs and Finike Marina

About 30km further along the twisting mountain road is Finike (FEE-nee-keh, population 7000), the ancient Phoenicus, now a sleepy fishing port and way-station on the tourist route. Most of the tourists are Turks who have built ramshackle dvvellings on the long pebble beach to the east of the town. The beach looks inviting but parts of it are polluted and insects can be a problem at certain times of year.

The ruins of ancient Limyra are 11 km inland along the Elmalı road in the village of Hasyurt. They're not really worth the effort unless you're out to see every ancient town along the coast. The theatre is fairly well preserved, as are some tombs 200m further north, but beware the bees! Other ruined buildings are scattered among the modern farms and houses.

Arycanda, 35km north along the Elmalı road, is well worth seeing with its dramatic setting and many well-preserved buildings, but requires a special excursion. Finike itself is uninteresting and not worth making a special stop for.

Places to Stay, Finike Hotels, Hotel in Finike

Paris Pansiyon (242-855 1488), 200m inland from the highvvay off the Elmalı road, is up a terrifying flight of steps.

in the market district behind the Belediye stand several inexpensive hotels, including the Hotel Bahar ( 242-855 2020), the friendly Hotel Bilal ( 242-855 2199) and the older Hotel Sedir (242-855 1183, Cumhuriyet Caddesi 37). a single/double with shower and breakfast included. The nevver Engin Hotel (242-855 3040) on the main road through town is similar.

East From Finike

As you leave Finike the highvvay skirts a sand-and-pebble beach vvhich runs for about 15km. once past the long beach, at 19km from Finike, the road transits Kumluca (population 17,000), a farming tovvn surrounded by citrus orchards and plastic-roofed greenhouses, particularly worth visiting on Fridays for its lively market. A few small pensions can provide a room in an emergency.

After Kumluca the highway winds back up into the mountains with an especially good panorama about 28km from Finike. About 3km later you enter Beydağlan Sahil Milli Parkı, the Bey Mountains Coastal Na­tional Park.

Just east of Kumluca, a road on the right goes 2km to the small farming towns of Beykonak, and then another 8km to Mav-ikent. A narrow but scenic road continues from Mavikent through a broad alluvial valley paved in plastic-sheeted greenhouses to Adrasan, another 15km along, and then continues to Olimpos/Çıralı

Finike Pictures, Finike Marina Photo