Finike

Finike is a town in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, with a population of 21,800 in 2022. It has tourist facilities but isn't in the western package brochures, as it's a relatively long transfer from Antalya to a not-very-good beach. The main reason to visit is its ruined ancient cities, with Limyra the closest.

Understand
"Finike" refers to the Phoenicians, who traded here in the 5th century BC. A series of ruined Lycian / Roman cities lie in the hills backing the coast; they're little excavated, and perhaps more remain to be discovered beneath river mud and undergrowth.

Tourism is on a small scale and the main business is citrus production - several pensions and other businesses are named "Portakal", the Turkish word for an orange. These had already reached the Levant and Mediterranean from China by Roman times, but it was only in the 10th century AD that the Arabs of Andalusia and Portugal developed large-scale cultivation, and fruit and agricultural techniques then returned east.

Get in
Finike stands on the coast highway D400, which twists and turns from Bodrum via Fethiye to Antalya (the closest airport) then away out east.

Bus AK03 runs hourly from Antalya via Kemer and Kumluca to Finike (2 hr 15 min), and continues to Demre, Kaş, Kalkan and Kınık.

the bus station is on Yayla Blv, but the buses make several stops along the strung-out beach front.

Get around
Local buses from the otogar include FT01 to Turunçova, FT02 to Kumluca and FH06 to Hasyurt.

Taxis are ubiquitous and reasonably priced.

See

 * sits on the roundabout at the junction of D400 the coast road with D635 inland to Limyra. It's only about 1.5 m in diameter and set on the ground, so it doesn't serve as a landmark.
 * was built in 2022 in sort-of Andalusian style. The terrace has a nice view over the marina.
 * was built some time between 200 and 600 AD. It's an unusual design, with 28 low wide arches spanning 360 m at the point where a mountain stream meets the coastal plain. Being so low, it became engulfed by river sludge, and modern agriculture has damaged it further. Then as now, only a minor road came this way, lacking the width and wagon-ruts of a Roman highway.
 * or Corydala is on the hill west of Kumluca. It has the fragmentary remains of a Roman theatre, aqueduct and town wall.
 * or Corydala is on the hill west of Kumluca. It has the fragmentary remains of a Roman theatre, aqueduct and town wall.

Do

 * Finike Plaj is the 14 km stretch of beach east of the marina, with a mixture of sand, dirt and pebbles.
 * West lie a series of coves with pebble beaches, some accessible from the serpentine road towards Demre.
 * Lycian Way is a long-distance hiking trail from Fethiye to the hills above Antalya. On the local section eastbound, the last accommodation is at Demre, then it's 30 km to Finike. Most hikers take three days, so you need to camp two nights. The route is through Belören, Zeytin, Alakilise, Goncatepe (at 1800 m the highest point on the entire trail), Belos, Belen and so into Finike. The trail then merges with D400, busy and unsafe for pedestrians, and featureless across the coastal plain, so take public transport east for 20 km east to Mavikent. The trail there resumes towards Gelidonia.

Buy

 * Finikem Market is south of the bus station on Şerbetçi Blv, open daily to 23:00.
 * Migros and Liman Market are by the marina.

Eat

 * The eating strip is from the marina north up Atatürk Cd, a block west of Yayla Blv and the bus station. There's two dozen little places, no standout.
 * A handful lie east along D400, but scattered.

Drink

 * Many cafes serve alcohol, there isn't a stand-alone pub.

Sleep

 * Hotels and pensions are strung along the coast road D400, mostly east of the centre. That means rooms with a sea view get more traffic noise.


 * Deniz Hotel is next to the Şimşek.
 * Deniz Hotel is next to the Şimşek.
 * Deniz Hotel is next to the Şimşek.

Connect
Finike and the coast road have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of June 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Kemer northeast is a small resort mostly catering to Turks and Russians.
 * Antalya further northeast is a big resort, the start of the long sandy beach and tourist strip out to Alanya.
 * Demre west has a church dedicated to St Nicholas, who was bishop here and immortalised as Santa Claus.
 * Kaş, Kalkan and Kınık are villages further west, all with ancient ruins.