Myra (Demre) to Finike

Stage 14 of the Lycian Way — Myra (Demre) to Finike, mixed terrain.

🔴 Very Hard 📏 40.1 km ⏱ ~13.5 h 🗺 Mixed
40.1 km
Distance
2015 m
Elevation gain
2029 m
Elevation loss
~13.5 h
Walking time
Very Hard
Difficulty
Mixed
Terrain

About this stage

A transitional stage from ancient Myra, on the northern edge of Demre, to the orange-growing centre of Finike, following a mix of mountain paths and rural roads. From the Likya Yolu information post at Myra it crosses Demre for about 4.5 km to the start of the Gavur Yolu path, then climbs inland past Belören and the Byzantine church at Alakilise. The trail passes through greenhouse agriculture and citrus orchards. Finike has full supermarkets; the next are in Mavikent, on stage 15.

Stage highlights

  • Citrus orchards and greenhouse farming
  • Finike harbour town
  • Full supermarkets in Finike

What to expect on the trail

The terrain mixes coastal cliffs, forest paths and open ridges, often with archaeological sites along the way. Varied underfoot and visually rewarding.

Shade is patchy. The mountain paths and rural roads of this long inland stage require a sun hat, sunscreen and frequent water breaks in summer.

You'll move between roughly 4 m and 1767 m above sea level on this stage — 2015 m total ascent and 2029 m descent over 40.1 km.

One of the toughest stages on the Lycian Way — sustained ascent, exposed terrain and limited bail-out options. Recommended only for experienced trekkers in good condition.

Getting there

Demre has a bus station, and buses and dolmuş on the coast road link it with Kaş, Finike and Antalya; Kaş is about 46 km (about 45 min) away by road, and the Kaş–Demre dolmuş runs every 30 minutes. Finike, at the end, also has a bus station on the coast road, about 75 km (about 1 h 10 min) by road from Kaş and about 112 km (about 1 h 50 min) from Antalya.

Where this stage fits in the trail

This is stage 14 of 26, part of the Demre & Olympos section — the eastern coast around Demre, Finike, Adrasan and the ancient site of Olympos. It connects stage 13 (Üçağız to Myra (Demre)) to stage 15 (Finike to Karaöz), and works well as part of a multi-day section walk.

Best time to walk this stage

The Lycian Way is best walked in spring (mid-March to mid-May) or autumn (mid-September to mid-November). October and April offer the most reliable weather: mild temperatures, clear skies, wildflowers in spring or olive harvest in autumn, and far fewer hikers than the shoulders of those windows. Summer (June-August) is generally too hot for comfortable walking — coastal stages routinely exceed 35°C and water sources dry up. Winter (December-February) brings rain to the coast and snow to mountain passes; the trail is walkable but conditions are unpredictable, especially on the higher inland stages.

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