The Ancient City of Kale, now called Demre has many attractions for the historical enthusiasts. With the impressive and well preserved Ancient City of Myra, the town also attracts those on the St Nicholas pilgrimage. It is believed that Myra existed centuries before Hellenistic times and by 3rd Century B.C. the town was thriving with well built structures. The ruins now house several impressive Lycian tombs and a large amphitheatre. There are also ruins found closer to the harbour in Demre, which are the remains of the ancient Myra port, the gateway between Egypt and Rome.
It is well known that St Nicholas carried out a lot of his charity work giving to the poor here in Myra, which has given him the affiliation with "Santa Claus". The church in the centre of Demre, is a main attraction for those on pilgrimage, and was a place where his remains were buried before they were later stolen and moved to Italy.
