This small rural village, untouched by mass tourism, is set in the foothills of the Taurus mountains, close to the wonderful 15km sandy beach, regularly featured as one of the most beautiful and unspoilt beaches in the Mediterranean.

In Patara ( also known as the village of Gelemis) life slows to a different pace – where time can be forgotten and visitors can relax and quickly feel at home. Patara welcomes guests from all over the world. It is laid back and easy going with an eclectic mixture of hotels, pensions, apartments and villas.

Much of village life is geared around agriculture and most of the locals who own and manage the holiday properties and restaurants are farming in the winter months. In the winter and spring months greenhouses, a short drive from the village, are filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines and a variety of other vegetables. In the gardens around the village, lemon and orange trees are laden with fresh fruits ready to be made into marmalade or pressed for fresh juices. Autumn and winter are also the months in which the local olives are picked and pressed for oil or prepared for eating. Most of the oil used for cooking in the local restaurants comes from the olive groves around the village.

In the Spring, Summer and Autumn months, gardens filled with with fig, mulberry, pomegranate, peach, apricot and pear trees stand alongside vines heavy with grapes and plants producing prickly pears. Many of the local restaurants have vine canopies offering protection from the heat of the mid day sun . If you are in the village when the fruits are ready to be picked you can enjoy eating the fresh fruits from the tree and fresh grapes from the vine. A short walk into the hills around the village and you will discover little clusters of traditional beehives producing delicious local honey.

In the village centre you will find a small selection of low key, charming restaurants serving home cooking. All produce is sourced locally. There is also a barbers shop, several gözleme houses (traditional Turkish pancakes with both savoury and sweet fillings), a handful of gift shops, a hamam ( Turkish bath) and a couple of bars. The Medusa bar is famed for its amazing music collection and the Simbar for its pretty garden setting and cocktails made using fresh fruits from the garden. There is also a small supermarket and 2 general stores to provide you with all the essentials for a self catering holiday.

When more sophistication is required, Kalkan is only a short drive away from Patara. In Kalkan you can find a wide array of sophisticated rooftop and harbourside restaurants, bars and a huge variety of small independent shops selling clothing, jewellery, ceramics and souvenirs. There is also a weekly market in Kalkan.

Very few villages can boast being on the doorstep of an amazing archaeological site and within walking distance of a stunning 15km turtle nesting beach and spectacular sand dunes. The area has been given National Park status.

Buses run from the village centre to the beach and there is a taxi rank should you not wish to stick to bus times. The buses also run from the village to nearby Kalkan and Kaş, both pretty coastal towns which are worth a visit. If you wish to explore further afield then the bus can drop you at the main road 2km outside the village from where you can pick up other buses travelling further afield.