KAS - KEKOVA



Kas is a charming small port with white-washed houses. The town was established over the ancient Lycian city of Antiphellos which was the harbor for Phellos located above it. During the Hellenistic period, while Antiphellos grew rich on account of the ceddar and sponge trade, Phellos lost its importance.
Of this period, to the west of the modern town and overlooking the sea, stands the Hellenistic Theater which had a seating capacity of 4,000 spectators. Above the theatre is a house-type rock tomb, unique of its kind, known as the Doric Tomb. Of the few preserved sarcophagi, is the elegant one called by the local people “King’s Sarcophagus” . It has a long inscription in the Lycian language which has not been deciphered yet, like the one on the Xanthos monolith. This sarcophagus stands at the upper end of Uzun Carsi Street which is lined by traditional Turkish architecture houses, carpet and souvenir shops.
From Kas, stretching out into the sea, is the narrow Çukurbag peninsula with a beautiful nature and modern hotels. One can enjoy the nearest beaches of Kas (Büyük Çakil, Küçük Çakil, Akçagerme), but in addition shuttle-boats take the tourists to the beautiful Çayagzi beach. Opposite Kas is the Greek Island of Meyisti. Diving is popular around Kas.
Kas is a favorite stopover for the blue voyagers, but it is also a very nice place to spent a great holiday. Kas offers most lively night life with the numerous terraced bars and restaurants.

Kas is a favorite stopover for the blue voyagers, but it is also a very nice place to spent a great holiday. Kas offers most lively night life with the numerous terraced bars and restaurants.

Although there is not much left of Phellos (remains of the city wall, sarcophagi and rock cut Lycian tombs, a free standing house - type tomb), it is worth seeing the beauty of its surrounding landscapes. The site can be reached either by foot (12 km / 7.5 miles trek) or by car towards Çukurbag – Pinarbasi.

Between Kas and Kekova, there are a number of ancient minor inland cities such as Isinda, near the village of Belenli, Aperlae and Apollonia, near the village of Kiliçli.

Hinterland in Gömbe, located 70 km / 43 miles from Kas at the bottom of the Akdag Mountains, sporting activities like trekking, mountain climbing and rafting can be done around Yesil Lake and Uçansu Waterfalls. Also, the ancient cities of Komba in Gömbe and Nisa in Meryemlik can be encountered.


 



KEKOVA

Located on the Turquoise Coast, Kekova is the most scenic area in Lycia. Kekova is a set of picturesque islands, bays and small ancient cities that the blue voyagers love to explore. For those enjoying a holiday on shore, it is recommended (when not staying in one of the nice pensions of Kaleköy) to visit Kekova by excursion boat or rented small motorboat from Kas or from Demre (Myra). This way is easier and more enjoyable than driving along the winding road which ends in Üçagiz where one still has to rent a motorboat .

Kekova, which is an incredible place of beauty where nature mingles with the past and the present, consists of:

The village of Üçagiz and its harbour where the ruins of ancient 4 C BC Theimussa can be encountered. The majority of the sarcophagi and rock-cut tombs of the necropolis date back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The village of Kaleköy where the Lycian and Roman vestiges of the 4 C BC ancient sunken city of Simena are located. In addition to a surprising Lycian sarcophagus emerging from the sea and which has become the symbol of Kaleköy, on the shore ruins of Roman baths, rock tombs and sarcophagi, a citadel with a small rock-cut theatre inside (the smallest theatre in Lycia with a seating capacity of about 300 people) and cisterns can be seen.

Kekova Island has given its name to the surroundings. The place is also called the “Sunken City” as most of the ancient buildings sank in the sea as a result of various earthquakes. Along the shore one can see the foundations of submerged buildings and houses as well as staircases descending under the water. Tersane Bay , where yachts and boats may anchor, was a shipyard. Very near is a Byzantine church whose apse is still visible today.

In the Kekova area there are many ancient cities located very close to each other: Aperlae and Istlada along the coast, Apollonia in Kiliçli, Tyberissos in Çevreli.
As these cities were very small, some of them, such as Simena, Apollonia, Aperlae and Isinda, or Theimussa, Cyaenai and Myra merged to be represented as one entity in the Lycian League.