With its postcard-perfect harbour, Kaş is a favoured yacht mooring destination and one of the best places for you to head out onto the sea. A day on the water means laid-back sightseeing, discovering the many secret coves and islands along the coastline. And the town itself is crammed with cute boutiques and lovely cafés where landlubbers can chill out and shop till they drop.
While the sunken ruins around Kekova and Kaleköy are the historical highlight of a stay here, there are plenty more remnants from the Lycian, Greek and Roman eras tucked in the surrounding hilly hinterland.
1 Antiphellos Ruins
The modern town of Kaş occupies the site of ancient Antiphellos. Among its scattering of attractions from antiquity is a Lycian sarcophagus in the town centre, a well-preserved theatreon the west side of town with fine views over the bay and the remains of the ancient town wallsnear the harbour. There are also some Lycian rock tombs to the northeast.
Accomodation: Where to Stay in Kas - TripAdvisor.com
2 Beaches
Kaş is all about the sun, sea and sand. Along the surrounding coastline there are plenty of perfect white sandy strips for spreading out your towel. Kaputaş Beach (between Kaş and Kalkan) is one of the most popular while the lovely beaches of Liman Aǧzı, on the opposite peninsula, can be reached by a water-taxi from Kaş harbour.
3 Kekova
The offshore island of Kekova is one of the most interesting attractions near Kaş. The island is famous for the underwater ruins just off its shore, known as the sunken city. The best way to get here is by a yacht cruise from Kaş, which takes you right up to the ruins so that you can peer down into the clear blue water spotting crumbled stone remnants just below the surface.
4 Üçaǧız
The absolutely charming village of Üçaǧız is just the place to spend a lazy day. This is a yachting-haven and, unsurprisingly, all the action in town occurs harbour-side. Üçaǧız sits on the site of ancient Teimiussa, which was under the command of the Lycian ruler Perikles Limyra as early as the 4th century BC. There are some ruins scattered about the village and surrounding area including a few relics on the acropolis, two burial grounds with family tombs and sarcophagi belonging to citizens of Myra and Kyaneai, and a sunken section of the ancient wallsjust off-shore. The real pleasure here though is sitting in the sunshine at one of the harbour cafés and simply watching the world go by.
5 Kaleköy
The medieval Kaleköy Castle has a stunning location on a peninsula hilltop across the water from Uçaǧız. This is the site of ancient Simena, which dates from the 4th century BC. The castle was built upon the foundations of the earlier Simena citadel and today, below the old fortifications, you can still visit a seven-tiered, 300-seat theatre from this earlier settlement period. There's also a necropolis just to the west containing mostly Roman sarcophagi in Lycian style.
Under the castle, is the itsy-bitsy shoreline hamlet of Kaleköy with its boat jetty and café. Just offshore are the sunken ruins of the Titus Baths (AD 79-81). Most tourists visit Kaleköy as part of a yacht sightseeing trip from Kaş, which also usually includes a stop at Kekova.
Location: Hanefioǧlu Sokak
6 St Nicholas Church
Santa Claus didn't live in the North Pole; he came from Turkey. Demre (ancient Myra) had grown into a prominent town by the 4th century and St Nicholas (who would later enter Christmas-lore as jolly St Nick of presents and reindeer fame) was famously the bishop here. The medieval domed Basilica of St Nicholas is an important pilgrimage destination for those of the Orthodox Christian faith and has been preserved in its original 11th century form. There are some remaining frescoes in the apse and on the walls.
Müze Caddesi, Demre
7 Myra
Just inland from the centre of Demre are the remains of ancient Myra. Some well-preservedLycian rock tombs are hewed into the cliff face and there's also a large Roman theatre. The ruins lie about 2 km from the town centre.
8 Andriake
Located 6 km west of Demre, this ancient silted-up harbour now sits in the marshlands area. The ruins encompass an impressive granary as well as a temple, marketplace, parts of the harbour walls and a number of chapels still in good condition. The name of Antiochus III was linked to the town as early as 197 BC, and it was an important Mediterranean port during the Roman era. Outside the walls an extensive necropolis lies on the northern slopes behind the nymphaeum. In the southeast corner two watchtowers stand on either side of a protective wall.
9 Arykanda
A day trip to the Hellenistic ruin of Arykanda is well worth it. The site terraces dramatically down a slope of the Akdaǧ Mountain with many well-preserved monuments to be explored. Set on the highest terrace, the stadium is comparatively small and dates from the Greek era but was restored by the Romans. Below the stadium is a near-intact Greek Theatre with 20 rows of seating and some inscriptions still visible on the top row. The Odeon on the lowest terrace is 75 m long with a mosaic floor. Stretching out in front is the galleried marketplace while to the west lays the Bouleuterion. The Baths are situated to the south and are among the best-preserved buildings with the frigidarium and caldarium still in fine condition. A semi-circular viewing room here provides a wonderful view over the Arykandos Valley.
10 Limyra
The ancient town of Limyra dates from the 5th century BC and is one of the oldest settlements in Lycia. On the hill to the north of the site an upper and lower acropolis can be seen with remains of a Byzantine church and Roman theatre. On the crag to the south stands the Heroon of Perikles (c 370 BC), hewed from the rock in the form of a temple. There are also three large Lycian rock tombs.
11 Kyaneai
This Lycian town was prosperous up to the 4th century AD. There are a number of sarcophagiand several rock tombs to see as well as the remains of a marketplace and the once-enormous town walls. The large theatre has 25 rows of seating with superb views if you make the climb to the top.
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