Kekova

Mediterranean, Turkey 2 tours visit here

Kekova is an uninhabited island and the sheltered stretch of water around it on the Lycian coast of Antalya province, between Kaş and Demre. Along its northern shore lie the partly submerged remains of an ancient Lycian settlement: staircases, foundations and quay walls running straight into the sea, left underwater by earthquakes in the second century AD. The area is a specially protected zone, so swimming and diving over the sunken city are not permitted, and the ruins are seen from the water as boats pass slowly along the shore. Trips set out from Üçağız, the mainland village at the end of the access road, and on day tours from Kaş, Demre and Antalya. Üçağız stands on the site of ancient Teimiussa, with Lycian sarcophagi around its shore. Kaleköy, a separate village across the bay with no road connection, sits below Simena Castle; a short, steep climb through its houses reaches walls that enclose a small rock-cut theatre and overlook the whole channel. Tours usually run a half or full day, with swimming stops in bays away from the protected ruins. The enclosed channel stays calm, making it a well-known sea-kayaking route, and mornings are typically least windy on the water.