Places to See

KALKAN

Kalkan is a little town west of Kaş with a little harbour and lots of nice hotels. The restoration of the old Grek houses in the centre part is well advanced and beautifully done. It has developed very fast into a favourite location for summer houses which has changed it’s old character. Kalkan is full of restaurants, shops, bars and small hotels, a very lively place during the summer. Strolling up and down the steep alley ways the eye can feast on the old architecture and the abundance of flowers around.

PATARA

The name Patara stands for  a marvellous 18 km white sandy beach which is classed as one of the ancient ruins of the ancient town still partly buried under the sand. The beach is also a nesting place for turtles and is therefore enviromentally protected. The ancient city of Patara , the birth place of St Nicholas and the port where St. Paul  changed ships on his way to Tyros is in recent years being carefully by Prof. Fahri Işık.

Patara used to be the most important harbour of Lycia and one of the major members of the Lycian League with three wotes. During it is eventful history the city always had to struggle againist foreign invaders  and a giant sand dune . The city harboured  an Apollo oracle as important as  Delphi and Delos  and Alexder the Great as well as the Roman Emperor Hadrian and his wife had vested interests here.Today the nearby little village of Gelemiş provides simple accommodation during the season.

SAKLIKENT

Saklıkent, which means the hidden city, is an impressive, steep gorge cut into the Taurus at the end of which there is supposed to be a forgotton city. Entering one has to wade through ice cold water which becomes a fast flowing river during the rainy season. The mud in the  canyon is supposed to be healty for skin and body. There are few restaurants built over little ponds, inviting one to relax and dine.

MOUNTAIN VILLAGE OF GÖMBE

Drive to Gömbe takes you up into the Taurus  Mountains, away from the Mediterranean and to a different  climatic zone with hot summers but cool nights and cold winters. The narrow roads lead through  little villages , mountain pastures, and over high plateues with breath taking views over lush green forests and the famous cedar woods. A new dam has been built recently  to supply Kaş and others settlements with water . Migration patterns  still work and thus herds of livestock and flocks of goats are taken up to the Gömbe area in the summer months. The area around Gömbe and further up to Elmalı is full of apple orchards and fruits which need frost to grow. Walking in clean air and with only  the sound of nature is one of the delights up here. The Green Lake , named for it is green water, is worth a foot march and for a moment one feels at it is shores that one  might be on the moon.

MEIS

Across  from Kaş lies the small historic and pretty Greek Island Castellorizo (Meis). Kaş cultivates close relations with the Greek neighbours. Daily boat trips are offered from both sides and the island became an official port of entry in summer 2007 with daily flights and ferry boat service to Rhodes. The only Lycian rock grave in Europe can be found in Meis. Most of the old houses have been restored by now and there is the castle , some churches, and a museum to visit.

KEKOVA REGION

The little village of Üçagız is the point of departure for boat trips or sea kayaking tours . Both are great ways to see more of the Lycian past  and enjoy swimming in the turquoise sea. Elegant yatchts on their blue voyage, sailing boats and rental ships for daily cruises anchor here and there are a few nice restaurants , pensions and gift shops. Here traditionally the women go fishing and master any boat avaible.

Kaleköy (Simena)  is a steep rock with charming little houses interspersed by rock graves and crowned by a castle. East of the castle lies the necropolis and sarcophagi are on the water front and in the sea. Within the castle wall nests the smallest theatre  in Lycia hewn from solid rock, seating 80 people.

Across from Kaleköy lie  the remains of a sunken city . It sank supposedly by the two same earth quakes that shook Lycia in 141 A.D and 240 A.D. A combination of plate  tectonic shift and sea levels rising submerged the ancient city. Today only goats climb up the stairs or drink from cistern.