Kaş & Kalkan

A whitewashed harbour town on the Lycian coast and Turkey's diving hotspot. Take a boat to see the sunken city of Kekova and Simena Castle, with Kaputaş beach, ancient Patara and Greece's Meis Island close by.

Kaş lies on the Lycian coast at the southwestern tip of Turkey's Antalya Province. Known in antiquity as Antiphellos, the town of white walls and blue shutters rises from the sea, facing the Greek island of Meis (Kastellorizo) just 2 km away. It is widely regarded as Turkey's best diving destination: visibility often reaches 30 m, and the dive sites include shipwrecks, the remains of a C-47 transport plane, underwater canyons and ancient Lycian amphorae. Many dive shops offer trial dives and PADI courses. At the end of the old town's long street (Uzun Çarşı) stands a Lycian king's sarcophagus, rock tombs line the hillside, and a Hellenistic theatre is preserved on the west side, loveliest at sunset. Things to do fall into three groups. First, take a boat trip to Kekova to see the sunken city, Simena Castle and the village of Üçağız. Second, head west along the D400 coastal road to Kaputaş beach, the town of Kalkan, the ancient city of Patara and its long beach, and the highland villages of Bezirgan and Islamlar, where you can eat trout. Third, head east to Demre for the Myra rock tombs, the Church of St. Nicholas and the ancient harbour of Andriake. You can also paraglide from Mount Asas down to the bay, walk the coastal stages of the Lycian Way, or take a ferry to Meis in Greece for a day trip (bring your passport). The climate is Mediterranean: May–Oct suits water activities (July–Aug is hot), and spring and autumn are good for hiking. The nearest airports are Dalaman (about 2.5 hours) and Antalya (about 3.5 hours), and intercity buses connect to Fethiye and Antalya. We recommend 3–5 days.

Top sights

• Kaputaş Beach – A small turquoise bay at the mouth of a canyon, reached by about 190 steps down from the D400 coastal road. The view from the road above is…
• Kaş – An elegant fishing town on the Lycian coast, with white-walled lanes draped in flowers and excellent diving. Boat trips explore the “sunken…
• Kekova Sunken City – Ancient ruins that sank into the sea after an earthquake. By boat or kayak you can look down on the underwater steps and house foundations.
• Myra – The Lycian ancient city of Myra, north of Demre, where rows of house-shaped rock tombs on the cliff face stand beside a Roman theater. It i…
• Patara Beach – A dune beach about 18 kilometers long, a protected nesting ground for loggerhead turtles and one of Turkey's longest natural beaches.
• Saklıkent Gorge – One of Turkey's deepest canyons, with walls about 300 m high. In summer you wade through icy streams deep into the gorge.
• Kalkan – A harbor town of white walls and bougainvillea, with rooftop restaurants and a more refined, quieter atmosphere than Kaş.
• Antiphellos Theatre & King's Tomb – A Hellenistic seaside theatre at the edge of Kaş, with the Greek island of Meis visible at sunset, and a Lycian sarcophagus in town.
• Simena Castle (Kaleköy) – An ancient seaside village reachable only by boat; climb the castle for views over the Kekova islands, with a Lycian sarcophagus standing i…
• St. Nicholas Church (Demre) – The Byzantine church where Saint Nicholas, the prototype of Santa Claus, served as bishop and was buried, retaining its frescoes and sarcop…
• Patara Ancient City – The seat of the Lycian League's council and the birthplace of Saint Nicholas, with a restored council hall as the highlight.
• Kaş Dive Sites (C-47 Dakota Wreck & Lighthouse Reef) – Turkey's most famous diving town, with a deliberately sunk C-47 transport plane, shipwrecks, undersea canyons and ancient amphorae in its b…
• Kastellorizo (Meis) Day Trip – Greece's easternmost island, just 20 minutes by boat from Kaş harbor, with colorful houses lining the harbor, making a same-day return poss…
• Andriake & Lycian Civilizations Museum – The harbor site of the ancient city of Myra, where a Roman granary has been converted into the Lycian Civilizations Museum, displaying arti…
• Aperlae – A half-submerged ancient city on the Lycian Way, where city walls, sarcophagi and house foundations in the shallow sea are clearly visible…
• Çukurbağ Peninsula – A narrow peninsula jutting into the sea west of Kaş, with a coastal loop for sunsets and views of Meis, and private beach clubs and hotels…
• Kaş Friday Market – An open-air farmers' market held every Friday, where villagers bring fresh produce, olives, handmade cheese and Turkish flatbread.
• Kaş Paragliding from Mount Asas – Launching from Mount Asas, about 1,000 m above town, tandem paragliders swoop over Kaş Bay and land on the seafront.
• Limanağzı Beach – A hidden bay across the water from Kaş harbour, with a few family-run beach restaurants on wooden platforms. It is a 10-minute ride by wate…
• Büyük Çakıl Beach – The public pebble beach closest to the centre of Kaş, with clear water and free entry. It is the beach most visitors head to from town.
• Üçağız & Teimiussa – The departure point for Kekova boat tours and sea kayaking, with Lycian sarcophagi from the ancient city of Teimiussa scattered along the v…
• Bezirgan – A highland village in a basin about 700 metres above sea level, above Kalkan. It keeps traditional wooden granaries and stone houses and si…
• İslamlar – A village on the mountain slopes north of Kalkan, lined with restaurants serving spring-fed trout. Many have terraces overlooking Kalkan Ba…
• Phellos – A Lycian ancient city on a mountaintop behind Kaş, where sarcophagi and city walls lie scattered among olive groves overlooking Kaş Bay.
• Lycian Way (Kaş–Üçağız section) – One of the most scenic coastal sections of Turkey's most famous long-distance trail, passing bays, ancient cities and sarcophagi. It can be…
• Blue Cave (Mavi Mağara) – A sea cave beneath cliffs near Kaprıç Beach. Sunlight passing through the water turns the cave's seawater a gemstone blue, and boat trips u…
• Xanthos – The ruins of the capital of ancient Lycia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its pillar tombs, theatre and the Harpy Tomb.

Where to eat

• Smiley's – A longtime harbor restaurant in Kaş, opened in 1987, serving fresh fish and meze in an ancient cistern and an old house.
• Bi Lokma (Mama's Kitchen) – A family-run home-style eatery run by a mother and her daughters, famous for handmade manti dumplings and Mama's layere…
• Aubergine – A long-standing restaurant at Kalkan harbor with sea views, best known for slow-cooked lamb and Anatolian meze.
• Pells – A creative restaurant that moved from Istanbul, famous for its all-day Aegean breakfast and fusion dishes.
• Kervan Pide & Kebab House – An affordable local eatery on Kaş's main street, where the rotisserie beef and pide offer good value.
• Trio Restaurant – A Kalkan harbor seafood restaurant run by three old friends for more than twenty years. Giant prawns are the signature.

Itineraries

• Turkey Grand Panorama Loop – From the historic battlefields of the Dardanelles to the Lycian Coast and the Anatolian heartland, experience a compreh…
• Turquoise Coast Road Trip – Drive along the D400 from Dalaman to Antalya, connecting blue lagoons, ancient Lycian ruins, and sunken cities.
• Lycian Way Highlights Hike – Hike the ancient coastal trail from Fethiye to Patara, staying in village guesthouses, and end your journey in Kaş.