Kekova
Kekova is a stretch of coastline and a namesake island near Antalya's Lycian shore, best known for its sunken city — the partially submerged remains of the ancient settlement of Simena, where earthquakes over the centuries dropped house foundations, staircases, and walls below the waterline, now visible through the clear turquoise water from a glass-bottom or open boat. Swimming and snorkeling directly over the ruins is generally prohibited to protect them, so the area is typically seen from the water on a boat tour, which usually also stops at the tiny village of Kaleköy (built around and beside a Byzantine/medieval castle with Lycian sarcophagi scattered among its houses) and often at other quiet coves for swimming. The whole area is protected as a specially conserved zone, which has kept development minimal and the coastline strikingly unspoiled compared to much of the rest of the Turkish Riviera. A full-day boat trip from Antalya, Kaş, or Demre is the standard way to experience it, combining ancient history with some of the region's cleanest, quietest swimming spots.
Kekova FAQs
No, swimming and diving directly over the ruins is generally prohibited to protect the site; you view it from the boat through the clear water instead.
The standard way is a boat tour, typically departing from Kaş, Demre, or Üçağız, and often booked as a full-day trip including swimming stops.
Yes, it's a highlight of most tours — a small village built around a hilltop castle with ancient Lycian sarcophagi scattered among the houses and lanes.
Late spring through early autumn offers the best weather and calmest seas for boat tours; peak summer is busiest.
Full-day boat tours are common, often 6-8 hours including swimming stops, sunken-city viewing, and the Kaleköy visit.
More in Antalya
Reviews/Comments
No comments yet — be the first.