Kaş
Kas was one of the most important cities
of Lycia, and is now a small resort with
great historical interest. Its quaint
town centre has a rocky waterfront, with
good beaches nearby. There are
watersports available in the area, such
as; canoeing,jet-skiing, diving and
paragliding, plus cavern diving, which
uses technical equipment to explore the
deep and dark caverns. For those who
love travelling on the water, the Mavi
Yolculuk (Blue Voyage) tours, and other
excursions on boats, can be madeto the
surrounding islands.
History
Habesos is the earliest known name of
the ancient city, as proved from
archaeological findings. But the name
Antiphellos is far more familiar, and
this was the harbour of ancient Phellos.
Excavations here have revealed a
settlement dating back to the 4th
century BC, possibly earlier, although
it reached its height of importance
during the Roman and Byzantine periods,
when it was a centre for Bishops. It had
also been significant in the world of
sea-faring commerce, and during the
Roman era wasespecially famous for its
exported sponges. It was attacked by
Arabs, then added to the territory of
the Anatolian Seljuks, and took the name
Andifli. After the destruction of the
Anatolian Seljuk state, the Ottomans
added it to its lands. The name Kas
means ‘eyebrow’, or ‘something
curved’,describing the shape of the town
under the backdrop of 500m high cliffs
behind.
Climate
Summers are hot and dry in Kas, quite
typical of Mediterranean region, and the
temperature can reach around 35 degrees
during the day. Winters are warm during
the day although can get cool at night,
and can drop below 10 degrees.
By Road
Kas is accessible from Fethiye or
Antalya. If coming from Ankara
direction, it is much quicker to take
the route through Elmali and Gombe,
rather than the Antalya coastal route.
There are services to Istanbul (12
hours), Antalya (4 hours), and
Fethiye(2½ hours), and dolmuses make the
shorter journeys to the beaches of
Patara, Kalkan and Kapitas. The bus
station is in the north side of town.
Bus Station Tel: (0242) 836 1020
By Air
Kas is 192 km from Antalya Airport and
160 km from Dalaman Airport.
Gömbe
An ideal place to escape the summer heat
is Gombe, 60km north of Kas, in the cool
plateau of the Akdag mountain range. The
forest-covered route with pine and cedar
trees almost conceal the village, famous
for its cools springs and apple
orchards.Akdag is the highest mountain
in this range, reaching 3024m, and the
villages of Yesilgol and Ucarsu are good
for trekking. The herbs which grow in
this area are used in local cooking and
there are several restaurants in the
main square. There is a famous festival
of the local Tahtacis in June, and a
farmers’ fair in late August.
Kalkan (Kalamaki)
A well-maintained and quiet harbour town
Kalkan, is 25km in west of Kas. It is an
attractive town, once a fishing village
occupied by the Ottoman Greeks. It has
become increasingly popular since the
1980s, with a large number of holiday
villages covering the southern hillside.
The small town centre which overlooks
the bay is filled with quaint,
traditional white-washed houses,
shuttered windows and balconies with
brilliantly-coloured flowers. The marina
caters for the requirements of visiting
yachts, aswell as several restaurants
and shops in the main centre.Yacht
Marina Tel: (0242) 844 3204, fax: 836
1030.
Saklikent Gorge
Beyond Tlos, Saklikent is a spectacular
gorge cut into the Akdaglar mountains,
which is 18 km long, the sides are so
deep and steep that no sun penetrates,
and therefore the water always remains
icy cold. Access to the start of the
gorge is along a wooden
boardwalksuspended above the water, then
after crossing the river, it is fairly
straightforward to walk through the
gorge for 6km. In the summer, there are
tours arranged from Kas and
Kalkan.Opening hours: Daily 08.00 -
17.00.
Ancient Cities
Antiphellos
This is the original name of the ancient
Lycian town, although there is little
left of Antiphellos except a
well-preserved ancient theatre and
Lycian rock tombs. One of the most
important of these ruins is the Monument
Tomb, a Lychian inscribed tombmounted on
a high base, dating back to 4th century
BC, also called King’s Tomb. Another
important item is the ancient theatre,
dating back to 1st century BC which once
had a capacity of 4000 people.
This well-preserved theatre is the only
one in Anatolia to be overlooking the
sea. It lies 500m west of the main
square.Northeast of the theatre is a
house-style tomb dating back to the 4th
century BC. It has been constructed by
cutting into the natural rock, lies 3.5m
high with engravings of 24 girls
dancing. Near Hastsane Caddesi, on the
western coast of the town,there is a
temple whose foundations date back to
the Roman era.
Outside Kaş Patara (Ovagelemiş)
Once a principle harbour of ancient
Lycia, Patara was the birthplace of
Apollo, according to Greek legend. This
village covering a wide area on the
eastern part of the harbour is 41km from
Kas and has one of the best beaches in
the area, a white goldenstretch around
20km long. Patara gained importance
during the Byzantine period, because it
was the birthplace of St Nicholas, the
4th century bishop better known as his
other identity, Santa Claus. St Paul,
one of Christ’s disciples, boarded a
shipfrom Patara to Rome. The ruins lie
1km from the beach, and include several
Lycian tombs, a basilica, Corinthian
temple and a theatre. Access is possible
by dolmus from most adjacent towns but,
not at night. The Lycian Roman monuments
can be seen when entering Patara. From
the Vespasianus Hamam, constructed
between 69 – 79 AD, the adjacent
footpath reaches the main,
marble-covered street of Patara. At the
end of the street are the wide walls of
theByzantine Castle, and east of that is
the Corynth Temple. Patara Theatre,
built in the 2nd century BC, is at the
foot of the hill and had a capacity for
around 10,000 people. It was filled with
wind-swept sand but after cleaning
revealed its structure, and
archaeological excavations are still
continuing. The beach is one of the
longest in Turkey, with a width of up to
1500m. Declared a Special Environmental
Preservation Region by the Ministry of
the Environment, it is a major breeding
area for the caretta-caretta sea
turtles, and during thereproductive
season there are strictly applied
restrictions to preserve their habitat.
Xanthos
Along the east coast of the Esen River,
45km from Kas, Xanthos was the capital
and grandest city of the Lycian Union,
but has had a chequered history. Surface
findings from the city acropolis reveals
that the settlement dates back to the
8th centuryBC. Initial research was
performed by Englishman Charles Fellows
in 1838, which probably explains why the
Nereidler and Harpyler monuments, the
Payave Tomb and Aslani Grave were taken
to the British Museum in 1842. The city
walls were repaired during the Roman and
Byzantium periods, and strengthened with
additions to the width. At the south
end, a gate dates back to 2nd century
BC, and behind this there is Victory
Arch belonging to Emperor Vesoasianus.
To the southwest, the original
settlement of the city is the Lychian
Acropolis, now badly ruined, with a
Byzantine Church.
Felen Plateau (Phellos)
The region of hills over the Felen
Plateau, is 12 km from Kas, was a highly
important city during the 4th century
BC. Antiphellos was the harbour of
Phellos, and some of the surrounding
city walls still remain. Also
surrounding the city is a tomb,decorated
with reliefs, 4th century tombs and
rock-cut graves.
Belenli (Isinda)
Isinda, on the hills near Belendi
village is 13 km from Kas, was a small
Lycian city and surrounded by ramparts.
In the middle of the city’s acropolis,
two tombs with Lycian inscriptions are
the main attractions. There are also
many Lycian rock tombs fromthe Roman
period.
Bezirgan (Pirha)
This important plateau village is 20
minutes walks from Pirha ruins, an
ancient city 850m above the sea. There
are many rock graves, all facing the
sea, and the tombs are more irregularly
positioned. The statues and reliefs that
were uncovered hereare now in the
Antalya Museum.
Sütleğen (Nisa)
80 km from Kas, this is another
important plateau village, with ruins 15
minutes walk away. Neiseus, the city’s
Lycian name, is written on the theatre
wall. In Nisa, there are ancient ruins
from the Lycian and Roman periods, and
on the front of some ofthe tombs there
are images of spears, shields, women and
men. Coins produced during this time are
exhibited in Antalya Museum.
Eating in Kas is quite typical of the
Mediterranean cuisine. Fresh
agricultural products are grown in the
region every season, and the fish is
especially common. Karakovan honey and
pine honey, and molasses made from carob
is readily available and found inthe
Friday Market. In restaurants around
town, there is a great selection of
Turkish cuisine and seafood.
Hand-made small carpets and textiles are
produced regionally, especially the
unique barak carpets, and woven
goat-hair products. Walnut trees are
made into dowry chests, rolling pins and
wooden spoons, and are characteristic of
the area.
There aremany shops along Uzun Carsi
(Long Market) in the town centre,
selling carpets, handicrafts, and
designer clothing. The Friday Market,
held in a large open field to the north
of town, has a great selection of fresh
fruit and vegetables, cheeses, olivesand
honey produced from the surrounding
villages, as well as hand-woven fabrics.
Diving
Kas has become an important diving
centre which in turn is a significant
part of the tourist industry for Turkish
and foreign visitors. Diving clubs
operate from the harbour, and compete
with each other for accessing the oldest
submerged ruins of theMediterranean. The
area has arguably the best visibility
and variety of sea life along the
Turkish coast, and the relatively short
distance to the dive sites means that
half-day trips are very popular.
Weekends during the summer can get very
busy, asit offers some of the cheapest
diving areas in the country. There are
many impressive sea caverns around Kas
which are accessible through diving.
These include: Kekova Island, Asirli
Island, Guvercin Inn, and Mavi Cavern,
which is the most famous.
Canoeing
The Esen river, is 45 km from Kas, which
is a great place for canoeing, with
several agencies in the area supplying
equipment and organising tours.
Beginning at the Kinik region, a 15 km
paddle ends at Parara beach. The river
is calm so it is a relatively easy
journey, with attractive surroundings of
trees and foliage. The trip also
includes breaks for food, swimming and
mud baths. For canoeing in the sea, the
best place is the village of Ucagiz,
accessible from Kas by road. The
four-hour organised tripinvolves
paddling past unique bays, and the
historical sites of the Submerged City
and Simena, with breaks for swimming and
food.
Trekking
As Kas and the Lycian cities are close
to each other, trekking is a popular way
of exploring the region, with routes and
maps available. Paths available for
walking will go around the peninsula to
Limanagzi, Gedife Hill, Phellos,
Gokceoren, Mount Asaz,and the Gombe
plateau. Kas is a good place to start
the Lycian Way, Turkey’s first walking
trail, which is a 30-day walk around the
coast and mountains.
Sailing
Kas is one of the most important stops
for the Blue Voyage, as well as a good
starting point, and exploring the coast
between Kas and Bodrum on motor schooner
or yacht is popular with visitors. The
boats for hire around the Kas Harbour
are usually well equipped with water,
electricity, gas, shower and laundry
service often provided.
Parachuting
Kas had proved to be one of the best
places in Turkey for hillside
parachuting, mainly due to the geography
and climate. There are good, reputable
companies operating from the town, with
modern equipment and qualified
supervisors.
Fishing
Kas has the cleanest and clearest waters
in the Mediterranean with little or no
pollution, so fishing has developed into
quite a lucrative industry. The most
common in this area arelobster, grey and
red mullet, lobster, octopus and tuna.
Recently,trout farms have been
established around Gombe and Saklikent.
Beaches
Towards to the out of the southeast of
town, there are Kucukcakil, Buyukcakil
and Akcagerme beaches, which are quite
stony. One of the nicest location in
terms of its tranquil, is Limanagzi,
which is accessible only by boat, and
surrounded by a tiny cove with
olivetrees. The tiny beach of Kaputas is
19km away, and lies at the bottom of 192
rocky steps from the road, giving it a
unique setting when viewing it from a
distance. It too is quite stony, and the
current can be very strong, but an
attractive andrelatively peaceful place
for picnics and sunbathing.
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History
Antiphellos 
Patara (Ovagelemiş)
Xanthos 
Eating in Kas is quite typical of the
Mediterranean cuisine. Fresh
agricultural products are grown in the
region every season, and the fish is
especially common. Karakovan honey and
pine honey, and molasses made from carob
is readily available and found inthe
Friday Market. In restaurants around
town, there is a great selection of
Turkish cuisine and seafood. 
Hand-made small carpets and textiles are
produced regionally, especially the
unique barak carpets, and woven
goat-hair products. Walnut trees are
made into dowry chests, rolling pins and
wooden spoons, and are characteristic of
the area.
-Visiting surrounding antic cities, 
