KaÅŸ Map

History of KaÅŸ

Located in Teke Peninsula, Kaş is one of the most important cities of Lycian Civilization. Archeological studies have revealed that there were also certain settlements traced back 6000 B.C in this region, and the ancient name of this city is known as Habesos. Known as Antiphellos in history, the city was included into Macedonian territories during the Anatolian expedition of Alexandre the Great. In the course of history, the city was ruled by Seleukos, Ptolemaios and Romans successively and became the centre of episcopacy in the Byzantine era. The city took the name of Andifli during the reign of Anatolian Seljuq Empire. Lastly Yıldırım Bayezid took the city from Tekeliogullari Principality and included it into the territories of Otoman Empire.

In 6th.century B.C, Antiphellos was a very small site and it was the harbor of Phellos, situated just above Antiphellos. However, in the verge of Helenistic Period, the situation of Phellos worsened, whereas Antipellos began to stand out by developing gradually. This situation did not change during the Roman era. The city was not a harbor of Phellos anymore and it became a wealthy self- sufficient city by developing thanks to the Cedrus tree trade, obtained from the forests surrounding the city, and sponge trade.

There are many tombs of Ionian style with lycian writings on them, situated in the eastern and northern mountains of the ancient city. Decorated with Lycian writings and also known as King’s Tomb, the monumental tomb in Uzunçarşı (4th century B.C), is one of the most beautiful and glorious sacrophagus reaching to our era.

Among the most important masterpieces in this region is KaÅŸ Antique Theatre (1st century B.C). Having the capacity of 4000 people, and made up of 26 steps, the theatre was repaired in 2nd century A.D

The theatre does not have any stage and its most important feature is that its front side is open towards the Anatolian sea. In the northeast direction of the theatre, there is a home-style, dor styled tomb belonging to 5th century B.C The tomb, with a height of 3.5 meter, was built by carving from a big rock. It has a figure of 24 dancing girls holding each others hands, carved on it. The temple situated in the hospital street was traced back to Roman period and its facade was decorated with hewn Stones.

The ruins of Lycian Period exist not only at the centre of Kaş, but also in the villages together with plateaus in the region. Near almost each and every village or plateau, there exists an ancient city called as asarlık by the inhabitants of the villages. Sacrophaguses with semerdam frontals, rock- cut tombs, and other ruins have reached today as traces from Lyca. In the villages, wooden cottages with triangle frontals are used as warehouse.

This form is a heritage from the tradition of Lycians reflecting the triangle shape of the houses and tombs to their daily life. Today, these cultural monuments which were built by inserting the woods into each other without using any nails, are about to extinct.

These buildings, whose constructors were passed away years before, have been used by villagers to store certain foods. These cottages, which are generally built near the houses, are situated collectively in the villages namely Gökçeören and Bezirgan.

The most interesting of all is the warehouse with 2 flats, situated in Beyler, the village of Elmalı. Such warehouses, some of which are not used anymore, are moved into the villa gardens as decorative objects.

 Outdoor Activities in KaÅŸ

KaÅŸ is a town which is peaceful enough for the ones who feel themselves tired during the whole year and just wish only to sunbathe and swim. At the same time it also embodies various activities for the ones who feel themselves too inactive throughout the year, and wish to involve in activities nonstop.

Küçükçakıl, Büyükçakıl, LimanaÄŸzı, Akçagerme, Bucakdenizi, Incebogaz are the regions where you can swim. You have the opportunity to dive. First and foremost, it is worth to tell that the beauty of undersea in KaÅŸ has many lovers from Turkey, and from all over the world. Every year, professional divers from diving schools have been accompanying to thousands of people in their charming voyage under sea.

We are strongly recommending you to dive for exploration when you come to KaÅŸ. It takes half an hour, and we are sure that the half an hour you will spend during this voyage will be the shortest one of your life. It will not be enough for you; as a result, you will take the first step to be a skin diver.

Flying; to give your feet freedom; to see the charms of KaÅŸ in a moment altogetherto wing over the history of thousands of years to breath in the deep blue Paragliding can not give that much pleasure to anybody in any other place.

Mysterious sunken city, Kekova, countless small islands and bays.the easiest way to be closer to the sunken city, where swimming and diving is prohibited, is probably wandering around the region by a canoe. It enables you to feel the sea without swimming.

It gives you the pleasure of exploring the curly bays that are impossible to access by boats.
Spending a night or so in the boat and experiencing such an alternative tour will be enough to make your vacation unforgettable.

If you prefer to touch the land, then we can recommend you hiking along Lycian Road. You can explore the KaÅŸ route of this road, a wonder of nature, which actually starts from Fethiye and ends in Antalya.

You can have daily trips to neighbourood. You have the opportunity to visit Santa Claus Church in Demre-Myra, to see the ancient city and to swim in the sea with a matchless beach, then turn back to KaÅŸ.

You can go Saklıkent by Safari jeeps and take the pleasure of hiking along the canyon. In Patara, you can satisfy your longing for a walk on silky sands with the waves splashing to your feet. You can go Kekova by renting a boat. Sailing with boat, you may spend a night in the boat, and realise how you long for sleeping under millions of stars, far from city ligts. At night, maybe you cannot resist the child inside you, who wants to swim. You can go Liman ağzı by small fishing boats. Watching Kaş from other side, you can read your book under olive trees, and swim in the sea in which the only factor that creates waves is your strokes.

And the nightare you ready to take your place in the most special building of KaÅŸ? This special place is Duvar, meaning the Wall, where you sometimes wait in cues in order to find a seat, where you run in a hurry in order to be able to catch the seat that you keep staring for a while, where you can drink any kind of beverage from milk to beer, and eat everything from baked potato to ice cream.

it is a regular garden wall, the kind that everybody knows, that surrounds the centre of KaÅŸ with a height of 50 cm. Especially after 3 a.m , after every other cafe-bars are closed, you have to stay awake, in order to join the people who regard a wall and a pavement as their living room. Do not think that there are no place than this for you to go and rest with your love or your family or your friends, of course there are many natty and special places; however Duvar bar with its simplicity is unique… Surely one night, you wish to pop up there.

Above all, if any of these activities do not appeal you, we should have had something missing. Tell us, and we can help you immediately.

How to go

If you want to come to KaÅŸ by road, you can reach the city through Antalya-Kumluca-Finike-Demre route or through Fethiye-Kalkan route accompanied by matchless scenery.
If you come through Afyon and MuÄŸla, it is highly recommended to follow Fethiye-Kalkan road. For the ones coming to Antalya from the eastern part of Turkey or from other different regions, it is recommended to follow Finike-KaÅŸ road.