Kekova

Kekova, where history and nature have come together as one, shelters incredible beauties. An easily accessible place where "blue voyagers" can feel confident about dropping anchor, Kekova exhibits unbelievable beauty that is a part of history. In reaching Kekova by sea, one can rent a small motorboat from Demre.

This is an area where history mingles with nature and today`s lifestyle. There are a numbel ancient cities situated very close to each other hi such as Aperlae on the Sicak Quay, Simena, in sunken city of Kalekoy, Theimussa, which is found Ucagiz, and Istlada, which sits above Gokkaya Cove. In addition to these cities along the coast, there also Apollonia in Kilicli, as well as the ancient Tyberissos, in Cevreli on the road two kilomel outside Ucagiz. Tyberissos stands on a hill overlooking the plain of Tirmisin at 365 meters above sea-level. At the foot of the mountain, and little above the level of the plain, is an attractive gladc in which are a dozen or so Lycian sarcophagi an number of pigeon-hole tombs. By their inscriptions, they are dated to Hellenistic and Roman times.

The main site is on the two summits of the hill. The northern is the higher and was evidently the acropolis, while as for the southern hill, at its southern end, standing up to 1.5 meters in height, is a small church or chapel, little over 6 meters long, which has replaced a Doric temple. As usual, the majority of the tombs in Tyberissos are sarcophagi, but there are two rock -tombs of house-type, both with inscriptions in Lycian. One of these is near the top of the hill, at the head of a gully leading from the south-east, close to the plain of Tirmisin, and carries a relief of two figures, man and woman, the style suggesting a date around 400 B.C.

From Cevreli, if you go towards Kapakli, you arrive at a place called Enisdibi, about four kilometers down the road. If you walk about the eastern part this field, that is, the side facing the sea, you will the opportunity to see the famous ancient city Istlada. As the cities around here were small, a few them merged to be represented as one entity in the Lycian League.

For instance; Aperlai, Simena, Apollonia a Isinda were a part of this sympolity. Two kilometl down the road from Cevreli, one reaches the unbelievable beauty of Kekova. This road ends Ucagiz, where one can rent a motorboat to take you out to the sunken city of Simena, on Kalekoy.

The modern Demre port is slightly grungy, in a nice way, which is perhaps the reason why it`s also possible to pay a boat captain for a 4-hour tour of the Kekova.
(Egemenim Boat | +90 532 591 2445) or Book Online Daily Boat Trips Kekova Island and Around
There are a few fish stands and one restaurant from which you can enjoy wonderful sea and river views, or watch the local fishermen repair their boats.