Ancient City of Simena (Kaleköy) in Antalya

Kaleköy is a wonderful place where you will find amazing landscapes, a peaceful environment, as well as interesting attractions. 

Simena is the ancient name of Kaleköy, a fantastic ancient city that can only be reached by boat from Kaş, Demre, or Üçağız. 

Simena was a small Lycian coastal city that has been inhabited since the 4th century. Today it is called Kaleköy, one of the rare settlements in Turkey that can only be reached by sea. Among the ruins of Simena that have been preserved until today, you will find a 300-seat theater, temples, and Lycian tombs. The Hellenistic theater in Simena is the smallest theater in all the Lycian cities with the capacity to hold only 200 spectators.

In Kaleköy, the houses made of masonry stones within the walls are in harmony with the environment. The Medieval Castle has a spectacular view of Kekova Island. This castle was built to protect the inhabitants from the pirates nested in Kekova island. 

Lycian rock tombs can be seen in abundance both in the water and on the coast with Lycian inscriptions. Sarcophagi weighing tons can be seen all over the ancient site, especially on the left slope of the castle. 

There are ruins from the pier, houses, and stone stairs in the ancient city. It is very interesting to see a huge city that is almost sunken into the water. The settlements near the ancient harbor of the city seem to have sunken under the water due to earthquakes and transformed the area into an island. Many ancient ruins and the harbor pier are clearly visible under one meter of water.