What is the Sunken City of Kekova?

The Sunken City of Kekova is one of the most unique tourist attractions on the Turkish Coast. But, curiously, it is not called that, or at least, not exactly. In this post, we clarify this question, tell you why it is interesting to come here, and how it is possible to discover the area because, due to its peculiarities and restrictions, it can only be done by boat.

Name of the Sunken City of Kekova

The Sunken City of Kekova is understood to be the archaeological ruins of an ancient Lycian city, located under the water, with some parts in the open air. That Lycian city was Simena, which experienced its splendor in the centuries immediately before the change of era (4th-1st centuries BC), but whose existence was cut short due to one or more earthquakes that occurred here. This caused part of the city to sink and remain under the waters, with changes in the surface and coastline. In fact, it is also often known as the ‘Sunken City’.

The name ‘Kekova’ is due to the island located just in front: the Island of Kekova, proposed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its numerous archaeological remains from the Lycian period and later, as well as its natural attraction, strongly protected by the authorities. And to complicate it a little more, the current name of ancient Simena is Kalekoy, which in Turkish means ‘castle town’… and which is also used for towns in other regions of Turkey. This Kalekoy is actually a small fishing village that, due to the historical place on which it sits, has many restrictions on building.

In any case, although it is not an entirely accurate name, we will call it as this attractive corner of the Turkish Coast is popularly known: Sunken City of Kekova.

What is in this city and how to visit it

As we mentioned above, in the Sunken City of Kekova, its main attraction is under the water or a little above its level. Through its crystalline waters, you can recognize walls and constructions that were once houses, baths, streets… You can even see paradoxical stairs carved into the rock that now lead to the bottom of the sea.

Of the constructions still visible, just above the water, Lycian sarcophagi stand out, which were built by the not-so-wealthy classes of that society, who could not build troglodytic temples as tombs. But these sarcophagi, imposing truncated conical stone structures, maintain all their evocative power today, as authentic survivors of time and earthquakes.

It is known that even today the seabed contains remains of vessels, coins, and other historical objects, which are also exhibited in archaeological museums. That is why it is strictly forbidden to dive here: you cannot even snorkel. On the other hand, to contemplate the semi-submerged remains of ancient Simena, it will be necessary to sail in a boat, which can be large and shared with other dozens of people, or private for a tailor-made journey.

And once the journey is over, after setting foot on land again, the steps usually lead to the Byzantine castle that is located on top of the town of Kalekoy, from where you have a beautiful panoramic view of the coast, with the Lycian sarcophagi rivaling the natural rock formations.

As you can see, the Sunken City of Kekova and its immediate surroundings are full of charm. And the best way to discover it is aboard a boat. You can achieve all this if you book with Turkey Exclusive, as we charter private gulet cruises through these and other spectacular corners of the Turkish Coast.