Simena (Kaleköy) Ancient City and Castle

📍 Antalya, Demre📅 Ancient Age
Museum

Description

An ancient village settlement that can only be accessed by sea and footpath, famous for its castle on top, Lycian tombs at its foothills, and sea view.

Story

Simena is the ancient name of the small coastal settlement we know today as Kaleköy, and it is considered one of the most romantic corners of the Lycian world. The castle that spreads over the village was actually built on top of an older acropolis and was strengthened by the Byzantines during the Middle Ages. As you climb up from the shore, a path winding between olive trees and narrow stone streets takes you first past traditional stone houses and then alongside Lycian sarcophagi that overlook the sea. Some of the sarcophagi rise almost directly out of the sea, very close to the shore; this image strikingly reminds us of Simena’s millennia-old relationship with the sea. Upon entering the castle, you encounter small, theater-like seating carved into the rock; this is a rare example on a Lycian scale and indicates that the village was not only a military center in the past but also a civil one. In ancient times, Simena was part of a kind of local union (sympoliteia) along with other cities in the Kekova region, thriving through activities such as maritime trade and the production of purple dye. Today, as you stroll through the village’s streets, you see stalls selling homemade jams on one side and the sun-bleached faces of ancient wall stones on the other. As sunset approaches and you look down from the castle, Kekova Island, Üçağız, and the surrounding bays transform into a sea of orange light. In this way, Simena is both a living village and an open-air museum of an ancient city; history, landscape, and tranquility converge in a single frame.

Visit Tips

  • The most practical way to reach Kaleköy is by boat tours departing from Üçağız or Kaş; it is also possible to come from Üçağız by hiking, but it can be tiring in the summer heat.
  • A small entrance fee is charged at the castle; it is helpful to have cash on hand.
  • Since the castle climb involves ladders and is steep in places, comfortable shoes should be preferred.
  • The view from the castle at sunset is very impressive, making the late afternoon hours ideal for a visit.

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