The Story Behind The Sunken City Of Kekova

Kekova is not only known for its gorgeous turquoise sea but also its ancient and mysterious sunken city. Every summer, visitors arrive on Gulet tours to look out over the water to see the remains of a once flourishing city now completely underwater with only a few remnants on land to speak of its existence.

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Kekova is a large region on Turkey’s Mediterranean coastline that includes the island of the same name as well as the Kaleköy and Üçağız villages. Since its inclusion in the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forest’s specially protected areas beginning in 1990, the region has become quite popular with visitors due to its stunning natural and cultural beauty. In fact, in the early 20th century, even the Italians were aware of Kekova’s worth when they fought for it; they eventually lost it to the Turks after the 1932 Convention between Italy and Turkey.

On the northern side of the island of Kekova, you’ll come across the underwater ruins of Dolchiste, an ancient Lycian settlement, which was partly overtaken by the sea due to an earthquake that occurred during the 2nd century. Even though Dolchiste was rebuilt and regained new life during the Byzantine era, the threat of Arabs in the region caused its inhabitants to abandon their town.

Only accessible by water, Gulet tours arrive here on a regular basis from Kaş, another very popular seaside town where nature still reigns unspoiled. Even though swimming is forbidden around the sunken ruins, gazing upon them and shooting some photos are quite the experience.

However, in Tersane Bay, visitors can swim and take a closer look at the ruins of an ancient Byzantine church, while Akvaryum Bay is also another perfect spot to take a dip in the clear waters. If you don’t want to reach Kekova by a boat tour from Kaş, you can also fly to Dalaman (the nearest airport) and stay in a modest pension in the Kaleköy or Üçağız villages. From there, the mysterious sunken town is accessible by renting a small boat or, the other more highly recommended option, renting canoes and really taking in the sights at your own pace.

Apart from the beautiful sunken city in the iridescent turquoise waters, Kekova is also famous for its countless coves and bays as well as the Kaleköy village with its historic fortress. The waterfront restaurants adorned with flowers, the small houses with terracotta roofs, and narrow streets are also standouts in this idyllic village by the water. As for the fortress, it sits on the remains of another Lycian structure built by the Knights of Rhodes.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.