Not much remains from this city since it was established
on top of the old city of Antiphellos in Central Lycia. From an inscription
written in two languages, we can see that the city under Ka? was Antiphellos.
But the old name of Kaş is Habesos. In the ninth century B.C., Antiphellos
was a very small settlement unit and it was the port of Phellos, which
is a bit north of Kaş. As the Hellenistic age began, Phellos lost its
importance while Antiphellos developed and came to the fore. This situation
also continued in the Roman era and Antiphellos developed further by cedar
tree trade and sponge fishing. At that time, the city was no longer a
port of Phellos but rather a rich and self-sufficient city.
There are regular city wall remains on the city’s acropolis, which
looks on the side of Meis island. But nothing has survived to our day
from the northern and western sides of this wall. The remains of the wall
on the seaside are also visible. The city has a theater that survived
with very little damage, looking down the sea on the right side of the
road going to Çukurbag.
The most famous monument in Kaş is a sarcophagus formed from a single block on Uzun Çarsi Avenue. The monument appears as you walk among rug shops. The sarcophagus bears an eight-line inscription on it in the Lycian language, but the writing has largely been obscured by time making it impossible to guess who the tomb belonged to. People ended up calling it the Sarcophagus of the King.
Kaş, the closest spot to Meis island, is a heaven for visitors who are fond of historical sites. The Çukurova Peninsula stretches into the sea and there are modern hotels built on this peninsula. The peninsula is also an ideal three-kilometer-long walking track which offers beautiful views along its path.
Inside Kaş, there are splendid beaches with clean water like Büyük Çakil, Küçük Çakil and Akçagerme. You can also go to Çayagzi Beach by boat. There are six caves around Kaş. Mavi Magara (The Blue Cave), the Aşirli island sea cave and the Güvercinlik Cave famous for its pigeons are 18 kilometers from Kaş, and they are the most famous ones. Kaputaş Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Besides its historical sites, Kaş offers tourists many options including nature sports like trekking, mountaineering and rafting. The Yeşilgöl and Ucansu waterfalls would be a good choice for those who want to enjoy nature on their own.
Gömbe, on the bottom of Mt. Akdag, is 70 kilometers away from Kaş. Mt. Akdaş has the second-highest summit after the Kizlar summit in the Western Taurus mountain range. A number of small lakes that are found here are beautiful.
There is the ancient city of Komba in Gömbe and the ancient city of Nisa in Meryemlik near Sütlegen, 13 kilometers away from Komba. Here there are tombs, an agora and remains of a theater. Near the town there is the Kandyba ancient city. One of the good things about Kas is that you can walk to most of the ruins. For example you can have a nice leisurely walk to Pehllos, which is 12 kilometers from Kaş. The Phellos ruins are right above the villages of Çukurbag and Pinarbaşi.
Travelling to Kaş and not visiting Kekova is simply inconceivable. You can go to Kekova from Kaş by yacht or you can drive to Üçaşiz and then hire a boat from there. The sight of the sunken city is impressive. Kaş is surrounded by many ancient cities including Istlada, Apollania, Isinda and Kyaenai as well as many ruins whose names are not known. There is another ancient city in the Bayindir village, 7 kilometers from Kaş. The Bayindir Port is ideal for yachts. On the mountain side over this port, there is a group of sarcophagi with Lycian inscriptions carved on them. This must be a very small ancient city, and its name is believed to be Sebeda.
On the high area on the western side of Kaş, there is an area with a few ruins. There are some remains with polygonal walls spreading over three hills at an altitude of 760 meters over Seyret Valley. On the way to Sidek village, there is another area of ruins, and among the ruins there is a rock tomb in gothic style with Lycian inscriptions and polygonal walls. On a hill on the north of Hacioglan village, on the north bank of the river, there is a fortress and three Lycian tombs. Near Çardakli village, there is an ancient city whose name is unknown and half an hour south of Başlica, there is a fortress on top of a hill. There is a small settlement called Tysee on top of a low hill near the village of Tuse. Near this area, in a place called Aladam, there is a tomb with stairs, an unusual structure for Lycia. The surrounding of Kaş offers visitors historical and natural wonders.
Ilhan Aksit's book "Işik Ülkesi Lycia" (Lycia, Country of Light) was used as a source for this webpage.