Antalya to Kas: Private day trip

Main attractions

• A small, unhurried Lycian harbor town on Turkey's Turquoise Coast — Kaş sits on a narrow peninsula below pine-covered mountains dropping steeply to the sea, its whitewashed houses with bougainvillea-draped balconies arranged around a crescent harbor that faces the Greek island of Meis (Castellorizo) just 2km offshore
• The ancient city of Antiphellos underlies the modern town — a Lycian rock tomb carved directly into the cliff face above the main square, a well-preserved Hellenistic theatre cut into the hillside with sea views from every row, and sarcophagi emerging from the pavement of ordinary streets give Kaş a density of casual antiquity found almost nowhere else on the Turkish coast
• The sea around Kaş is among the clearest in the Mediterranean — the submarine topography of drop-offs, caverns and ancient wreck sites makes it one of Turkey's premier diving destinations, and the snorkeling directly from the town's rocky platforms is immediately rewarding

Things to do

• Walk the Lycian rock tomb above the main square at dusk — the carved facade is impressive at any time but the late afternoon light on the stone and the view across the rooftops to Meis island makes the short climb genuinely worthwhile
• Take a boat trip from the harbor — day excursions visit the sunken city of Kekova (a partially submerged ancient settlement visible through the hull of a glass-bottomed boat), the Byzantine castle of Simena and the rock tombs of Myra; the standard circuit takes a full day and is one of the best boat trips on the Turkish coast
• Dive or snorkel the underwater canyon and cavern systems immediately offshore — the visibility regularly exceeds 30 meters and the drop-off walls are covered in gorgonian fans and sponge; local dive operators are experienced and well-equipped

What to eat

• Meze spread at a harbor-front restaurant — stuffed vine leaves, haydari (strained yogurt with herbs), sigara böreği (fried cheese pastry) and grilled sea bass or çipura (gilt-head bream) caught the same morning; the restaurants on the western side of the harbour away from the main tourist strip are consistently better value and quality; Bi Lokma and Bahçe are reliable choices for a longer lunch