{"id":1774,"date":"2021-04-02T18:00:34","date_gmt":"2021-04-02T16:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/?page_id=1774"},"modified":"2021-06-16T11:21:15","modified_gmt":"2021-06-16T09:21:15","slug":"simena","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/things-to-do\/history\/simena\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to the Ancient City of Simena (Kalek\u00f6y) in Antalya: History and Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Kalek\u00f6y is a wonderful place where you will find <strong>amazing landscapes, a peaceful environment, as well as interesting attractions<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Simena is the ancient name of Kalek\u00f6y, a fantastic ancient city that can <strong>only be reached by boat<\/strong> from Ka\u015f, Demre, or \u00dc\u00e7a\u011f\u0131z.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In this article, you will find all the useful tips and information you need for<strong>&nbsp;your visit to Kalek\u00f6y, <\/strong>including access, history, hotels, tickets for tours, and more&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s get to it!<\/p>\n<h2>What Can I Do in Simena, Antalya?<\/h2>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sunken Basilica at Simena in Kalekoy in Antalya in Turkey\" data-id=\"1829\" width=\"702\" data-init-width=\"1000\" height=\"470\" data-init-height=\"670\" title=\"Sunken Basilica at Simena in Kalekoy in Antalya in Turkey\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/04\/simena-kalekoey-antalya.jpg\" data-width=\"702\" data-height=\"470\" data-pinpro-key=\"etd1hb780\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Simena was <strong>a small Lycian coastal city<\/strong> that has been inhabited since the 4th century. Today it is called Kalek\u00f6y, <strong>one of the rare settlements in Turkey that can only be reached by sea<\/strong>. Among the ruins of Simena that have been preserved until today, you will find a <strong>300-seat theater, temples, and Lycian tombs<\/strong>. The Hellenistic theater in Simena is the <strong>smallest theater <\/strong>among all the Lycian cities with the capacity to hold only 200 spectators.<\/p>\n<p>In Kalek\u00f6y, the <strong>houses made of masonry stones<\/strong> within the walls are in harmony with the environment. The Medieval Castle has a spectacular view of <a href=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/things-to-do\/attraction\/kekova-island\/\" style=\"outline: none;\"><strong>Kekova Island<\/strong><\/a>. This castle was built to protect the inhabitants from the pirates nested in Kekova island.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>One of the structures under the sunken city is a <strong>basilica building<\/strong>. If you participate in a tour, you can see the sunken basilica with a cross shaped relief in the middle of its gate.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tombs at Simena in Antalya in Turkey\" data-id=\"1830\" width=\"702\" data-init-width=\"1000\" height=\"470\" data-init-height=\"670\" title=\"Tombs at Simena in Antalya in Turkey\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/04\/tombs-in-simena-in-antalya-in-turkey.jpg\" data-width=\"702\" data-height=\"470\" data-pinpro-key=\"86xuuthtg\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Lycian rock tombs<\/strong> can be seen in abundance both in the water and on the coast with Lycian inscriptions. <strong>Sarcophagi weighing tons <\/strong>can be seen all over the ancient site, especially on the left slope of the castle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There are <strong>ruins from the pier, houses, and stone stairs<\/strong> in the ancient city. It is very interesting to see a huge city that is almost sunken into the water. The settlements near the ancient harbor of the city seem to have sunken under the water due to earthquakes and transformed the area into an island. Many <strong>ancient ruins and the harbor pier<\/strong> are clearly visible under one meter of water.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Simena Kalekoy in Antalya in Turkey\" data-id=\"1825\" width=\"702\" data-init-width=\"1000\" height=\"470\" data-init-height=\"670\" title=\"Simena Kalekoy in Antalya in Turkey\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/04\/simena-in-antalya-in-turkey.jpg\" data-width=\"702\" data-height=\"470\" data-pinpro-key=\"2drem24c8\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Entrance, Tickets, and Tours to Simena (Kalek\u00f6y)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"\"><span style=\"\"><strong>Entrance: <\/strong>It is possible to visit Simena between 08:00-19:00 during the summer season and from 08:30-17:30 during the winter season.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"\"><span style=\"\"><strong>Tickets:<\/strong> The entrance fee to the ancient city of Simena is 14 TL in 2021. If you have a Museum Pass Card, you can visit the site for free.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><strong>Tours: <\/strong>Kalek\u00f6y (Simena) can only be accessed by sea. You can visit Kalek\u00f6y by participating in boat tours departing from \u00dc\u00e7a\u011f\u0131z. These tours includes swimming breaks in the aquarium bay and other bays, then you will see famous rock cut-tombs, the sunken city, and finally Kalek\u00f6y.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\"><strong>Tip:<\/strong> To book amusement parks, museums, and tour tickets in advance of your trip to the Antalya region, don&#8217;t hesitate to check out the deals in our official shop.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Simena Kalekoy Ancient City in Antalya in Turkey\" data-id=\"1827\" width=\"702\" data-init-width=\"1000\" height=\"470\" data-init-height=\"670\" title=\"Simena Kalekoy Ancient City in Antalya in Turkey\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/04\/simena-kalekoey-anc-city-in-antalya.jpg\" data-width=\"702\" data-height=\"470\" data-pinpro-key=\"g9tzljfjk\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How to Get to Simena&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>only access to Kalek\u00f6y (Simena) by sea<\/strong>. You can visit Kalek\u00f6y by taking a boat tour departing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">from \u00dc\u00e7a\u011f\u0131z<\/span>. There are also <strong>motor boat tours from Ka\u015f and Demre.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Aerial view of Sunken Basilica at Simena in Antalya in Turkey\" data-id=\"1828\" width=\"702\" data-init-width=\"1000\" height=\"470\" data-init-height=\"670\" title=\"Aerial view of Sunken Basilica at Simena in Antalya in Turkey\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/04\/simena-aerial-in-antalya-in-turkey.jpg\" data-width=\"702\" data-height=\"470\" data-pinpro-key=\"ytc55kwwz\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Hotels Near Simena (Kalek\u00f6y)<\/h2>\n<p>As said previously, there are wonderful hotels to stay in during your trip to Simena. We made you a section of the <strong>best possible hotels to stay in while visiting Kalek\u00f6y:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: var(--tcb-skin-color-0);\">Simena Pansiyon :<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"color: var(--tcb-skin-color-0);\">&nbsp;<\/span>The Castle of Simena is not too far from Simena Pansiyon. Simena Pansiyon puts the best of Demre (Kale) at your fingertips, making your stay both relaxing and enjoyable. <strong>Address :&nbsp;<\/strong>Kale Ucagiz Koyu Kekova Antalya, Demre<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: var(--tcb-skin-color-0);\">La Kumsal Hotel :<\/span>&nbsp;<\/strong>La Kumsal Hotel offers stunning views of the sea and Meis Island. Most of the rooms have a sea view. The day starts with an open buffet breakfast at La Kumsal Hotel. The \u00e0 la carte restaurant serves unique tastes of Mediterranean cuisine. Ka\u015f town centre is 5 km from the hotel. <strong>Address :&nbsp;<\/strong>Cukurbag Yarim Adasi Beyhan Cenkci Cad. No: 74, Kas<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: var(--tcb-skin-color-0);\">Alley Prime Hotel : <\/span><\/strong>It is an ideal luxury hotel in Ka\u015f with relaxing rooms. <strong>Address :&nbsp;<\/strong>Andifli Mahallesi, Bulent Kalkavan Sokak No: 14\/1, Kas 07580 Turkey<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: var(--tcb-skin-color-0);\">Kekova Pansiyon :<\/span>&nbsp;<\/strong>Kekova Pansiyon is situated on the seaside in a very historical village surrounded by ruins. It has 8 very large rooms all facing the sea. You can taste traditional home made meals and enjoy the lounging area down by the sea.&nbsp;<strong>Address:&nbsp;<\/strong>Ucagiz Koyu, Kekova<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"\">FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)<\/h2>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Simena Castle in Antalya in Turkey\" data-id=\"1826\" width=\"702\" data-init-width=\"1000\" height=\"470\" data-init-height=\"670\" title=\"Simena Castle in Antalya in Turkey\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/04\/simena-castle-in-antalya-in-turkey.jpg\" data-width=\"702\" data-height=\"470\" data-pinpro-key=\"93njaljki\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The History of Simena<\/h2>\n<p>Simena means &#8220;Mother Goddess&#8221; in the Luwi language. Based on some inscriptions in the region, the history of Simena dates back to 4th century BC.<\/p>\n<p>The city was an important settlement in the Roman period. Simena belonged to the Lycian League along with Aperlai, Apollonia, and Isinda, but never achieved great importance. It is possible to see the ruins of the city both on land and under the water, just like Theimiussa. There is a bath building by the sea shore, near the pier, with an inscription dedicated to Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasian (79-81).<\/p>\n<p>The necropolis with mostly Roman sarcophagi in the Lycian style have also partially sunken. A single sarcophagus protrudes freely from the water, and the remains of sunken paths can be seen around it.<\/p>\n<p>Kalek\u00f6y is a stop on the Lycian Way. From \u00dc\u00e7a\u011f\u0131z, the hiking trail leads through rather impassable terrain to Kalek\u00f6y. Most visitors come to Kalek\u00f6y by boat. Boat tours are offered from \u00dc\u00e7a\u011f\u0131z, Ka\u015f, Demre, and Andriake.<\/p>\n<p>Learn more about monuments in Antalya on our page dedicated to <a href=\"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/things-to-do\/history\/\" style=\"outline: none;\">ruins in Antalya<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"\">Contact<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\"><strong>Address :&nbsp;<\/strong>\u00dc\u00e7a\u011f\u0131z Mah., Kale K\u00f6y\u00fc Mevkii Antalya<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\"><strong>Opening Hours : <\/strong>Summer period: 10:00-16:00 Winter Period: 08:30-17:30<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\"><strong>Access : <\/strong>Only by boat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"\"><span style=\"\"><strong>Web:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/muze.gov.tr\/muze-detay?DistId=SIO&amp;SectionId=SIO01\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\" rel=\"noopener\">Muze.gov.tr\/muze-simena<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kalek\u00f6y is a wonderful place where you will find amazing landscapes, a peaceful environment, as well as interesting attractions.&nbsp; Simena is the ancient name of Kalek\u00f6y, a fantastic ancient city that can only be reached by boat from Ka\u015f, Demre, or \u00dc\u00e7a\u011f\u0131z.&nbsp; In this article, you will find all the useful tips and information you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1823,"parent":119,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[43,42,44,45],"class_list":["post-1774","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-antiquity","tag-history","tag-island","tag-sea","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"acf":[],"wp-worthy-pixel":{"ignored":false,"public":null,"server":null,"url":null},"wp-worthy-type":"normal","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1774"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10519,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1774\/revisions\/10519"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antalyatouristinformation.com\/d\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}