Simena Castle, Antalya, Türkiye

Standing: High
Rank: Rank 604 of 5,798

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About Simena Castle

Simena Castle is the medieval fortress built on the acropolis walls of Simena, an ancient Lycian town between Kaş and Demre that is now the village of Kaleköy. The town may have been founded on a rocky peninsula in the 4th century BC and was represented in the Lycian League together with Apollonia, Isinda and Aperlae. Its remains span Classical settlement traces, Hellenistic walls, Roman buildings and the Byzantine castle. Simena lies in the 260 km² Kekova Special Environmental Protection Area and is a first-degree archaeological site, one of the rare ancient cities in Turkey reached from the sea.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

What's inside

Within the later fort on the acropolis you can see a small theatre or bouleuterion carved into the rock. Part of the ancient town now lies under the sea, and the remains of the baths of Titus are in the water below. Grave inscriptions and coin finds show that Simena already existed in the 4th century BC. The town stood on the coast of ancient Lycia, 60 stadia from Aperlae, and the ancient sailing guide Stadiasmus Maris Magni calls it Somena.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source