I have a simple list of criteria that a summer destination on the Mediterranean must meet.
1. Perfect, clear turquoise water. 2. Rich in history with remnants of ancient empires. 3. Small and not over commercialized, but still enough to have fun.
Kas meets all of those.
Kas is a perfect little beach town on the incredibly beautiful Turkish Riviera. I have been to some really amazing little beach towns both on the Mediterranean and around the world, and Kas is undoubtedly my favorite so far. I am going to cherish my time there every single day until I get back as soon as possible.
If you find yourself in Türkiye, especially down south, I am quite literally begging you to visit. Everyone that I have sent to Kas after I spent my weeks there, have loved it.
Below is a collection of everything I have gathered that might help before visiting. Enjoy.
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KAS OVERVIEW & HISTORY
The town has been a bustling, important port city for centuries now, once even being captured by Alexander the Great in 333 B.C. It was a stop along the pilgrimage route to and from Jerusalem during the Middle Ages. Kas was once named Habesos during the days of the Lycian civilization, and then named Antiphellus and the port of Phellus during the Roman Empire.
There is evidence of this history through out the streets, from the tombs from the 4th century BCE just casually in the center of the small roads and cliffs, to the ancient Greek amphitheater overlooking the town lights and Mediterranean Sea.
Kas’ small cobblestone streets are alive all day and night-in the best way. There isn’t anyone outside of the stores constantly trying to sell you something, but instead just people sitting outside drinking their tea, and talking with friends.
Filled with a good mix of both Turkish locals and foreigners vacationing, Kas is increasingly seeing more visitors each year, though definitely still smaller and lesser known than some of the surrounding resort towns like Ölüdeniz, Fethiye, and Antalya.
Split into two parts, Kas has its main ‘Old Town’ with many stores, cafes, bars, restaurants, beaches, night life, absolutely insane history-and so much more. For a small town there is plenty of things to see and do in the main streets.
The other part of Kas is the peninsula on the land that jets out into the sea from the main town, filled with mostly nicer hotels, beach clubs, and cliffs to tan on and jump off of.
HOW TO GET TO KAS
Even if you do not have a car, getting to Kas is easy.
NEAREST AIRPORTS TO KAS:
Dalaman International Airport (∼2 hours driving)
Antalya International Airport (∼3 hours driving)
BY BUS:
Though most people will take the bus from either Fethiye or Antalya, there are buses to Kas-from everywhere. Kamil Koç, Pemukkale, and Metro bus companies all run routes to and from Kas, from all around the country.
There are direct night buses to and from Istanbul that will cost you €48, and to and from Izmir and Ankara as well.
Heads up: There are two main bus stations in Kaş, one in the center of town, and one about 20 minutes outside of town in the middle of nowhere: Kaş Otobüs Terminali (Ağullu, 07580 Kaş/Antalya, Türkiye). There are buses into the center of town from there, but if you have the option to choose another ending stop you can make it easier for yourself.
BY FERRY:
If you are coming to Kas from Greece, there are ferries from the small Greek island of Kastellorizo, with ferries that connect to Rhodes as well.
Ferries from Kastellorizo: €20, 25 minutes
Ferries from Kastellorizo to Rhodes: €35, 2.5 hours
BEST THINGS TO DO IN KAS
- Explore The Old Town
With the colors, flowers, cobblestone roads and the overall vibe of Kas, it feels like you might as well be somewhere like Greece.
In the main part of the old town, you will find the cutest clothing stores, coffee shops, souvenir stores, and much more. In the mornings the town is much quieter, but through out the day as it gets more lively it does not get too overwhelming at all. Every night of the week in the summer the town is awake until the early hours of the morning, with everyone just out relaxing, drinking, talking, and dancing to music.
My favorite little detail in the town is the huge old ‘King’s Tomb’ right in the middle of one of the main shopping streets that has been there since the 4th century BCE, and people just hang out on and around it like nothing. Hello? That is absolutely mind blowing?
- Visit the rock tombs
Along with the King’s Tomb in the center of town in the street, there are some tombs built into the cliffs and rocks in the city as well.
All of those hundreds of years ago, people used to bury loved ones up high in tombs carved into the mountains because they believed that being elevated up there would attract a winged creature to take them up to the next life. These tombs have stayed intact incredibly well through so much history, and it’s just so unreal to see the old writing etched into the stone, I really am never going to be able to comprehend history like this.
(There are lots of beautiful old rock tombs all around the area along the Lycian Way, most famously including the Tomb of Amyntas in Fethiye, and the old rocks tombs in the ancient city of Myra, around 1 hour east of Kas towards Antalya.)
- Visit The Hellenistic Theatre
I did not get any pictures of the amphitheater (Antiphellos Theatre) because I had only went at night to sit up top and look at the shooting stars with the lights of the town on the water across the way.
Though it is a restored version of the original, it is so absolutely unreal to think about people sitting there and looking out at the same mountains and same sea thousands and thousands of years ago. Sitting there under the stars is a feeling that I will never ever forget.
In the mornings, people run yoga classes, and through out the evening people still go to play music, again like people did all of those centuries in the past. It is a sweet feeling knowing that people have somewhat always been the same in ways like that throughout this whole existence.
- Kaputaş Beach
Going to Kas, you will hear mixed reviews on Kaputaş Beach, some will tell you how fun and beautiful it is, some will tell you that it is too crowded.
Though there are much more beautiful beaches along the main coastal road that are quiet and untouched all around Kas, Kaputaş is fun not only because of the beautiful views over the beach, the cliffs to jump off, and the clear blue water, but because of the people watching and happy atmosphere.
Kaputaş is around a 25 minute drive west of Kas, and it is a perfect length of a drive to get a moped for, if you do not have a car.
- Pataras Beach
If you are going west out of town to Kaputaş Beach, you might as well keep going past the town of Kalkan to Patara, and visit Patara Beach. Patara has amazing ancient ruins, and unreal sand dunes further west down the beach. The little town of Patara is lovely as well.
Visiting Patara Beach and the dunes at sunset was one of my favorite memories from my time in Turkey. And driving back to Kas after dark with all of the windows down with the warm summer air, blasting music, with all of the twinkling town lights on the hills, and the sea and the tiny islands below is one of my favorite memories of all time.
- Visit The Greek Island Of Kastellorizo
Located just one mile off the coast of Kas, Kastellorizo is a tiny little Greek island that you can swim to from the shores of Turkey if you were that determined. Kastellorizo is a beautiful spot to hit even if it is just for one evening to grab drinks and dinner.
The old town on the island is a perfect mix of Greece and Turkey, and being so small and almost unknown to most foreigners visiting the Mediterranean, it is not crowded and overwhelming like a good amount of the other islands.
There are multiple ferry rides to and from Kastellorizo daily, that again, will only take you about 25 minutes, and cost you around 20 Euros.
Along with that option, there are multiple small boat companies that you can charter a private ride over with, that will be much quicker and more fun, but just a little more pricey. You can find these small companies in the main marina and in the small tourism offices both in the center of town.
KAS’ MAIN TOWN VS. PENINSULA
Getting into Kas at first, I was a little stressed that I would be super far out from the town on the peninsula, but it ended up being the most perfect location, and an easy ride in. I couldn’t have been in a better spot.
Main Town:
This is where all of the stores, super markets, pharmacies, cafes, bars, and everything is. When you need something or want to spend a night out you will need to go into town. From the center, there are little minibuses that go to the peninsula to drop people off wherever, twice every hour for ∼$1.
Peninsula:
The Peninsula (Çukurbağ Peninsula), is the part of Kas that jets out into the sea, lined by beautiful beach hotels on the cliffs, with a couple of public sandy beaches. There are two nice restaurants on the peninsula (more on that in a second), and two little markets if you need something quickly.
Kas is one of my favorite places on earth, and not only because of how good of a time I had here and how great my summer was, this little corner of the sea is so magical in every sense of the word. I miss it everyday and can not wait to make my way back.
Madigan Murphy 