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Lycian rock tombs, Kaş

A Lycian rock tomb in Kaş: a house-style façade with carved beams and an open doorway in the limestone cliff
Photo: Wusel007, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — no ticket, no gate
Opening hours
Always open — it’s a hillside, not a museum
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
30 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Time needed
≈ 30 minutes, plus a 10–15-minute climb from the harbour
Where
The cliff above Likya Caddesi, north side of Kaş (Andifli district)
Getting there
Up Uzun Çarşı from Republic Square, then along Likya Caddesi to the signed staircase
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
At night
Lonely Planet says the cliff tombs are floodlit after dark
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Difficulty
Steep, shadeless steps; above the first tombs it’s a rock scramble
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
In Turkish
Kaya Mezarları — “rock tombs”
Coordinates
36.20157, 29.64231YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

Freeto visit any day, any hour — the tombs sit on an open hillside
2 sourcesWikivoyage (Kaş)T—Zh travel guide to Kaş
Likya Caddesithe street at the foot of the cliff where the climb starts
2 sourcesWikivoyage (Kaş)OpenStreetMap
Houses in stonethe façades copy timber Lycian houses, with beam-ends above the door and a pediment
2 sourcesKüre Ansiklopedisi and Kültür Envanteri (Antiphellos)Tripster travel journal
Stone benchesinside the chambers — rock-cut klinai the dead were laid on
2 sourcesKüre Ansiklopedisi (Antiphellos)Tripster travel journal
Over 100tombs counted at Antiphellos by the traveller Charles Fellows in 1840
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia (Antiphellus)MedGulets (Antiphellos)
Mostly gonefor centuries locals reused the ancient tombs as building stone
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia (Antiphellus)Küre Ansiklopedisi
Antiphellosthe ancient name of Kaş — the harbour of the Lycian city of Phellos
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaWikivoyage
≈ 4th century BCwhen most Lycian rock tombs, and the Doric tomb of Kaş, were carved
3 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia (LyciaAntiphellus)MedGulets
Sleeping Giantthe rocky ridge (Uyuyan Dev) above the tomb cliff
2 sourcesWikivoyage (Kaş)T—Zh travel guide to Kaş
Family tombseach house-style tomb usually belonged to one family
2 sourcesT—Zh travel guide to KaşTripster travel journal

Where are the rock tombs in Kaş?

The tombs are carved into the limestone cliff that rises behind the north side of Kaş, right above the houses of the Andifli district. From the harbour you can pick them out as dark, square doorways in the pale rock. The way up starts on Likya Caddesi, the street that runs along the foot of the cliff.

This isn’t a fenced archaeological site. There is no ticket office, no gate, no warden and no information boards — just a sign by the steps. That means you can come whenever you like, but nobody on site will explain what you’re looking at, so read the history below before you go.

Kaş has other Lycian tombs too. The Lion Tomb is a sarcophagus on a plinth in the shopping street; a separate Doric tomb with a relief of dancing girls stands behind the Antiphellos Theatre; and odd tombs turn up on the Çukurbağ peninsula.

How to get to the Kaş rock tombs

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on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

  • Lion Tomb is about 4 min away on foot.
  • Kaş Old Town and Harbour is about 4 min away on foot.
  • Antiphellos Theatre is about 13 min away on foot.

More tips

  1. Start at Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı) by the harbour — the centre of Kaş and the starting point for any walk in town.
  2. Walk up Uzun Çarşı, the cobbled shopping lane, past the Lion Tomb — 3–5 minutes uphill.
  3. Keep climbing through the stepped lanes to Likya Caddesi, the street at the base of the cliff; you’ll see the tombs above the rooftops. Another 5–10 minutes.
  4. On Likya Caddesi, look for the sign to the Lycian rock tombs (Kaya Mezarları) and a steep staircase — it’s easy to miss behind the shrubs.
  5. Climb the steps to the first tombs, about 5 minutes. Don’t go further: there is no path.
  6. Arriving by intercity bus? Get to the harbour first: from the old otogar in town it’s a walk; from the new terminal on the Demre road, take a dolmuş or a taxi. A taxi can also drop you on Likya Caddesi.
  7. Head back down to the Old Town for dinner, or to the theatre for sunset.

Are the rock tombs free?

Yes. There is nothing to pay and no opening hours — the tombs are on an open hillside above a residential street. You don’t need cash, a museum pass or a booking. The only cost is the climb: about 15 minutes up from the harbour, the last part on steep, uneven steps.

What are the Lycian rock tombs?

They are burial chambers of Antiphellos, the ancient harbour town that modern Kaş is built over; it served the inland Lycian city of Phellos. The Lycians buried their dead high in the rock, and almost every ancient city along this coast has a cliff necropolis like this one.

The tombs above Kaş are the house type. Masons carved the front of a timber Lycian house into the rock: projecting beam-ends, door frames, a lintel and sometimes a pediment. Behind the doorway is a small chamber with rock-cut benches (klinai) for the dead. Each tomb usually belonged to a single family.

Our sources give no exact date for these particular tombs; most Lycian rock tombs, and the Doric tomb in Kaş itself, are dated to around the 4th century BC. When Charles Fellows passed through in 1840 he counted more than a hundred tombs at Antiphellos. Many have since vanished — for centuries people took the stone for building — and the survivors are mostly the ones cut straight into the cliff.

What to look for

  • The house façades: spot the carved beam-ends and door frames — this is what Lycian timber houses looked like some 2,400 years ago.
  • The chambers: peer in to see the stone benches the dead were laid on. Don’t climb into doorways set high above the steps.
  • The view: red roofs, the harbour, the Çukurbağ peninsula and the Greek island of Kastellorizo on the horizon.
  • The cliff above: the Sleeping Giant ridge (Uyuyan Dev), with the coast road running along the top.
  • The view from below: from the harbour lanes the tombs read as a row of dark doorways — a good zoom shot.

Is it worth the climb?

Yes, if you’re fine with a steep staircase. For half an hour and no money you get Lycian tombs up close and one of the best views over Kaş and its harbour, all within 15 minutes of the waterfront.

Skip it with bad knees, a buggy or in the midday heat — the cliff with its doorways looks great from the harbour anyway. And if you want a proper necropolis, make the trip to Myra, where dozens of house tombs crowd one cliff face.

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Rock tombs vs the Lion Tomb and Myra

Rock tombsyou are hereHouse-style tombs in the cliff above townAbove Likya Caddesi, KaşFree≈ 30 min + the climbSteep staircaseMorning or before sunset
Lion Tomb4th-century BC sarcophagus in the streetUzun Çarşı, central KaşFree10–15 minLevel streetMorning or evening
MyraBig cliff necropolis and theatreDemre, ≈ 1 hour by carPaid, ticket office at the gate1.5–2 h + the drivePaths around the siteMorning, before the heat and tour groups

Choose the cliff above Kaş for a view and a short walk, the Lion Tomb when you’re passing anyway, and Myra if Lycian tombs are worth half a day to you.

Historic Kaş compared

Every historic site in Kaş rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Kaş Lycian Rock Tombsyou are here4530 minFree—
Lion Tomb4515 minFree4 min walk
Antiphellos Theatre4430 minFree12 min walk
Kastellorizo (Meis) Island314 hFerry ≈ €28–40 return7.3 km
Myra and St Nicholas Church, Demre302 h 30 min≈ €13 Myra + €17 church31.4 km
Kekova Sunken City and Simena164 hBoat priced by operators, castle €419.7 km

Ancient Kaş in an evening

The harbour square, the sarcophagus in the shopping lane, up to the cliff tombs and sunset at the theatre. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

  1. Kaş Old Town and Harbour1 h 30 min · Free
  2. 3 min walk from the previous stopLion Tomb15 min · Free, no ticket
  3. 4 min walk from the previous stopKaş Lycian Rock Tombsyou are here30 min · Free
  4. 12 min walk from the previous stopAntiphellos Theatre30 min · Free

4 places · about 3 h 4 min with walks · 19 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Lion Tomb

Kaş, Turkey

15 min · Free, no ticket · 4 min walk

Antiphellos Theatre

Kaş, Turkey

30 min · Free · 12 min walk

Lycian Way

Kaş, Turkey

3 h · Free, no tickets · 21 min walk

How to do it right

  • Combine the climb with the Lion Tomb — it’s on the same route, a little lower down.
  • Photograph the cliff from the harbour first — it makes it easier to see where you are once you’re up there.
  • Don’t sit on the doorway edges or touch the carving — the limestone crumbles.
  • Curious for more? Myra has the same house façades, only by the dozen.
  • After rain the steps are slippery — save the climb for another day.

Questions

Where are the rock tombs in Kaş?

In the cliff above the north side of town, above Likya Caddesi — a 10–15-minute uphill walk from the harbour and Republic Square.

How do you get to the Lycian rock tombs in Kaş?

From Republic Square walk up Uzun Çarşı past the Lion Tomb, then through the stepped lanes to Likya Caddesi. A sign marks the steep staircase to the first tombs.

Are the Kaş rock tombs free?

Yes. They’re on an open hillside with no ticket office or gate.

What are the opening hours?

There are none — you can visit any time, any day. Go in daylight and come down before dark.

How long does the visit take?

About 30 minutes at the tombs, plus 10–15 minutes each way from the harbour.

Are the tombs lit up at night?

According to Lonely Planet, yes — the cliff tombs are floodlit and visible from town after dark. Don’t try the climb in the dark.

Can you go inside the tombs?

You can look into the lower chambers. Climbing into high doorways or further up the rock is dangerous — there’s no path.

Is the climb OK for kids?

For school-age children with an adult close by, yes. It’s not possible with a buggy or a toddler in arms.

Is it worth climbing up to the rock tombs?

Yes, if a steep staircase doesn’t put you off: it’s free, takes half an hour and gives the best view of Kaş. In the heat or with bad knees, enjoy the view from below.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia: Antiphellus — rock tombs in the cliffs above town, Fellows’s 1840 count, tombs reused as building stone, the Doric tomb
  • English Wikipedia: Lycia — dating of Lycian rock tombs
  • Küre Ansiklopedisi and Kültür Envanteri: Antiphellos — house-type tombs II–IV, klinai, Doric tomb I
  • Wikivoyage: Kaş — tombs in the cliffs behind town, access from Likya Cd, the Sleeping Giant, bus stations
  • Tripster travel journal: Kaş guide — tombs shaped like Lycian houses, stone benches inside
  • T—Zh: sights of Kaş — free and open around the clock, family tombs, the Sleeping Giant
  • MedGulets: Antiphellos — Fellows’s count, date of the Doric tomb
  • Lonely Planet: Rock Tombs — floodlighting at night
  • Trekopedia (Lycian Way): Rock tombs along cliff face in Kaş — many steps and a steep climb
  • OpenStreetMap and Wikidata Q139435569 — position of the tombs above Likya Caddesi
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThere is no official page for the tombs: they are on an open hillside with no ticket office, so no row is marked “official”. Free access is confirmed by Wikivoyage and T—Zh; the street at the foot of the cliff by Wikivoyage and OpenStreetMap; the house-type façades and benches inside by the Turkish Küre encyclopedia and the Tripster journal. We found no published date for these particular tombs, so we give the usual dating for Lycian rock tombs in general. Floodlighting is mentioned only by Lonely Planet, and the walking route and times are worked out from the map, Trekopedia and Wikivoyage — those rows are marked “verifying”. Only English Wikipedia mentions a tomb with both Lycian and Latin inscriptions, so we leave it out.

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