Photo: Pirates Cove at Simena

Ancient Simena was a city in the Lycian League, one of 23 city-states represented in the federalist-style government. It was located on an important shipping channel along Turkey's Turquoise Coast used by sea-farers as a protected route from strong storms. Its use, however, extracted a toll by pirates who used this harbor to collect heavy taxes from those who wandered too close. Now the city of Kale, it is a restful place for yachting, snorkeling, or hiking to see ruins of ancient Roman cities and castles and even older Lycian tombs. This view of the breathtakingly-beautiful blue harbor is from a small Roman castle built in the second century AD.