This medieval fortress seems to float eerily just above the waves about 200 meters offshore. In what seems to be either a lack of creativity or some serious geographic confusion, the myth surrounding this structure’s name (Kizkalesi in Turkish) is the same as that of several other islets across the country: namely, once upon a time, there was a King, an Armenian King by some accounts, who received a prophesy that his princess daughter would die from a snake bite. So he built her a castle offshore. A snake got into a basket of fruit, bit her, she died. If you’ve travelled around Turkey, you’re probably familiar with the story by now. This medieval fortress is actually one of two built in the first century AD to protect the city, then called Corycus, and is connected to the coast by a long causeway which is today invisible, creating the visual illusion you see today. The spot really is unique and striking in spite of its shared name, and is accompanied by one of the most beautiful stretches of beach along this part of the coast.