  The properties of strange mesons ($K$, $\bar K$ and $\bar K^*$) in dense
matter are studied using a unitary approach in coupled channels for
meson-baryon scattering. The kaon-nucleon interaction incorporates $s$- and
$p$-wave contributions within a chiral model whereas the interaction of $\bar
K^*$ with nucleons is obtained in the framework of the local hidden gauge
formalism. The in-medium solution for the scattering amplitude accounts for
Pauli blocking effects, mean-field binding on baryons, and meson self-energies.
We obtain the $K$, $\bar K$ and $\bar K^*$ (off-shell) spectral functions in
the nuclear medium and study their behaviour at finite density, temperature and
momentum. We also analyze the energy weighted sum rules of the kaon propagator
as a quality test of model calculations. We finally estimate the transparency
ratio of the $\gamma A \to K^+ K^{*-} A^\prime$ reaction, which we propose as a
feasible scenario at present facilities to detect in-medium modifications of
the $\bar K^*$ meson.
