Kalkan is a Mediterranean harbour village with buildings covered in bougainvillea, winding cobbled streets, roof terraces, restaurants and bars. A picturesque harbour with a small pebble beach. Stunning sandy beaches not too far away.
As a village, Kalkan is far more sophisticated than the average holiday resort and is situated on the “Turkish Riviera”. It is packed with arguably the best selection of quality restaurants outside Istanbul and those who have discovered this Mediterranean jewel return again and again.
By daytime Kalkan is very quiet and peaceful. Stroll around the village, look around the small interesting shops, perhaps enjoy a glass of apple tea with the local shopkeepers.
A dolmus (a local bus) takes ten minutes to reach Kaputas Beach, a lovely sandy beach perched at the foot of a ravine – but be warned about the many steps down! Patara Beach is slightly further afield but is regularly featured in lists of the top ten most beautiful and undiscovered beaches in the world – and its 18 kilometres of sand make it easy to see why. Turtles nest on the beach, and Patara contains many ancient ruins as well as being the birthplace of St Nicholas. The whole beach is a protected area.
Elsewhere in Kalkan beach clubs abound. These are rock terraces cut into the hillside offering sunbathing, swimming and water-sports, restaurant and bar facilities, together with a wonderful ambience in stunning settings.
In the evening Kalkan becomes more lively, but not enough to attract those wanting a boisterous nightlife. Start the evening having an aperitif on the huge roof terrace of the house admiring the sunset before strolling down to the village and exploring the winding cobbled streets with colourful local shops (open until very late at night). Then perhaps another aperitif at one of Kalkan’s rooftop bars. Follow this with dinner at one of the excellent harbour-side or village restaurants. Possibly follow dinner with a coffee and brandy in another bar or return to the villa and enjoy it on your own private roof-terrace before retiring to bed.
Kalkan is set in an area of Turkey steeped in history, right in the heart of the old Lycian region. There are many ancient sites in the immediate vicinity including Xanthos, Letoon, Pinara, Tlos and Patara. Slightly further afield are the marvellous sights at Kekova, Demra, Myra, Phaselis, Olympos, Aspendos, and even Ephesus is within reach (although this requires an overnight stay). Also a simple trip up to the mountains behind Kalkan will surely take your breath away.
Trips can be arranged through local agents or you may decide to hire a car and explore on your own.
A perfect outing is a quiet day at sea to visit the sunken city of Kekova, with lots of opportunities to swim in quiet coves in the turquoise sea. Build up an appetite to enjoy the lunch provided – often a barbeque on board. If you are not a swimmer you can still enjoy the relaxation, maybe a coffee or wine. For those with the energy a climb up to the Crusader castle is rewarding for the magnificent view.
If you are feeling energetic it is possible to snorkel, scuba dive, windsurf, paraglide, or go mountain walking. Have a Turkish bath or massage (available locally) to take away the aches and pains.
Kalkan offers something truly special and many return again and again, no matter how many other parts of the world they also visit.