Roka Evi is in the peaceful Turkish village of Islamlar, nestled in the pine tree-lined Taurus Mountains and is not far (about a twenty-minute’ drive) from livelier Kalkan town. It’s known for its dozen-or-so trout restaurants making use of the rivers nearby to fill their tanks with fresh seafood. In Islamlar, you can get an authentic taste of Turkish rural life and visit one of the two working mills in the village square that still use water power and a millstone to turn grain into flour.
This beautiful spot near the Turquoise Coast offers a beautiful combination of unspoilt mountainous terrain and sandy stretches of coastline. You can walk between the olive groves and vineyards or join the famous Lycian Way Trail – a walking route that traverses the shore. It takes you to remote places like sandy Patara Beach – the Mediterranean’s longest beach with views looking out towards the beautiful Taurus Mountains, and it’s where loggerhead turtles nest – alongside Kayaköy Ghost village with interesting abandoned Greek houses and churches and the ruins at Ucagiz.
There’s a bus stop about 8km from the villa, and it will take you to towns like Kalkan and Fethiye. Kalkan has classic white-washed houses draped in pretty bougainvillaea flowers and a yacht-lined harbour with roof-top restaurants and bars. Near to Kalkan are the Saklikent Gorge and the Lycian sites of Xanthos and Pinara. Bezirgan, a highland village famed for its collection of ‘ambar’, small cedarwood huts used for storage, is also well worth a visit and can be reached by car.
Water lovers can head out on a traditional wooden gullet (sailing boat) to experience the full beauty of the Turquoise Coast, with some stopping time for swimming or snorkelling. Scuba diving is also popular in the area with plenty of intriguing caves, caverns and sunken ruins to discover.
The Region
Islamlar sits 8 km above Kalkan. Once the place Kalkan folk went to cool off at one of the trout farms built to make use of the mountain’s springs. Today Islamlar houses many a villa, enjoyed by Istanbul Turks who prefer a holiday in slightly cooler and cleaner air. Here the locals grow grapes and pomegranates, but you’ll mainly see the men sat gossiping next to the local teahouse. The trout farms remain a place to come for a wonderful fresh meal, or a breakfast consisting of fresh local fare. The rocket will be the freshest & most tasty you’ve ever had; and the fresh chips cooked in olive oil take some beating.