Villa Konak surveys the beautiful surrounding landscape of trees, mountains and the glistening curved bay below from up the high. The villa is in Kalkan on Turkey’s turquoise coast. The vibrant waterfront town is renowned for its beautiful boat-lined harbour, golden sandy beaches and top-notch roof-top restaurants. It also has sense-tantalising markets selling everything from hand-crafted traditional Turkish rugs (kilims) to fresh produce, spices, jewellery and leather goods.
Spend afternoons exploring the narrow streets with classic whitewashed houses draped in pretty flowers, stopping off for a refreshing cold coffee or tasty lunch. Look for a spot that’s up high or on the roof to really make the most of those Instagram-worthy views. To experience Kalkan from another perspective too, traditional wooden gullet leave the harbour and take you around the bays. Some stop for swimming and snorkelling and provide a classic barbeque lunch.
For days spent on the soft sand, there’s a beach in Kalkan centre or you could go to Kaputas Beach with crystal-clear waters and Patara Beach, a long stretch of shoreline that’s also a National Park – both are excellent choices for relaxing or swimming. With day beach clubs at both too, there are plenty of opportunities to take part in water sports like sea kayaking, paddle boats and parasailing. You could also book a scuba diving trip to reach the more remote and untouched places – looking out for colourful marine life as you go. Kekova island with part-sunken ruins of an ancient town which was destroyed by an earthquake during the 2nd century also makes for an exciting excursion, just an hours drive from Kalkan or you can book as an excursion.
Kas also has the impressive ancient site of Antiphellos, with still-visible Lycian ruins including a theatre. For more fun day trips, you could head to the seaside resort town of Fethiye, a one-hour drive away. It has plenty of traditional restaurants, shops and fascinating cultural sites too.
The Region
Kalkan has become a boutique resort, with cobbled streets and converted Greek houses, which belonged to the Greek merchants before the exchange of population in the 1920’s. Once quiet fishing harbour, these days you are more likely to see traditional wooden gulets taking tourists to soak up rays on the sparkling turquoise Mediterranean. A boat trip is a must-do, from the boat you can snorkel and usually a delicious lunch is prepared on board. Keen walkers should check out the Lycian way for designated walking paths in the area.
You cannot come to this area without spending some time exploring the many Lycian sights, such as Xanthos, Patara, Myra or the sunken city of Kekova.
Patara is said to be where democracy started (they excavated a stone voting block) and is also said to be the birthplace of St Nicholas, who became bishop at nearby Myra. The ruins here include an ancient theatre, city walls, government building, and agora. The lighthouse on the site is said to be the earliest of its kind. Visit Patara in the late afternoon and finish the trip with a drink on the sandy beach watching the amazing sunset.
The Saklikent Gorge is a great place to visit, especially if you want to cool off in the fresh waters whilst walking up the gorge. For the more energetic there are rafts and rings to ride the flowing waters. Further down you can enjoy a day canoeing toward the beach.
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 and most tasty you’ve ever had; and the fresh chips cooked in olive oil take some beating.
By night both Kalkan and Kas come alive. Kas has more of a bohemian feel, people ambling through the cobbled streets, passing the ancient tomb in the street, haggling for textiles, carpets and other goodies, maybe stopping for the traditional Turkish ‘maras’ ice cream, a tulip-shaped glass of tea or a wonderful kebab in the shadow of the mosque. Most of the villas in Kas are just out of town on the Cukurbag Peninsula. A reasonable (5km) taxi or Dolmus (local bus) ride into town. Be sure to try the Piyaz, a white bean salad with tahini sauce.
Travelling along the coast towards Kalkan you pass the modern marina, the children’s beach park (run by the local hotel school) and halfway to Kalkan the stunning Kaputas Beach, cut in a gorge with all different shades of turquoise in the sea.
Kalkan is a more sophisticated resort, with the villas built onto the mountainside. Evening are spent enjoying the rooftop restaurants, perched on the top of the old ‘konak’ houses. Then wandering to a seaside bar for a cocktail, after shopping for glass lanterns, Iznik pottery, handbags or pestemel towels. Do visit the ‘pastane’, local patisseries which do the most delicious morning pastries and you must try the ‘Gozleme’ pancakes at the Thursday market.
Other things to do in the area include scuba diving as the visibility is excellent, paragliding, horseriding on Patara Beach or kayaking around the sunken ruins at Kekova.
