Villa Melike overlooks the quaint harbour town of Kalkan, on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, the jewel of the Mediterranean Sea. The villa is 125 kilometres from Dalaman International Airport, a scenic one-and-a-half-hour journey through the Turkish countryside and Taurus mountains. The old town of Kalkan was originally a Greek enclave called Kalamaki; Ottoman and Hellenic influences can be found in the winding cobbled streets of the old town, full of traditional white houses, festooned with brightly coloured bougainvillea. Kalkan is home to a reputed one hundred and fifty restaurants, cafes, and bars, and souvenir shops, full of goodies you’ll want to take home. Take a short walk or drive into Kalkan, where you can find supermarkets, shops, banks, and a fabulous Thursday market selling fresh local produce and homewares.
The nearest beach is a five minutes’ drive away by the harbour, alternatively hop on one of the many private water taxis to whisk you away to one of the fifteen fabulous beach clubs that populate the coastline. Travel further afield to the stunning Kaputas Beach, set in a natural gorge, it’s only two hundred steps down, and two hundred back up again. Or take a trip to Patara, where you will find two 2000-year-old amphitheatres, ancient ruins, and twenty kilometres of unspoilt golden sands, with a protected area for the hatching Caretta Caretta turtles. All aboard a traditional gulet for a day of swimming and snorkelling in beautiful bays, enjoy a meal of local homecooked meze, afternoon tea aboard, then sail back to harbour, cocktail in hand to watch the famous sunsets.
Back on dry land don’t miss the opportunity to experience an authentic Turkish hammam, enjoy the heat and bubbles of a hands-on massage, and be pampered in one of the many super spas all over town. For those with itchy feet, the Lycian Way walking trail cuts through Kalkan. Follow in the footsteps of thousands of years of history, as you trek the trail taking you through the major archaeological sites of Xanthos, Letoon, Tlos, and Pinara, local villages, dramatic coastlines, and the areas’ flora and fauna.
The harbour town of Fethiye is also full of ancient sites worth seeing, with a foodie-heaven fish market, and home to some seriously good designer label shopping. The nearer town of Kas is twenty-five kilometres away, and worth the journey alone along one of the world’s most stunning and dramatic coastlines. Walk through the harbour to the cobbled streets, full of Ottoman architecture and overhanging balconies festooned with pastel coloured bougainvillaea. Barter for unique handmade and antique goods in its many shops, and make memories dining in one of the traditional restaurants serving authentic Turkish cuisine. If you are feeling intercontinental, hop on the twenty-minute ferry from Kas to the Greek island of Meis, known locally as Kastellorizo, where you can swim in the beautiful Blue Cave, then dine alfresco under a Grecian sky by the water’s edge.
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.
