Turkey, famed for its culture, history, cuisine and landscapes, is a favourite holiday destination and it seems wherever you travel in this country you are bound to experience memorable and wonderful settings and options. The southwestern region is considered one of the more beautiful sides of Turkey, so much so that locals even travel here regularly!
Kalkan is a vibrant and friendly town with cobbled streets and a pretty harbour, so you will be able to find an array of amenities, facilities and services when necessary. The town also neighbours nearby rural villages, that have remained unchanged in their practices and cultures from centuries ago!
With a selection of beaches at your disposal all suitable for families, The villa's location is perfectly situated outside the activity of Kalkan but still close enough to the shore to make trips to the beach quick and accessible! Visit the town’s pebble beach in for a light dip or chill, here there are sunbeds and umbrellas and a few restaurants close by. Head to Kaputas Beach to admire the magnificence of its divine azure sea and the shingle beach! Or visit Patara Beach, where just under 7 miles of uninterrupted sandy beachfront awaits you! Guests will be pleased to know refreshments and food are served at a small cafe by the beach so you can keep everyone satisfied as you enjoy the seaside festivities!
The ruins of the ancient city of Patara lie in the ramshackle village of Patara, a short drive from the beach. Experience remnants of some of the most successful and notorious empires of days past as you marvel at these preserved and protected sites. Don't forget explore the ruins at Patara, including the government building where it is said democracy started!
For those who wish to explore the unspoilt natural landscape all around you, you are in luck as the town offers opportunities to do so over land and sea. Why not trek around the evergreen Taurus Mountains or take a traditional Turkish Gulet, an explore the miles of coastal shores by the sea!
Kalkan offers a variety of restaurants that serve both authentic traditional Turkish meals, a home favourite cuisine worldwide, as well as more familiar and global dishes. Choose from views from the beach, amongst the luscious green landscape or panoramic views from rooftops restaurants overlooking the bay and sea!
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.
