Villa Sumac can be found at the apex of the hillside overlooking beautiful Kalamar Bay, near the exclusive harbour town resort of Kalkan, situated on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, the jewel of the Mediterranean Sea. The villa is one hundred and thirty kilometres from Dalaman Airport, a scenic one-and-a-half-hour journey through the Turkish countryside and Taurus mountains.
The old town of Kalkan is covered in cobbled streets, traditional white houses festooned in colourful bougainvillaea, and home to a reputed one hundred and fifty restaurants, cafes, and bars, enticing souvenir shops, and designer brand stores stuffed with objects of desire. After dark, dine in one of the famous rooftop restaurants with stunning harbour and sea views, sampling traditional Turkish delights and international cuisine. From the villa, it is a short drive to the local shops and restaurants of Kalamar and a five-minute drive into Kalkan, where you can find supermarkets, banks, and a local Thursday market.
Within walking distance of the villa are three Kalamar Bay beach clubs, with restaurants, infinity swimming pools, and bathing platforms. Kalkan town has its own pebble beach with organised sun loungers and brollies, easy access into the calm Mediterranean sea, and a cute cafe. Travel further afield to the stunning Kaputas Beach, set in a natural gorge, or take a trip to Patara, where you will find twenty kilometres of unspoilt golden sands and a protected area for the hatching Caretta Caretta turtles. Patara also boasts an archaeological site over two thousand years old, with not just one but two ancient amphitheatres, not to mention the most stunning sunsets, best seen from the ever-changing sand dunes.
All aboard a traditional gulet for a day of sunbathing, swimming, and snorkelling, enjoy a meal of homecooked meze, then sail back to the harbour, cocktail in hand, to watch the sunset.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 major archaeological sites, local villages, dramatic coastlines, and the areas’ flora and fauna.
The harbour town of Fethiye is also full of ancient sites worth seeing, as well as a foodie-heaven fish market, and home to some seriously good designer labels and fabulous jewellery shopping. The nearer town of Kas is just twenty-five kilometres in the other direction and worth the journey alone along one of the world’s most stunning and dramatic coastlines.
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.
