Kalkan
A picturesque harbour village situated on the Mediterranean
coast of Turkey, which has become a desirable location for those
in search of a relaxing sea side holiday with a little sophistication.
Kalkan nestles snugly in the cliffs overlooking the bay,
the white-washed, bougainville covered houses and steep cobbled streets
leading down to the pretty seafront and harbour. It is a fairly sleepy
village in the heat of the day, when most visitors are either relaxing
by their hotel / villa pool, out swimming in the sea from one of
the many beach clubs or off exploring the wealth of fascinating archaelogical
sites in the area. There is a small pebble beach next to Kalkan
harbour, which is perfectly adequate for a swim, but one
of the great things about staying in Kalkan is that there are so
many options.
You can take a boat out from the harbour to one of the many 'beach clubs', offering stunning locations from which swim and snorkel in the crystal clear sea water, or relax on a sunbed with good book and while away the hours sunbathing. Some offer water sports facilities and all have restaurant and bar facilities.
A short 'dolmus' ride away is 'Kaputas' beach, a sand and pebble cove at the mouth of an impressive gorge, which is accessed from the road via a set of steep steps. A little further away (30 mins) is the impressive 'Patara beach'. A stunning and undeveloped 15km long, golden, sandy beach,backed by the dunes and the Taurus mountains.
Set in the heart of ancient Lycia, Kalkan offers easy access to all of the many fascinating archaeological sites in the area, including Xanthos, Patara, Letoon, Pinara, Tlos and Myra. All of which are set in stunning natural surroundings.
In the evening Kalkan has a wonderful ambience, when
restaurants and cafes spill out onto the streets. There are an enormous
variety of restaurants for such a small place, offering a wide variety
of foods of exceptional quality, in all sorts of charming locations.
Magical roof top bars abound, where you can enjoy a drink whilst
admiring the stunning view as the sun goes down and return again
after your meal to have a drink 'under the stars'.
The winding cobbled streets are filled with colourful
local shops selling carpets, leather, jewellry, local crafts
and foods. Behind the main streets you can wander in the
quieter backwater and admire the wooden balconied, bougainville covered
old village houses.
Kalkan has a special ambience that needs to be experienced. Part
of its attraction, as many visitors who return year after year will
verify, is that it has escaped 'mass tourism'.
Much of this is due to the work of the 'Kalkan foundation', an organisation founded by the local community to ensure that any development that takes place, does not destroy the character or appearance of this attractive village. It suits families or groups of friends, but also couples looking for a romantic break. We are sure that anyone who visits will fall in love with the place and want to return. You cannot fail to be wooed by its charm.






