Kalkan

Kalkan a rare gem on the Lycian coast - curled around a historic harbour at the foot of the Taurus Mountains – untouched by mass tourism. Flanked by the hillside, where today, you’ll find a good choice of boutique guest houses and private villas (all with a stunning Turquoise sea view) – the old town around the harbour maintains it’s charm and character, and is home to some of the most hospitable people you will find in Turkey.

The town itself (although it has a distinctly more villagey feel about it) is an Aladdin’s cave of narrow streets lined with small speciality shops, cafes and homes in traditional Ottoman Greek architecture style. As you stroll down to towards the bay, past the whitewashed villas with their shuttered windows and beautifully preserved timber balconies heavily garlanded with vibrant, cascading bougainvillea – you feel like you’re somewhere special, unique and genuinely Turkish.

Kalkan’s rich history

During the 19th century, Kalkan was a significant port – more so than Fethiye and Antalya – it’s larger, more well known Lycian neighbours. In days gone by, camels bought goods to Kalkan from the nearby Xanthos valley, and even as far a field as the mountain highlands near Elmali. Cargo ships were then loaded at the harbour before setting sail to the farthest reached of the Ottoman Empire.

Settled 150 to 200 years ago by Turkish and Greek, it was once a thriving fishing village. Today, while its fishing heritage remains, its main source of income is through tourism, but on a much smaller scale than it’s neighbouring harbour towns.

Kalkan's Ottoman Greek origin is still very much in evidence in the town where the architecture bears a striking resemblance to that of nearby Greek island, Meis (Castellorizo).

Lazy days and balmy evenings

Almost anyone who has spent time in Kalkan would concur that it’s the people of the town that make it such a special place, the locals are a friendly bunch who genuinely value tourism for their economy. But more than this, they thrive on making you feel at home, and ensuring you experience the best that Kalkan has to offer, whether in vistas, or in the delicious food you can so easily find there.

By day, there is plenty to see and some particularly stunning and tranquil beaches. The pace of life is relaxed and leisurely.

There’s a small stretch of sandy beach in Kalkan itself, adequate for a few hours of lounging. But many people choose to take a water taxi from the harbour and discover the many beaches just around the headland, such as Kalamar Bay.

Evenings in Kalkan are easily wiled away, eating and drinking in pleasant company and people watching down by the harbour. There are many excellent, and cheap restaurants in Kalkan, where good dining has always been a way of life. There’s a cosmopolitan atmosphere and plenty of choice to cater for all tastes and budgets - the bustling waterside is lined with seafood restaurants grilling freshly caught fish – perfectly washed down with a glass of wine as you watch the sun go down and the world go by.

In fact, Kalkan is renowned in Turkey for the many roof terrace restaurants and bars, all offering stunning, uninterrupted views of the town, sea and stars.

Places to visit nearby

Nestled approximately half way along the Kalkan to Kas road (10 minutes by bus) lies the stunning Kaputas Gorge – an untouched and unspoilt cove and sandy beach. A steep set of steps lead you down to the clear blue sea, where a steep drop off make it an ideal place for a refreshing swim.

Kalkan is close to a number of ancient Lycian treasures, offering a wealth of gems to discover on locally organised day trips, or by hire car. Around twenty major sites sit close to Kalkan, giving you many an opportunity to see some of the best preserved examples of funerary architecture – dotting the mountainsides and valleys surrounding the town. You can discover many of them less than an hour’s drive away.

Saklikent Gorge, the longest canyon in Turkey is just and second longest in Europe is just 45km away. It’s spectacular sculpted walls soar high above the gorge, 4km of which is walkable from April onwards - when the snow from the Taurus Mountains has melted it’s way to the Xanthos River.

The rich emerald of Green Lake is perfect for the more energetic or those who enjoy walking. Its shores are inhabited by semi-nomadic people who live in tents close to the lake where their flocks graze. They represent a long history of Turkish people who migrated from central Asia.

The lake sits amid the pastures of the Taurus Mountain highlands, some 6,500 ft above sea level – a pilgrimage centre people from all over Turkey flock to, to drink its sacred healing water.

The town of Elmali is a traditional Ottoman town in the Taurus mountain highlands – the largest in the southwest region of Turkey – a place to see Turkish life much as it was 100 years ago.

Famous for its well-preserved wooden houses (some from the 17th century), Elmali was inhabited by Ottoman Turks, Greeks and Armenians together – until the 20th century. Traditionally its people made their living through crafts like blacksmithing, copperware and making Turkish Delight – this is still the case today.

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Articles written by  Nev