Kalkan is a place to fall in love with ...
A small peaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town on the beautiful Turquoise Coast of Turkey, Kalkan has not been touched by mass tourism. More sophisticated than the usual resort town, Kalkan appeals to travelers looking for more than a 'sun and sea' holiday.
Because of its great charm, Kalkan has a growing number of perennial visitors who say the town is the only holiday destination they would choose to visit repeatedly. There is simply no other town quite like Kalkan along Turkey's coast
Kalkan curls snuggly around an ancient harbour sheltered at the foot of the towering Taurus Mountains. The town overlooks a beautiful bay in which islands seem to magically float upon the shimmering sea. Narrow streets twist down to the harbour through the historic town and are lined with listed whitewashed villas with shuttered windows situated alongside small local specialty shops and restaurants. Overhead hang original ornately Kalkan is a place to fall in love with ...
A small peaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town on the beautiful Turquoise Coast of Turkey, Kalkan has not been touched by mass tourism. More sophisticated than the usual resort town, Kalkan appeals to travelers looking for more than a 'sun and sea' holiday.
Because of its great charm, Kalkan has a growing number of perennial visitors who say the town is the only holiday destination they would choose to visit repeatedly. There is simply no other town quite like Kalkan along Turkey's coast
Kalkan curls snuggly around an ancient harbour sheltered at the foot of the towering Taurus Mountains. The town overlooks a beautiful bay in which islands seem to magically float upon the shimmering sea. Narrow streets twist down to the harbour through the historic town and are lined with listed whitewashed villas with shuttered windows situated alongside small local specialty shops and restaurants. Overhead hang original ornately carved Ottoman timber balconies garlanded with brilliantly coloured bougainvillea cascading to the streets below. It is a very special place.
Why Kalkan is so special
Not only is Kalkan beautiful, but unlike other Turkish coastal resort towns Kalkan's main economy is tourism and therefore its citizens put much pride and effort into the town's historic preservation. Because of this, Kalkan has retained the texture of its history with its distinctive Greek architecture (it was once a Greek and Turkish fishing village). Very strict building codes keep the town small and architecturally blended with the historic heart of the town known as 'Old Kalkan'.
Besides the famous 'Kalkan Style' historic architecture, the many excellent restaurants of Kalkan contribute to the special atmosphere within Kalkan. Good dining has always been the way of life in Kalkan and continues today. In fact, Kalkan is said to have the highest number of restaurants and bars per inhabitant or square meter on the Turkish coast. Additionally, Kalkan is especially renowned in Turkey for its numerous roof terrace restaurants and bars which offer a wonderful view of the town, sea and stars. You can also sit at one of the many fine harbour-side restaurants and watch the fishermen leave early in the morning as you eat breakfast, or see them return with the day's catch in the evening.
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Historic Kalkan - the story of Kalkan
and its unique architecture
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Kalkan is a small town (of only a few thousand) and this creates a wonderful intimate feeling. But don't let its size mislead you - there is plenty to do in and around Kalkan. During the day the town is surprisingly empty as most guests choose to swim or explore the multitude of beautiful ancient Lycian and natural sites of the area. However, everything changes in the evening when Kalkan bursts alive for a long, festive night.
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Kalkan is known for its wealth of cascading bougainvillea, visit our Kakan bougainvillea page for photos.
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Kalkan has many special qualities, but without a doubt
it is the people of Kalkan who make the town extra special.
The people of Kalkan happily welcome you, and you may at first be surprised by the universal friendliness within the town. Warm Turkish hospitality and friendliness is the basis of life here and the people of Kalkan sincerely enjoy getting to know their guests. So don't hesitate to accept one of the many tulip-shaped glasses of çay (tea) you will be offered while you amble along Kalkan's winding streets. You won't be hassled while you are a guest of Kalkan - the town is hassle-free and is proud to be so. You will find a mixed population here, consisting mainly of locals, some Istanbul Turks who own businesses, as well as a small number of
well-educated foreigners who have settled in the town.
So, 'Hoş Geldiniz!' - we extend a warm welcome to you from Kalkan and look forward to meeting you soon...
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For many more photos of Kalkan and the surrounding area, see our Photo Galleries page.
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Kaputas Beach
Hundreds of years ago a huge chasm opened up the side of the mountain face and spilled its contents out to sea. The gorge has dried up, but what's left is Kaputas Beach, a small, sandy patch 400 steps down from the road that feels like the middle of nowhere. From here, it's just a short swim to some nearby phosphorescent caves.
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Patara Beach
Eighteen kilometers (11 miles) of beach backed by dunes and marshlands. The Mediterranean rises to the challenge in the summer, when it turns a deep shade of blue. Watch out for the winds, though, which probably managed to submerge an entire ancient city in sand in no time at all.
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Xanthos
This is the oldest and largest city of the mountain province of Lycia, settled in the valley of the Xanthos river in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Until the Persian invasion it was an independent state. When the people of Xanthos, who had bravely tried to defend their city, realized that they could not repulse the invasion, they first killed their woman and committed mass suicide by throwing themselves into the flames. About 80 surviving families and people who immigrated there rebuilt the city, but a fire which broke out about 100 years later razed it to the ground. In spite of this, the city was again rebuilt and, as a result of establishing good relations with the west, was considered as an important centre.
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Simena
From inscriptions that have been found, we know that the history of the ancient city of Simena goes back to the 4th century B.C. If we go ashore via the jetty next to the sarcophagus on the seashore and climb the hill behind the houses, we reach the castle of Simena. This castle was used during the Middle Ages by the Byzantines. In the medieval walls of the inner keep are a few blocks of all that remains of ancient temple. Inside the castle is a small natural theater carved into the rock. This is the smallest of theaters among the cities of Lycia. West of the theater there are rock tombs here and there. Above the rock tombs is a Roman wall built of dressed stone and located on the wall are late-period embrasures thus giving one a glimpse of three eras simultaneously. On the shore are the ruins of public baths whose inscription is still legible and reads 'A gift to the emperor Titus made by the people and council of Aperlai as well as by the other cities of the confederation.'
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Kekova
Kekova Island and the town of Kale nearby Antalya make an idyllic daytrip for the traveler looking for a combination of sunshine, swimming and fascinating historic ruins. Many operators run trips from Kas but the journey is much shorter from Çayagzi, the harbor of Demre. Along the stony coastline the boatman may stop at a cave, or point out the occasional goat or the smoldering pyramids of wood used by peasants to make charcoal, the product may sit in plastic sacks at the water's edge, waiting to be taken away.
Along the edge of the island facing the mainland lie the fascinating half- submerged remains of a Lycian sunken city, and probably from Byzantine times later on. Signs warn against skin- diving, so you can not swim here because many foreigners in the past took a piece of ancient relics with them as a souvenir. The boatman will allow the passengers on board off for a swim further to the west, where the remains of a Byzantine chapel stand on the beach and where further sunken remains can be explored at ease by the swimmer with mask and snorkel.
Today Kekova is a very popular ancorage for sailors who enjoy the history together with the nature.
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Why Turkey ?
A wonderful holiday awaits you, your family and your friends The Harbour village of Kalkan nestles on the Mediterranean coast of ancient Lycia. The region is rich in history and natural beauty, and the people are friendly and warm. Kalkan village is a wonderful place to stroll and shop for jewellery and mementos. There is a weekly market with everything from exotic spices, fresh food and vegetables grown in the local sun to a large array of almost authentic designer clothing.
During the evening the village really comes to life with a multitude of excellent rooftop restaurants and welcoming bars to choose from. Should you wish to explore the region there are many trips available to a host of ancient monuments, abandoned cities, tombs, churches and scenes of unspoilt natural beauty. Hiring a boat for the day from the picturesque harbour is an excellent and low cost way to experience the scenic coastline and enjoy the rich warm waters of the Mediterranean. There is however no need to do anything. Relax, enjoy the view, bask in the sun and let your troubles disappear.
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