about kalkan

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Kalkan, Travelers' Choice 2012 Winner Destinations, is a delightful and romantic harbour village, nestling in the foothills of the rugged Taurus Mountains on Turkey's Turquoise Coast and one of the most beautiful locations along the Lycian Coast.

A village of whitewashed houses, shuttered windows and balconies draped in brilliantly coloured bougainvillea.  Winding cobbled streets, lined with colourful local shops selling arts and crafts and “designer bags and jewellery”, cafes, roof terrace bars and some of the best restaurants in Turkey are to be found in Kalkan.

Dalaman Airport is an international airport and one of three serving south-west Turkey.  Flights are available to and from over 120 destinations, across the rest of Turkey, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.  Turkish Airlilnes, EasyJet, Monarch, Jet 2, Pegasus and Thomas Cook are among those with direct flights from the UK.  You can also fly into Antalya and enjoy the drive along the coast to Kalkan (3.5 hours) or inland through lots of small villages.

The waters around Kalkan bay have a Blue Flag award for cleanliness and are ideal for all forms of water sports.  Learn to dive at one of the diving schools or join a gullet in the crystal clear waters, fringed with rocky coves and white-sand beaches.  Spend the day on the town beach or at one of the many beach clubs dotted around the bay.  Take part in one of the many activities offered in Kalkan from paragliding to kayaking, various water sports and diving.

There is history all around Kalkan - Xanthos, capital of the Lycian Federation; also nearby Letoön, Tlos and Patara; Myra, and the sunken city of Kekova.

Kalkan is also a great base for walks along the Lycian Way, voted one of the world’s top-ten long distance walks by the Sunday Times.   A different trek every day through mountains, by the sea and local villages, and then back to Kalkan for a wonderful evening in Kalkan.

Market days in Kalkan, Kas and Fethiye are also worth a visit.

The Greek ghost town of Kayaköy, including hundreds of abandoned houses and churches,  with no roofs or windows, and the walls of some only partially ruined, (see Louis de Berniere's 'Birds without Wings') is 1 hour away.

There is something for everyone in Kalkan.