Villa Centum

Villa Centum is located in the peaceful village of Cavdir, just above Patara and Kalkan. It is a lovely spot within easy reach of the Lycian Coast beaches and attractions. The enchanting, well-to-do, harbourside town of Kalkan is beautiful. If you do not want to drive, you can hop on a bus in Cavdir to Kalkan. Until the 1920’s, Kalkan was a sleepy fishing village, then known as Kalamaki. It remains an unspoiled, charming destination surrounded by nature and and sparkling turquoise, crystal clear sea and full of historic architecture, bougainvillea-draped streets, rooftop restaurants and unique boutiques. The busy harbour is full of yachts, gilets and boats awaiting tourists who want to explore the coast or enjoy some watersports. The town enjoys many sun drenched bathing platforms along with a small central beach. There are Ottoman-Greek whitewashed chic boutiques and gift shops sprinkled along the narrow, hilly streets, all looking down on a perfect bay. Visitors enjoy buying textiles, clothes, ‘designer’ handbags and very pretty jewellery from the unique shops. The welcoming restaurants offer varied menus of Turkish mezes, zesty salads and fresh fish. There are also a number of chill-out beach clubs with bars and bathing platforms. The yacht club is excellent for sunset cocktails. Just up the hill are the fabulous trout farms of Islamar where you can enjoy delicious dinners. Springs were diverted from the mountains into Islamar which led to a thriving trout farming industry. Not only will you be served delicious fresh fish, the views from the restaurant terraces are sensational. Boat trips can be taken from Kalkan harbour on traditional gulets or other boats. The gulet trips are wonderful and usually come with a traditional meal. Visitors enjoy exploring the local bays, beaches and sea caves while others go further to Kekova, one of the most beautiful areas of the Turkish coast. Other popular excursions include those to the village of Ucaoyz and glass-bottom boat trips, all of which include swim stops. There are also romantic moonlight cruises and sunset trips.

Beach options for guests staying at Villa Centum are the sandy cove of Kaputas, the stunning sandy 20 km long Patara Beach and further away, the stunning sands of Oludeniz. The ancient city of Patara lies a few kilometres from the beach with an ancient theatre, restored parliament building and impressive Roman baths. Patara Beach is very beautiful with gorgeous sand dunes, fabulous surf, a pine fragrance, turtles and a dazzling turquoise sea. It is popular with families. There is also often a horse safari tour that gives you the chance to feel like you are riding in the desert. The beach is a protected area due to the turtles laying eggs on the beach. It is popular for watersports including canoeing, paragliding, kayaking and scuba divings. Kaputas Beach can be reached by boat. Patara’s history is fascinating. For some time the Roman emperor Hadrian lived in Patara. History lovers also enjoy the preserved ‘ghost village’ of Kayakoy where hundreds of deserted, Greek-style houses and churches sit eerily on the hillside should also be on your list of excursions. It was abandoned after the Turkish-Greek population exchange of 1923 and is eerily silent.

Just 25 minutes drive away is the picturesque resort of Kas. Like Kalkan but on a smaller scale, it is very pretty with narrow winding lanes, rustic wooden balconies with cascading bougainvillea, atmospheric, upmarket restaurants and beautiful boutiques and shops. It also comes with a well-preserved Greek amphitheatre which offers sensational views from the top tier.
 
Guests also enjoy some thrilling adventures such as kayaking along the Dalyan River or visiting the majestic and dramatic Saklikent Gorge which was opened as a national park in 1996. The gorge is 18km long and 300m deep. Visitors wade through chilly water, climb, swim and slide through the gorge and its many boulders and tunnels. It is exhilarating and great fun with the fresh mountain water often up to waist height. Guides can lead you through offering so much fun.  River rafting and dining by the waterside are additional options at this fantastic location.

Read more about Islamlar

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 & most tasty you’ve ever had; and the fresh chips cooked in olive oil take some beating.