Villa Irem

Kalkan is a lively holiday destination that is thriving! It has unspoiled landscapes, traditional architecture and history waiting to be experienced by you and your guests. It offers a great getaway for all visitors, couples, families and groups both small and large. Whether you’re looking to relax or sample excellent food or even try your hand at water sports, Kalkan offers you that opportunity and more.

As Kalkan is along the Turquoise Coast, you’ll find the harbour is lined with boats and tours that will take you to some of the most beautiful spots – these trips can range from a couple of hours to a whole day adventure that can be enjoyed by everyone. They’ll take you to beautiful coves, you’ll have the chance to swim in crystal clear water, and you may even see some turtles!

On the topic of turtles, Patara beach is one of Turkey’s famous beaches and is a 20-minute drive from Kalkan. It’s a 20km stretch of sand that by day is a favoured location to relax and even go horseback riding, but by night it is protected as it’s an important site for turtles to relax and lay their eggs year after year.

The nearby beaches also offer various opportunities to take part in water sports for all ages, including snorkelling and jet skiing. Additionally, the Taurus Mountains are ideal for hiking and biking! These activities are perfect for families and anyone who enjoys outdoor exploration!

Kalkan has both usual and unusual experiences when it comes to dining! Including rooftop restaurants where you’ll have spectacular views whilst you sample the delicious food! Botanik Garden Bar is a popular laid-back location for cocktails, it even offers quirky seating arrangements like hammocks and even treehouses, and you’ll find several other cocktail bars around which offers you a livelier nightlife, if you’re hoping for that.

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Kalkan has become boutique resorts, with cobbled streets and converted Greek houses, which belonged to the Greek merchants before the exchange of population in the 1920’s. Once quiet fishing harbours these days you are more likely to see traditional wooden gulets taking tourists to soak up rays on the sparkling turquoise Mediterranean. A boat trip is a must do, from the boat you can snorkel and usually a delicious lunch is prepared on board. Keen walkers should check out the Lycian way for designated walking paths in the area.

You cannot come to this area without spending  some time exploring the many Lycian sights, such as Xanthos, Patara, Myra or the sunken city of Kekova.

Patara is said to be where democracy started (they excavated stone voting block) and is also said to be the birthplace of St Nicholas, who became bishop at nearby Myra. The ruins here include an ancient theatre, city walls, government build and agora. The lighthouse on the site is said to be the earliest of its kind. Visit Patara in the late afternoon and finish the trip with a drink on the sandy beach watching the amazing sunset.

The Salikent Gorge is a great place to visit, especially if you want to cool off in the fresh waters whilst walking up the gorge. For the more energetic there are rafts and rings to ride the flowing waters. Further down you can enjoy a day canoeing toward the beach.

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.

By night both Kalkan and Kas come alive. Kas has more of a bohemian feel, people ambling through the cobbled streets, passing the ancient tomb in the street, haggling for textiles, carpets and other goodies, maybe stopping for the traditional Turkish ‘maras’ ice cream, a tulip-shaped glass of tea or a wonderful kebab in the shadow of the mosque. Most of the villas in Kas are just out of town on the Cukurbag Peninsula. A reasonable (5km) taxi or Dolmus (local bus) ride into town. Be sure to try the Piyaz, a white bean salad with tahini sauce.

Travelling along the coast, towards Kalkan you pass the modern marina, the children’s beach park (run by the local hotel school) and halfway to Kalkan the stunning Kaputas Beach, cut in a gorge with all different shades of turquoise in the sea.

Kalkan is a more sophisticated resort, with the villas built onto the mountainside. Evening are spent enjoying the rooftop restaurants, perched on the top of the old ‘konak’ houses. Then wandering to a seaside bar for a cocktail, after shopping for glass lanterns, Iznik pottery, handbags or pestemel towel. Do visit the ‘pastane’, local patisseries which do the most delicious morning pastries and you must try the ‘Gozleme’ pancakes at the Thursday market.

Other things to do in the area include scuba diving as the visibility is excellent, paragliding, horseriding on Patara Beach or kayaking around the sunken ruins at Kekova.