Preserved Ottoman/Greek architecture and old town charm make for a delightful historic heart to Kalkan town. The old quarter’s maze of cobbled, narrow streets are a joy to explore. The area offers a number of shops, cafes and restaurants. From the bustling harbour you could hire a boat for a day’s cruise or by moonlight over dinner.
Kalkan beach next to the harbour is a pretty white pebbled beach with calm clear water, the beach has all the amenities families need and blue flag status. Around 10 minutes away from central Kalkan, lies Kaputas beach, a sandy cove at the foot of a stunning mountain gorge, again offers full facilities for visitors. Patara beach can be reached in around 23 minutes from central Kalkan, it’s 17km of unspoilt golden sands, along with the picturesque backdrop the beach is considered one of the most beautiful on the Mediterranean coast.
Kas sits around an hour’s travel from central Kalkan, has an abundance of shops and boutiques, supermarkets for provisions, restaurants and cafes, historical sites to visit, boat trips are available here and a 30 minutes ferry ride will take you to the small Greek island of Meis. Kas also has a modern marina with a supermarket, restaurant and spa. Further afield at Fethiye, around and hour and 10 minutes from Kalkan town, this market town offers a taste of the real Turkey. A boat tour around 12 islands including lunch departs from Fethiye where you can enjoy swimming and snorkelling along the way.
Kalkan’s market day is Thursday offering not just local produce but clothes, shoes, traditional Turkish goods and all sorts of leather goods. Fethiye has one of the largest markets on the Lycian coast, held on a Tuesday, including antiques, Turkish carpets, clothing and textiles and much more.
You’ll be spoilt for choice for dining experiences in Kalkan, from harbourside restaurants, to the old quarter’s renowned roof terrace restaurants, there are plenty of options to tempt you into trying the local cuisine in this food lover’s paradise.
