Just a twenty minute drive from your villa lies the beautiful and preserved historic harbour town of Kalkan – a place of unique charm and endless fascination. You can wander along the narrow, winding cobbled streets of old Kalkan, among intricately carved Ottoman timber balconies and whitewashed villas.
Take in the clothing boutiques, the excellent leather goods, the handmade jewellery, the fruit and vegetables stalls, and the cafes and bars with their roof terraces and cool courtyards. Or relax in one of a hundred welcoming Kalkan restaurants, with fresh sea food and traditional Turkish, European and Asian inspired cuisines – and soak up some after-dinner live jazz or classical music.
Kalkan is rich, tasteful, surprising… and always captivating.
Islamlar Village
A short drive from your villa will take you to Islamlar – a quiet and beautiful village set in the foothills of the Toros mountain range. For the more adventurous, a half-hour walk across mountain pathways brings you to Bodamya Restaurant and a wonderful Turkish lunch.
Unspoilt by mass tourism, Islamlar has remained mainly residential with a genuine Turkish community life and atmosphere.
There’s a traditional tea house, a bakery that still uses its original old millstone, and several excellent restaurants serving delicious traditional Turkish food prepared with mostly organic local produce.
Islamlar is known throughout the region for its trout farms; fresh trout is always on the menu.
Üzümlü Village
Üzümlü is best known for its extensive vineyards and for its unrivalled view of Patara Beach.
It hosts a Turkish wrestling festival each year in May.
Retaining the character of an original Turkish working village, some of the inhabitants cultivate the surrounding fields while others are carpenters or stone masons.
The people who built Kalkan Mountain Villas were largely recruited in Uzumlu and nearby Islamlar.
Kaş
Just a thirty minute drive from Kalkan brings you to the town of Kaş. Kaş is a relatively unspoilt fishing town where fishermen bring their catch into the harbour and the locals gather in the tea gardens alongside the tourists, who investigate the many shops and boutiques. Kaş offers an array of restaurants and bars where you can enjoy an unhurried and leisurely ambience.
Don’t miss the weekly street market held on a Friday.
MEIS
Boat trips to Meis (Castellorizo): Meis Island known as Castellorizo by the Greeks is only 20 minutes by boat from Kaş town.
Meis has managed to remain untouched by tourism still keeping the charm and beauty of a small Greek Island. Tours to the island are available from Kalkan.
HISTORICAL SITES
Lycia is named after the Lycians, whose civilisation flourished in the region from about 1000BC to 400AD.
The region is rich in archaeological treasures, including many ancient Lycian cities….
Xanthos – the capital of Lycia and now a World Heritage site.
Letoon – the sacred centre of ancient Lycia.
Patara – Lycia’s main harbour and naval base.
Tlos – probably Lycia’s oldest settlement.
Pinara – with spectacular views across the Xanthos Valley.
Myra – best known for its amphitheatre and for the rock cut tombs.
Olympos – with volcanic slopes dedicated to Hephaistos, god of fire and forging.
Bezirgan
Kalkan is located approximately 16 km away from the lovely village of Bezirgan. Bezirgan is very different from what you see on the coast. It is an authentic working Turkish village and the people living here live much as they would have 100 years ago. It's friendly people are full of traditional Turkish hospitality. You can take a walk around, taking in traditional country Turkish life with its slow pace or sit outside and have a cup of tea. Alternatively, you can walk the mountains all around the village. There are several Lycian ruins to be seen within the village itself. Don't miss the ambars, these are traditional wooden grain storehouses built using methods carried over from the ancient Lycians. If you take the trail leading past the ambars, you can hike to the top of the mountain and get a fantastic view over Kalkan and the sea and if you time it right, the sunset.
Saklikent Gorge
Saklikent Gorge is the second-largest gorge in Europe at nearly 20km in length and is the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey. It is an amazing place with sculpted walls high above you. The gorge is walkable after April when most of the snow from the Taurus Mountains has melted and run through the gorge on down to the Xanthos River. Summer is the best time to visit as the canyon is very cool, shady and the water is cold.