Kalkan is a smallpeaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town on the beautiful Turquoise Coast of Turkey, which has not been touched by mass tourism. More sophisticated than the usual Mediterranean resort town, Kalkan appeals to travellers looking for more than a "sun and sea" holiday.
Kalkan grew from an Ottoman fishing village, called Kalamaki, occupied by Ottoman Greeks, which explains its very beautiful Greek-style buildings and charming atmosphere. Many of Kalkan's visitors return time and time again, often twice in the same year, which is possibly the best advertisement a holiday destination can have.
Kalkan curls in a half-moon around the old Ottoman Greek harbour, and is sheltered by the stunning Taurus Mountains behind it. The bay itself is absolutely beautiful - hazy and silvery in the morning, and glittering in the sunshine by the afternoon. A series of narrow, cobbled streets lead down to the harbour through the historic town, lined with listed whitewashed Ottoman villas with brightly coloured shuttered windows.
The local shops and restaurants nestle amongst the old houses, sparkling invitingly in the evenings, with the delicious aroma of Turkish spices coming from the restaurants. Overhead hang original ornately carved Ottoman timber balconies garlanded with brilliantly coloured bougainvillea cascading to the streets below. Kalkan has very strict building laws, which protect its heritage and maintain its very special atmosphere
