Touristic information
further under constructionAbout Kalkan - Turkey
Until the previous century Kalkan was better known under it's Greek name : Kalamaki. Certains shops (a.o. the local petrol station use this name).
Kalkan is situated on Turkey’s beautiful south west Mediterranean coast, between the towns of Fethiye (87km to the west) and Kas (27km to the east) and 200km from the regional centre of Antalya. Nestled in the bay at the foot of the Taurus Mountains the natural geography of the town and its surrounding area affords spectacular sea and mountain views.
The heart of Kalkan is its Old Town , a maze of small cobbled streets winding down to the harbour. The streets are lined with many old Greek and Turkish buildings covered with bougainvillea, occupied by small boutique shops and restaurants. Today the town is expanding out from this traditional centre, but the character of the Old Town and harbour remains unchanged.
Kalkan itself has a man made pebble beach, but is better known for its beach clubs and proximity to the famous beaches of Patara and Kaputas cove. The beach clubs are private rock bathing platforms with intimate café/restaurants, just a 5 minute water taxi ride round the bay. The waters around Kalkan bay have a Blue Flag award for cleanliness and are ideal for all forms of water sports. Learn to dive at one of the diving schools or simply charter a small boat and its crew for the day.
Like much of Turkey, Kalkan is surrounded by historical and geographical sites. Pinara, Patara, Xanthos, Thlos and Myra cover ancient settlements from the Byzantine, Roman and Lycian periods to name but a few. The river gorge at Saklikent and famous beach at Ölü Deniz are all less than an hour away.
Above all Kalkan is most famous for its high quality but reasonably priced restaurants. With over 100 to choose from, there is something for everyone. Most popular are the roof terrace restaurants of the Old Town where you can sit and watch the sun set over the sea and dine under the stars.
It is no surprise therefore, that Kalkan, once the favourite summer resort for wealthy Turks, has now become internationally renowned. The beauty of the town, the weather and the friendliness of the local people attract visitors back time and time again. Ask regular Kalkan visitors and they will describe the moment they glimpse Kalkan from over the mountains as "Coming Home!"