Kalkan today
Kalkan is a beautiful unspoilt Mediterranean style village and is set along Turkeys Lycian coast. As there is the absence of mass tourism it remains a charming, idyllic retreat. Kalkan is perfect for those looking for a relaxing, stress free holiday. The town has a beautiful backdrop of the Taurus Mountains and has a quaint historic harbor famous for its fresh fish. Narrow streets twist down to the harbour, which are lined with old whitewashed villas with shuttered windows. There is also a selection of specialty shops selling jewellery, crafts and clothes.
Kalkan town is famous for its restaurants and there are around 100 to choose from! There are fabulous roof top terraces where you can watch the sun go down whilst eating fresh fish or local turkish cuisine or why not sit at the restaurants by the harbour and watch the boats drift in and out.
Kalkan also has a number of low key bars where you can enjoy a glass of Efes or even a cocktail after your meal. There is plenty to explore during the day, a must is a visit to the local market on a Thursday to get some bargains or you could browse the shops and buy a handcrafted rug or a piece of unusual pottery. For the more active there why not go on Gullet trip and explore the nearby islands or visit the local dive centre.
There are also plenty of historic sites to visit in the local area so why not hire a car to make the most of your holiday. Kalkan has fabulous beaches in the area including Patara Beach and the idyllic Kapatus beach. Kalkan also has a small beach if you do not wish to stray too far. The towns of Kas and Fethiye are also a must to visit and a Dolmus (buses) service runs there on a regular basis.
WebLink:
3D Tour of Kalkan
Get a first hand view of Kalkan with this video
The History of Kalkan
The orginal settlers came to Kalkan 150 to 200 years ago by people of both Greek and Turkish origin. Kalkan was orginally known by its Greek name ‘Kalamaki’. This is thought to have come from the greek word Kalamari (squid) which are of abundance in the surrounding sea.
Kalkan became an important port during the 19th century – even more so than that of the larger towns of Fethiye or Antalya. Cargo ships were often loaded with charcoal, silk, olive oil, wine and also cotton, grain and flour. From there they sailed to the far reaches of the Ottoman Empire. At the turn of the 20th century Kalkan had become a large village and had its own customs house and there were reportedly seventeen restaurants, a goldsmith, a shoemaker and several tailors.
Following World War 1 in 1923 and after the Turkish War of Independence most of the Greek origin people who lived in Kalkan left Turkey. Some went to the nearby Greek island of Meis, but most were resettled near Athens. Trading in Kalkan continued until the 1950s. However, due to the improvement of the Turkish road system and the use of overland transport, the population of Kalkan began to dwindle away as people moved to larger coastal cities to find work. However, Kalkan was saved in the 1960’s by the arrival of wealthy yachtsmen and tourism became the main economy of Kalkan. Today Kalkan has still retained its historic charm. This is due to the fact that there are strict building and preservation codes and many of Kalkan’s buildings are listed.
Kalkan 1983
