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

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

Arycanda

Arycanda (Arykanda) is a unique Lycian city, built upon five large terraces ascending a mountain slope, and was known for having the most pleasure and entertainment-loving (and debt-ridden) citizens.  The city overlooks a magnificent valley and its view makes it one of the most spectacular sites in Lycia.

Located near the small village of Aykiriçay, on the Elmali-Finike road.

Arycanda is known to be one of the oldest Lycian sites – its name ends with -anda, indicitive of its Anatolian origin dating back as far as the second millennium BC.  Some of the oldest coins of Lycia (5th c. BC were also found here during a recent digging; the site is under continuous excavation.

Gods and goddesses known to have been worshipped here are: Apollo, Ares, Artemis (in the forms of Kombike, Lagbene, Tharsenike and Eleuthera), Athena, Kakasbos (an Anatolian horseman-deity), Hera, Helios, Mithras, Tyche, Asklepios, Hygeia, Hercules, Hermes, Aphrodite, Somondeus (a mountain god), and Nemesis .

Arycanda survived through Byzantine times, until the 9th century when the settlement moved to a new site south of the modern road.

Excavations and restoration work in recent years have succeeded in unearthing a beautiful city, well-organized with the look of an architectural model.

Luckily for us, whether due to landslides, earthquakes or the difficulty for robbers in getting material down to the sea (there were sites nearer to the sea for that), Arycanda has not lost much of its large-scale materials except for the columns of the agora.  Also, with no large settlement nearby in later years, many things have been spared the lime-kilns, at least none have been found on site yet.  Since much of the site has been protected by landslips, the limestone of Arycanda’s buildings looks quite fresh.

Some features of this magnificent city include:

• Largest bath complex in Lycia, on the lowest terrace, still virtually intact in its sequence of arches, next to the gymnasium.

• Agora, some of the shops in its eastern part can still be seen.  It is wide and flat, located to the south of the odeon and was enclosed on three sides by a portico.

• Amphitheatre, in excellent condition, built during the 2nd century AD.  20 rows of seats, divided into 7 sections.  At the edge of every row are holes that were used to support protective awnings.

• Odeon – 2nd century AD. The main entrance is to the south, though a triple portal. This was once a very ornate building, the interior was lined with orthostats and the walls, orchestra and seats were once covered with coloured marble. A frieze over the portal bears a portrait of the Emperor Hadrian flanked by cartouches bearing masks and heads of deities in relief.

• Stadium, from the Hellenistic period, above the theatre, in the form of a running track.  It is smaller than a usual stadium, measuring 106 m. long and 17 m. wide.  A few step-like seats on its north side are all that remain of the stadium.

• Necropolises, there are two of them, and the one on the entrance to the site is very interesting with its series of richly decorated funerary monuments.  The eastern necropolis has barrel-vaulted monumental tombs, temple-tombs and sarcophagi and the western necropolis has rock-cut tombs and barrel-valuted tombs.

• Bouleuterion, where the council met, located on the northwest slope of the city at the end of a 137 metre long stoa.  The building is set into a mountain slope, with rows of seats cut into living rock.

Kekova

Simena is a popular Lycian site, situated upon one of the most attractive spots of the Turkish coast.  The name “Kekova” is Turkish for “plain of thyme” and describes the region encompassing the island of Kekova, the villages of Kaleköy and Üçağiz and the three ancient towns of Simena, Teimussa and Tersane (meaning “shipyard”, as its bay was the site of an ancient shipyard, with mostly Byzantine ruins).  Both Simena and Teimussa  have a large necropolis.  Teimussa is now the village of Üçağiz, where boats set off for tours of the area.

The Kekova region was declared a Specially Protected Area in 1990 to protect the natural, cultural and geographic richness of Kekova Island and surrounding coast. The Kekova Specially Protected Area is 260 km² and is managed by the Ministry of Environment, Authority for the Protection of Special Areas.

Kekova-Simena is an enjoyable place to visit for its great beauty and charm.  For this reason, it is popular with yachters (known to them as “Kekova Roads”) on their Blue Cruises along Lycia’s Turquoise Coast.  In fact, cruising yachts often anchor here for several weeks at a time.  It is a peaceful place of history, gorgeous turquoise water, sun, islands, unspoilt nature, blue skies and wonderful swimming.

The ancient Lycian sunken city of Simena is often referred to as Kekova-Simena.   The city is a charming mix of ancient, medieval and modern history making it interesting as well as beautiful.  In ancient times Simena was a small fishing village and was later an outpost of the Knights of Rhodes (formerly of St. John).

The ancient city of Simena was once of two parts – an island and a coastal part of the mainland.  On the mainland the charming fishing village of Kaleköy (”castle village”) stands today, its buildings mingling with ancient and medieval structures.  The top of the village is dominated by a well-preserved castle built by the Knights of Rhodes partially upon ancient Lycian foundations. Inside the castle is the smallest amphitheatre of Lycia. At the eastern end of the village is a Lycian necropolis with a cluster of some very nice sarcophagi overlooking the sea and surrounded by ancient olive trees.  Near the harbour of Kaleköy is another sarcophagus, popping up from the water.  Across the bay, along the island are the half-submerged ruins of the residential part of Simena, caused by the downward shift of land by the terrible earthquakes of the 2nd century AD.  Half of the houses are submerged and staircases descend into the water.  Foundations of buildings and the ancient harbor are also seen below the sea.

WebLink: 3D Tour of Kevoka

Letoon

Letoon was the sacred cult center of Lycia, its most important sanctuary, and was dedicated to the three national deities of Lycia – Leto and her twin children Apollo and Artemis. Leto was also worshiped as a family deity and as the guardian of the tomb.

Letoon lies less than 10 km to the south of Xanthos on a fertile plain.  Xanthos and Letoon are often seen as a “double-site”, since the two were closely linked and Letoon was administered by Xanthos.  Xanthos-Letoon is one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Turkey. For this reason, it has been registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Letoon has been under excavation since the 1950’s and since 1962 by the French Archaeological Mission, in conjunction with the excavations being carried out at Xanthos. Excavation goes on today – the team has done some excellent work and in recent years has begun to restore the Temple of Leto.

Letoon is a romantic site and many of the monuments arise from standing water which provides lush vegetation. Terrapins and frogs are usually seen.  Unfortunately though, the high water table hinders excavation.

To reach Letoon, you turn west one km beyond the road from Kinik to Fethiye and continue 5 km.  It’s not far from Patara and a day trip from Kalkan, Kaş or Fethiye to Letoon or Xanthos could easily be combined with a trip to the beach and /or ruins there.

Letoon was a sanctuary precinct and not actually a city, and seems to have had no major settlement associated with it at any period.  It was administered by Xanthos and was the spiritual heart of Lycia, its federal sanctuary and the place of national festivals.  Letoon was the center of pagan cults activity until perhaps the 5th century AD when Lycia was ravaged by Arab attacks and the area started to silt up with sand brought by the Xanthos River.  It is believed to have been abandonded by the 7th century AD.

Archaeological finds date back to the late 6th century BC.  During the Archaic and Classical periods (7th-5th century BC) the site was probably sacred to to the cult of an earlier mother goddess (Eni Mahanahi in Lycia), which was later superseded by the worship of Leto.

WebLink: 3D Tour of Letoon

Myra

Myra was a leading city of the Lycian Union and surpassed Xanthos in early Byzantine times to become the capital city of Lycia.  Its remains are situated about 1.5 km north of today’s Demre, on the Kaş-Finike road. Most of the ancient city is now covered by Demre and alluvial silts, for it is located on the river Demre Cay in a fertile alluvial plain.  Today this large plain is almost covered with greenhouses stuffed full of tomatoes.  In ancient times this area was probably farmed extensively, for export and trade with the interior of Lycia.

The date of Myra’s foundation is unknown.  There is no literary mention of it before the 1st century BC, when it is said to be one of the six leading cities of the Lycian Union (the other five were Xanthos, Tlos, Pinara, Patara and Olympos).  It is believed to date back much further however, as an outer defensive wall has been dated to the 5th century BC.

The city is well known for its amphitheatre (the largest in Lycia) and the plethora of rock-cut tombs carved in the cliff above the theatre.

The origin of Myra’s name is uncertain and may be a modified form of a Lycian name, like Tlos and Patara.  The name was popularly associated with the Greek name for myrrh and the emperor Constantine Porphrogenitus describled the city as “Thrice blessed, myrrh-breathing city of the Lycians, where the mighty Nicolaus, servant of God, spouts forth myrrh in accordance with the city’s name.”  However, Myra does not seem to be known for its production of myrrh, the only product actually recorded is rue.

Myra once had a great temple of the goddess Artemis Eleuthera (a distinctive form of Cybele, the ancient mother goddess of Anatolia), said to be Lycia’s largest and most splendid building.  It was built on large grounds with beautiful gardens and had an inner court defined by columns, an altar and a statue of the goddess.  Not a trace of it remains today, however, since St. Nicholas (the bishop of Myra in the 4th century AD) in his zeal to stamp out paganism in the region, had the temple of Artemis, along with many other temples, completely destroyed.

Features of Myra include:

• Amphitheatre – Myra’s Greco-Roman theatre is the largest theatre in Lycia and one of the main attractions of Myra, still in good shape.   Its double-vaulted corridors are still preserved and an inscription in a stall space reads “place of the vendor Gelasius” – the location of an ancient concessions stand.  It has 38 rows of seats and its facade was richly decorated with theatrical masks and mythological scenes.

• Rock-Cut Tombs – The famous rock-tombs of Myra are in two main groups, one above the theater and the other in a place called the river necropolis on the east side.  Although most of the tombs are plain today, Charles Fellows tells that upon his discovery of the city in 1840 he found the tombs colourfully painted red, yellow and blue.  The entire cliff face must have once been a bright riot of colour.

To the west of the theatre the steep cliff is pockmarked with a huge number of closely packed rock-cut tombs in an asymmetric pattern, house type rock-cut tombs.  A few are temple tombs and one can see steps carved out out the rock that lead to them. Most of the tombs are from the 4th century BC, and many contain funeral scenes in relief, some scenes portraying the daily life of the deceased.

The tombs on the eastern face of the hill resemble those next to the theater.  Approached by an uncomfortable rock-path is the monument known as The Painted Tomb, one of the most striking throughout Lycia.  It is the ususal house-type tomb with the outstanding feature of a group of eleven life-size figures in relief.

Patara

Patara was the major naval and trading port of Lycia, located at the mouth of the Xanthos River, until it silted up and turned into a malaria-plagued marsh.  It is not far from the sites of Letoon and Xanthos and a day trip from Kalkan, Kaş or Fethiye could easily combine the sites.  Beautiful 12 km-long  Patara Beach, voted one of the top beaches in the world by Times Online – Best of 2005, is an easy 10-15 minute stroll away from the major ruins at Patara.  The Patara area is a national park, a key biodiversity area and is rich in birdlife.

Patara was a very wealthy city due to trade and was one of the six principal cities of Lycia.  Patara’s oracle at the renown temple of Apollo (not yet found) was said to rival that at Delphi and the temple equaled the reputation of the famous temple on the island of Delos.  It was believed that Apollo lived at Delos during the summer but spent his winters at Patara.  Omens were interpreted in these two towns during the respective seasons.  A large bust of Apollo, discovered on the hill beyond the City Gate, indicates the existence of an Apollo Temple which has not yet been found.

Following its capture by Alexander the Great Patara became an important naval base as well.  Alexander promised the revenues of four cities, including Patara, to one of his commanders, thus its value at that time is quite clear.

Many legends exist explaining the origin of the name of Patara.  During the time of Lycia’s Ptolemy domination, Ptolemaios II (reigned 285-246 B.C) re-named Patara as Arsinoe in honour of his wife.  The name did not stick, however, and the original name was soon again in use.

WebLink: 3D Tour of Patara

Useful Links

Much of the information above has been reproduced with the permission of The Lycian Turkey Website.

The Background of Property Purchase in Turkey

In real terms foreigners can only own up to a maximum of 2.5 hectares (25,000 m2) of land and property. Upon application the Council of Ministers may use its discretion to increase this threshold to a maximum of 30 hectares (300,000m2) providing this figure does not exceed a total of 0.5% of the land area of the province in question.

Foreign nationals and foreign commercial companies are not allowed to buy property in  strategic military and security zones in Turkey.

Please note that to purchase real estate/land in Turkey, conditions of reciprocity, complying with legal restrictions apply. In implementation of the reciprocity principles, it is essential that real estate acquisition rights given by a foreign country to its own citizens and to commercial companies established in foreign countries, according to the laws of these countries are also given to the citizens and commercial companies of the Republic of Turkey. As detailed in the Turkish Embassy website, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Turkey have full reciprocity regarding real estate acquisition.

The Buying Process

Once you have seen a property in Turkey that you would like to purchase you will need to find the deposit. This is payable by cash or credit card as personal cheques will not be accepted by Turkish banks. An initial payment of 10-20% of the property price is usually required. The exact figure will be confirmed individually with the owner at the time of purchase. When this is paid a receipt will be given and the amound received is written into the final contract.

When you decide to reserve a property you will need to have your passport with you and additional photographs are also required for the purpose of your Tapu.

The next stage is to visit and instruct a Solicitor who will prepare the purchase contact. Remember they are there there to help you and you are paying for their services so please ensure you use their time to ask any questions you may have. Should you not be present in Turkey for the actual purchase of your property, you then need to go (your agent will accompany you) to the Notary’s office to sign a document giving your agent power of Attorney for the property, not for your money. This enables the agent to continue with obtaining the Title Deeds in your absence. Usually then you will return to the solicitors office, where the sale contract showing the property address and payment details will have been drawn up and be signed by both you the purchaser(s) and your agent.

Now the initial stage has been completed, you do not need to be present for any more of the property purchase transaction, a process that only takes a few hours. You will be given the original contract and copy of the power of Attorney to take back home with you.

On the same day or the next day your papers are forwarded to the Land Registry office for all documentation relating to the purchase is then forwarded to the Land Registration office. It is here everything is checked and then the title deeds ( TAPU ) are re-issued in the new owners name and forwarded back to the local Land Registration office who, in turn contact your agent. This process usually takes 6-8 weeks to complete.

Your agent will advise you of this when this process is complete at which time your will need to pay the final balance plus the 3% property tax. Upon receipt of this your agent will then sign for and collect your TAPU from the Land Registration office on your behalf and this will then be held in the office pending your next visit and collection.

Funding your Turkish Property Purchase

WebLink: DenizBank Turkish Mortgages

Renting Your Property

Whilst EnjoyKalkan is not able to offer full guidance on the Turkish taxation system or the full legalities involved in renting your property and declaring the income we hope the guides below are of use.

Rental Income Declaration Guide Including Deductable Expenses

Guide To Taxation In Turkey

WebLink: Turkish Revenue Administration

Antalya Live Flight Arrivals

Antalya Live Flight Departures

Suggested Airlines

A number of airlines serve both Dalaman and Antalya. Listed below are some of the most common charter carriers, if you are aware of an airline we have not listed please do contact us so we can add them to our suggested list.

Aegean Flights (Onur Air)

British Airways

EasyJet

Fly Thomas Cook

Jet2

Monarch

Pegasus

Important Changes To Hand Luggage

Airports in Turkey have now placed additional restrictions on hand luggage items.

Rules for liquids in your hand luggage

You can only take liquids, aerosols and gels in containers of no more than 100 milliliters.These containers must be carried in a transparent plastic bag. The total volume of this resealable plastic bag must not be more than 1 litre per passenger.

Liquids include

Water and other drinks,
Soups, syrups, creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, sprays, gels including hair and shower gels.

Contents of pressurized containers including

shaving foam
deodorants,
liquid-solid mixtures, mascara and any other item of similar consistency

Exceptions

Baby food for use during trip

Medicines for use during trip

You may be asked for proof that they are needed or you may be asked to taste the contents.

Kaputas Beach

Kaputas beach is an internationally famous sandy swimming cove located at the foot of a dramatic gorge. Located only ten minutes drive from Kalkan, Kaputas Beach features the clearest of turquoise waters and despite is size never gets over crowded.

Whilst Kaputas Beach does not have any facilities you will often find enterprising locals selling refreshments, snacks and sun umbrellas. Please note there are a number of steep steps down to the beach.

Kalkan Beach

Kalkan town has its own blue flag pebble beach with clear waters close to the harbour front, with gently shelving water suitable for all ages.

Kalkan beach has a number of cafes and facilities nearby including the hire of sun loungers.

Kalkan Beach Clubs

Kalkan has a number of beach clubs that offer direct sea access, refreshments and a number of additional facilities including watersports.

WebLink: Palm Beach Club Kalkan

WebLink: Kalamar Beach Club

Patara Beach

Patara is one of Turkeys longest sandy beaches stretching 12 kilometers. Featuring a small cafe that also hires sunbeds and umbrellas Patara beach is the perfect day out for all ages.

Patara also has a number of ruins and sites of historical importance, for further information see the article on ancient lycia.

WebLink: 3D Tour of Patara Beach

Driving from Dalaman Airport to Kalkan

The majority of visitors to Kalkan arrive at Dalaman Airport, whilst it is impossible to predict the actual time of your journey it should take approximately 1.5 hours

* Exit Dalaman Airport car park, through the barrier where you pay the car park fee and continue straight on

* Go past the security checkpoint at the airport (you cant miss it!)

* Continue straight for about 10kms, past the illuminated palm tree through Dalaman town

* When you see the blue supermarket on the right, TURN RIGHT, this is a single uneven road. (If you miss this turning you can continue 2kms and TURN RIGHT)

* Continue down this road (it is quite uneven) until you reach the end then TURN RIGHT onto the D400

* You will come to the Gocek Tunnel, you will need approx 2.5 YTL – please make sure you have change!

* Pass through the tunnel and continue straight on following the signs to Fethiye

* Landmark – Fethiye Gold Centre

Watch Out For Police Radar Speed Traps

* Once you arrive near Fethiye, turn RIGHT at the major intersection and follow the signs for KAS still continuing on the D400

* After Patara you will continue straight on and up a hill which is Kalkans new road where you will pass a half built petrol station on the left. Continue straight on the road where you will see Kalkan and come to a set of traffic lights by palm trees in the middle of the road.

* You have now arrived in Kalkan….. Paradise!

Have a wonderful Holiday from EnjoyKalkan.com

Kalkan Street Map

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Passport and Visa Information

Entry into Turkey requires the purchase of a visa. This visa is currently 10 units of your home currency, for example 10 GBP, 10 EUR, 10 USD etc. Your visa is a multiple entry visa, valid for three months but does not allow employment.

WebLink: Turkish Consulate, Visa Information

WebLink: Turkish Customs

Telephones and Mobile Telephones

Mobile telephones are  very common in Turkey and operate on the 900Mhz and 1800Mhz GSM frequency. If you wish to bring your mobile telephone into Turkey you should first check that not only does your telephone handset work on this frequency but you have also enabled it for international roaming before you leave home. Using your own mobile telephone in Turkey is usually the least cost effective.

If you wish you could purchase a SIM card from a Turkish mobile telphone operator and use your own telephone. Before you do this you must register your mobile telephone with the Turkish authorities. The most cost effective means of communicating home is via pre paid calling cards or Turk Telecom pay phones.

WebLink: Your mobile in Turkey

WebLink: Turk Telekom

Emergency and Useful Contact Numbers

Whilst everybody hopes they never require the use of emergency services numbers whilst in Turkey, below are some useful contact details that you should familairise yourself with prior to your holiday.

Fire 110

Emergency 112

Police 155

Jandarme 156

Coastal Security 158

Forest Fire 177

International Operator 115

Directory Enquiries 118

British Embassy in Turkey: 0312 455 3344 (Ankara)

WebLink: The British Embassy in Turkey

WebLink: UK Foreign Office, Turkey

Fethiye

Fethiye, often referred to as the Land of Lights, is a very easy 1 hour drive from Kalkan. Fethiye is located at the foot of Mount Mendos and offers a large variety of shops, restaurants and a bustling market area. Fethiye is a major tourism destination for Turkey featuring a large bay surrounded by pine forrests.

Kas

Kas, once an unspoilt fishing village is now a largely unspoilt tourist and business town. Kas harbour offers trips to Meis, the closest Greek island and an excellent day trip.

WebLink: 3D Tour of Kas