About Kalkan
Kalkan today
Kalkan is beautiful unspoilt Mediterranean style village and is set along Turkey’s lycian coast. There is the absence of mass tourism so it remains a charming, idyllic retreat. Kalkan is perfect for those looking for relaxing, stress free holiday. The town has a beautiful backdrop of the Taurus Mountains and has a quaint historic harbor famous for it’s fresh fish! There are narrow streets that twist down to the harbour lined with old whitewashed villas with shuttered windows. There is also a selection of specialty shops selling jewellary, crafts and clothes.
The town is famous for it’s restaurants and there are over 90 to choose from! There are fabulous roof top terraces where you can watch the sun going 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. There are also a couple of low key bars where you can enjoy a glass of Efes 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 so why not hire a car! There are fabulous beaches in the area including Patara Beach and the idyllic Kapatus beach. Kalkan also has a small beach if you don’t want to stray too far. The towns of Kas and Fethiye are also a must to visit and Dolmus (buses) run there on a regular basis.
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 actually 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 custom’s 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 1950’s. 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.