There are some holiday destinations you visit once and enjoy, and others that somehow persuade you to keep returning. Kalkan, on Turkey’s beautiful Lycian Coast, has long belonged in the latter category for many British travellers.
Built around a picturesque bay on the Mediterranean, this former fishing village has grown into a stylish holiday destination without completely losing the character that made it appealing in the first place. Whitewashed houses tumble down the hillside towards the harbour, bougainvillea spills across balconies and narrow streets lead to rooftop restaurants, small shops and inviting terraces overlooking the sea.
My friend Bhav Taylor already knew Kalkan well when she decided to return for another holiday. Her trip happened to take place during the extraordinary travel conditions of 2020 and her original article for Just One For The Road was very much about what travelling overseas felt like during the pandemic.
Thankfully, that information now belongs firmly in the past. What hasn’t changed is Bhav’s affection for Kalkan and the reasons she chose to return, so I’ve revisited her original story and turned the focus back to what really matters – the destination itself.
Why Kalkan?
Kalkan sits on Turkey’s southwestern Mediterranean coast, within the historic region of Lycia. Although tourism has inevitably changed the town over the years, it feels very different from the large purpose-built resorts that can be found elsewhere along the Turkish coast.
There is no enormous sweep of high-rise hotels dominating the waterfront. Instead, Kalkan climbs steeply away from its harbour, with villas, boutique hotels and traditional buildings scattered across the hillside.
That setting is a major part of its charm. During the day, the brilliant blue Mediterranean dominates the view, while evenings bring a completely different atmosphere as restaurants illuminate their rooftop terraces and the old town comes alive.
Bhav had visited before, so choosing Kalkan again wasn’t a leap into the unknown. She already knew that it offered what she wanted from a relaxing week away: sunshine, good food, a beautiful setting and enough to do when she felt like leaving the pool or beach behind.
🇹🇷 Planning a trip to Turkey? Take a look at my Turkey Travel Guide for more ideas, destinations and inspiration for exploring this fascinating country.
Exploring Kalkan Old Town
One of Kalkan’s greatest pleasures is simply wandering around the old town without any particular plan.
The narrow streets descend towards the harbour between traditional buildings, shops, cafés and restaurants, with bougainvillea adding splashes of colour along the way. Small boutiques sell jewellery, ceramics, clothing and locally made gifts, while terraces appear in seemingly every available space.
Kalkan has developed an excellent reputation for its restaurants and eating out is a big part of the holiday experience. Rooftop restaurants are particularly popular, combining Turkish and Mediterranean cooking with wonderful views across the town and bay.
As you would expect in a coastal town, fresh fish and seafood feature prominently, but this is also somewhere to explore Turkish cuisine properly. Meze dishes are perfect for sharing, while grilled meats, fresh salads, pide and traditional desserts provide plenty of reasons not to eat in the same restaurant every night.
After dinner, the harbour is an enjoyable place for an evening stroll before finding somewhere for a drink and watching Kalkan gradually wind down for the night.
Beaches and Beach Clubs
Kalkan isn’t a traditional long, sandy-beach resort, which is worth knowing before you travel. There is a small pebble beach close to the harbour, but much of the swimming and sunbathing experience revolves around the area’s beach clubs.
These are dotted around the bay and coastline, often occupying rocky terraces with platforms providing direct access to the beautifully clear Mediterranean. Many have sunbeds, restaurants and bars, allowing you to settle in for the day with everything you need close at hand.
If a traditional beach is more your style, there are some superb options within easy reach of Kalkan.
Kaputaş Beach is one of the most photographed beaches on this stretch of the Turkish coast. Tucked into a dramatic gorge between Kalkan and Kaş, its turquoise water and small sweep of sand and pebbles make it immediately recognisable.
Then there is Patara Beach, which provides a complete contrast. This magnificent stretch of sand extends for kilometres along the coast and forms part of a protected area that is also associated with nesting loggerhead turtles.
Combining Kalkan with visits to both gives you three very different ways of enjoying the Mediterranean.
Beach Tip: Kalkan itself is better suited to travellers who enjoy swimming from beach clubs and rocky platforms than those looking for a conventional sandy resort. For sand, make time for nearby Patara.
Take to the Water
Given Kalkan’s setting, it would be a shame to spend an entire holiday looking at the Mediterranean without getting out onto it.
Boat trips depart from the harbour and are one of the most relaxing ways to spend a day. The coastline is dotted with bays and swimming spots, and a typical day at sea provides plenty of opportunities to swim in wonderfully clear water while enjoying a completely different view of the surrounding mountains.
Private boat charters are also popular if you’re travelling with family or friends and want more freedom over where you stop.
For me, days like these are often amongst the highlights of a Mediterranean holiday. There is something wonderfully simple about leaving the harbour in the morning with little more planned than swimming, lunch and finding a beautiful bay.
Discover the Ancient Lycian Coast
One of the reasons Kalkan works so well as a holiday base is that there is much more to the surrounding area than beaches and restaurants.
This part of Turkey was once home to the ancient Lycian civilisation, and archaeological sites are scattered throughout the region.
The ruins of Patara are particularly easy to combine with a visit to the nearby beach. Once an important Lycian port, the ancient city contains the remains of temples, baths, a theatre and other structures that provide a fascinating glimpse into the area’s history.
Further afield, Xanthos was one of ancient Lycia’s most important cities, while other archaeological sites can be incorporated into day trips through the surrounding countryside.
For walkers, this history is connected by the Lycian Way, the celebrated long-distance walking route that follows the coast and mountains of southwestern Turkey. You certainly don’t need to tackle the entire route to appreciate the landscape, with shorter walks offering magnificent views across the Mediterranean.
Visit Kaş
Around half an hour along the coast lies Kaş, another attractive Mediterranean town that makes an easy day or evening trip from Kalkan.
Kaş has a slightly different atmosphere, with a lively centre of cafés, restaurants and shops clustered around its harbour and old streets. It is also a major centre for diving and boat trips.
The journey between Kalkan and Kaş is beautiful in its own right, following a dramatic stretch of coastline with the Mediterranean appearing below.
If you’re staying in Kalkan for a week or more, I’d certainly allow some time for Kaş rather than remaining in one resort throughout the holiday.
A Holiday That Can Be as Relaxed as You Want
One of Kalkan’s strengths is that you don’t have to fill every day with sightseeing.
You can spend a morning exploring an ancient Lycian site and the afternoon beside the pool, take a boat trip one day and do very little the next. There are enough restaurants to try somewhere different every evening and enough surrounding attractions to prevent the holiday ever feeling repetitive.
That balance was one of the things Bhav appreciated about returning to Kalkan. After a particularly difficult year, she wanted sunshine, relaxation and a change of scenery rather than a frantic sightseeing itinerary.
Although the circumstances surrounding her original trip have thankfully disappeared, that particular appeal of Kalkan hasn’t.
Where to Stay in Kalkan
Kalkan offers a particularly good selection of villas, apartments and smaller hotels, many positioned on the hillsides surrounding the bay.
The steep landscape means properties higher above the town can enjoy spectacular Mediterranean views, although the climb back from the harbour is something worth considering when choosing accommodation.
A villa can work particularly well for families or groups of friends, especially if you value your own pool and outdoor space. Staying closer to the old town, meanwhile, makes it easier to walk to restaurants, shops and the harbour in the evening.
Before booking, I would check the property’s exact position rather than relying solely on the description. In Kalkan, two properties that appear relatively close together on a map can involve very different walks because of the hills.
Getting to Kalkan
Dalaman Airport is the main gateway for most visitors travelling to Kalkan, with the road transfer taking you through the landscapes of southwestern Turkey towards the Mediterranean coast.
Many package holidays and accommodation providers can arrange private transfers, while hiring a car gives you much greater freedom to explore the surrounding area.
You don’t necessarily need a car if you’re planning to spend most of the holiday around Kalkan itself. Taxis, local transport and organised excursions can cover many of the obvious trips, but a car becomes much more useful if you want to explore independently and discover more of the Lycian Coast.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Kalkan?
Kalkan has a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and milder winters. The main holiday season generally stretches from spring into autumn, although the character of the resort changes considerably depending on when you visit.
July and August bring the hottest temperatures and busiest atmosphere. For sightseeing, walking and exploring ancient sites, the shoulder months can be particularly attractive, with warm weather but generally more comfortable conditions for being active.
Late spring and early autumn can therefore provide a lovely balance between sunshine, swimming and exploring.
Why Kalkan Is Worth Discovering
Bhav’s original article was written at a remarkable moment in travel history. Much of it understandably concentrated on masks, airport procedures, travel restrictions and what it felt like simply to board an aircraft again.
Years later, those details are no longer the reason to read about Kalkan. The more interesting story is why she chose to return there in the first place.
Kalkan combines a beautiful Mediterranean setting with excellent restaurants, clear blue water, a characterful old town and some of Turkey’s most fascinating historic landscapes within easy reach. You can explore ancient Lycian ruins, spend a day at sea, swim from a beach club or simply find a terrace overlooking the bay and decide that nothing else needs doing that afternoon.
Perhaps that is Kalkan’s greatest attraction. It offers plenty to discover without ever making you feel that you have to be discovering something.
Sometimes a holiday should simply be a holiday.
About This Kalkan Experience
This article is based on the travels of Bhav Taylor, who originally shared her experience of returning to Kalkan with Just One For The Road after travelling there in 2020. Her original contribution has been completely updated, removing the temporary pandemic travel information while retaining the reasons she enjoyed returning to this beautiful corner of Turkey.
