Kalkan, Turkey

Kalkan is a town in Mediterranean Turkey. It is an enchanting, historic town and one of the most beautiful locations along Turkey's gorgeous Lycian Coast. There is an absence of mass tourism, and it remains a charming and unspoiled haven with brilliant blue crystal-clear sea, historic architecture, ancient history and warm traditional Turkish hospitality. Although it was once an Ottoman-Greek fishing village called Kalamaki, Kalkan is now completely devoted to tourism. Discovered by travellers in the 1980s in search of the simple, cheap, quiet life, this perfect Mediterranean village with its Bohemian air soon boasted a yacht marina, then some modern hotels and finally holiday complexes on the outskirts of town. Most visitors to Kalkan would describe themselves as ‘comfortable'; it is not a haven for backpackers or lager lovers. For independent travellers there are some excellent pensions and hotels to suit all budgets, with an excellent restaurant scene. In winter it turns into a ghost town.