A town called Shield (or Turbot) Population: 4,000
Market day: Thursday
Old names: Kalamaki (Greek)
Once a tiny settlement that turned into a ghost town in winter, Kalkan, on the Western Mediterranean coast west of Kaş, mushroomed enormously in the 2010s and acquired a large expat community, much of it British. For their sake hundreds of new “villas” have been carved into the hillside above the main road, creating an unofficial Yukari Kalkan (Upper Kalkan) with little discernible character although its residents benefit from the glorious sea views spread out beneath them.
The heart of Asagi Kalkan (Lower Kalkan) is the beautiful harbour, always a hit with the yachting fraternity. Behind it some of the original white-washed houses with wooden balconies draped with bougainvillea still manage to cling to life in a warren of narrow streets straddling the bottom of the hill. Once upon a time many of them housed cute little boutique hotels before that term gained general currency. Today, alas, very few of them remain. 
Although the main mosque clearly started life as a 19th-century Greek Orthodox church like the one in nearby Kas, there are no historic monuments for ardent sightseers to visit.
This is really a place to come to relax, unwind, shop and then make merry in some of the excellent cafes and restaurants which compete with each other as much for their floral displays as their food. But Kalkan does make a great base for visits to surrounding attractions.
Backstory
Although it was the only safe port area between Fethiye and Kaş, Kalkan was late to develop into a town although by the 19th century much agricultural produce was being shipped from here. When a more inland road was built from Fethiye to Kaş, Kalkan lost much of its significance. In 1924 it also lost its Greek population to Meis and Attica. It was only really rescued from the economic doldrums when it was discovered by the British yachting fraternity in the 1960s, since when tourism has provided an ever bigger spur to development.
Kalkan’s church turned mosqueSleeping
It’s a shame that so many of the pretty little hotels that used to be found around the harbour have gone out of business since that means that most of the places to stay are now above the main road and some distance from it. The most upmarket of them such as the glorious Villa Mahal (Tel: 0242-844 3268) actually lie some 3km east of town along the main road.
Mediteran Apartments
This smoothly stylish hotel sits on the hillside above old Kalkan. Four blue and white buildings overlook a glorious infinity pool and the sea beyond; inside spacious, modern rooms have paintings on the walls, kilims on the floor and fresh flowers beside the bed; all are suites with basic cooking facilities. The outdoor dining area shares the panoramic views with the pool. A courtesy car runs guests into town five times a day. Yalıboyu Mahallesi, Tel: 0533-249 8263
Transport info
Regular dolmuses link Kalkan with Kas and Patara, Unfortunately they leave from an otogar located about one km up a steep hill from the harbour; taxis charge a ridiculous fare to run passengers there, often more than the cost of a bus journey to an adjacent town. This is also where long-distance buses drop off and pick up passengers.
Day trip destinations
