What the media say about Kalkan
Kalkan - it's the hidden gem of the Turquoise coast. Don't believe just what we say - here is what the media say about it (click on the link for the full article):
The Independent - "A town of pretty whitewashed houses built on steep lanes tumbling down to the sea, with nothing high-rise except for the odd minaret, it overlooks a sheltered bay on south-western Turkey's dramatic Lycian coast. From the sea the mighty Taurus mountains form a spectacular backdrop, while the Mediterranean at its bluest is the similarly spectacular backdrop from inland. The journey from Dalaman airport took almost two hours – it was worth every "are we nearly there yet?"
The Guardian - "Kalkan is like the Italian Riviera minus the poseurs - instead of sandy beaches, there are beach clubs strung along the bay with sun beds perched atop stone platforms that jut out over the sea. A few miles outside town is Patara beach, a spectacular 18km stretch of golden sand consistently voted one of the best beaches in the world. I lasted about an hour and a half, lying there on the scorching sand, until dizzy with the heat and half-blinded by suntan lotion, I conceded defeat. The beach club at Villa Mahal in Kalkan, a sleek, modern hotel handily located just below our villa, was infinitely more comfortable: a sand-free zone where cheerful waiters ply you with cold drinks."
The New York Times - "the laid-back Mediterranean resort of Kalkan and in an elevated position at the end of a winding coastal lane – prepare for panoramic views of the bay and Kalkan's whitewashed villas clinging to the mountainsides beyond. Unspoiled Patara beach – 11 miles of golden sand – and neighbouring Lycian ruins are a 20-minute drive north-east..."
The Daily Mail - "Banked steeply above the harbour - with the Taurus mountains behind - the rest of the mainly car-free town variously purrs and fizzes, its limestone streets and alleyways polished to a sheen by millions of feet over hundreds of years. Roof-top restaurants vie for business but you never feel hassled by frontmen wearing dodgy bow ties as you do in other tourist hubs. And the quality of the fake handbags and watches is like nowhere else in Europe - at least, that's what my wife says as I'm sent to a hole in the wall for a cash top-up."
Evening Standard - "Hotelier Robin Hutson is founder and CEO of the Pig hotels portfolio but has a thing for the coastal Turkish hideaway of Kalkan. Here are his best-loved spots....."
The Telegraph - "Kalkan, with its narrow, bougainvillea-splashed alleys of whitewashed houses tumbling down to a harbour lined with rather smart cafés and restaurants, is the postcard-prettiest of the three. Half the village seems to be owned by expat Britons (many well-off Turks also have holiday homes here, but prefer newbuild villas and apartments to restored old houses)."
