Captivating Kalkan
Beautiful Kalkan, however, simply couldn’t be further from that stereotype and it fully deserves its billing as a jewel on Turkey’s stunning south western Mediterranean coastline.
After a pleasant 4 hour flight we landed into a calm, modern and well organised airport and were immediately greeted by our private transfer with refreshingly cold towels and water. A stunning 1.5 hour drive through the mountains saw the lovely traditional fishing town of Kalkan emerge at the heart of a sheltered bay.
Arriving at our home for the week, The Asfiya Hotel, with its traditional stone frontage and large cool foyer, we knew we were in for exactly the kind of holiday we were looking for. Centred on a lovely pool with restaurant tables suspended on a bridge over the middle of the water, it is compact but well serviced with its own spa and great lunch menu.
As I was staying for my birthday the wonderfully friendly and helpful staff made it a really special day; champagne sat above the pool gazing up at the impressive Lycian mountains preceded by the incredible experience of a Turkish bath. I was pleasantly surprised at how relaxing and therapeutic the Turkish bath was and we felt wonderfully revived afterwards!
The first few days were spent recharging our batteries, enjoying the wonderfully cathartic atmosphere around the pool on the comfortable sun loungers and taking in some excellent meals. In the old town nearly every building has a rooftop restaurant offering wonderful views in the day and an unforgettable atmosphere at night. We had freshly baked bread, enjoyed the most excellent lamb and steak and also discovered some surprisingly good Turkish wines which were of excellent quality.
The explorer in me though soon got itchy feet though and after spending a day sailing around the nearby coastline whilst my husband scuba dived to see a nearby wreck (in crystal clear waters) we decided to head out on a trip.
Lynn at the hotel arranged a wonderful boat trip out to Kekova and the famous sunken city. Formerly a major trading centre it was ruined by earthquakes in the 2nd century and you can now float over the top of sunken foundations and past ruined store houses and old Roman baths. We had an excellent & informative guide, a very tasty BBQ lunch on the boat, a small and friendly tour group and saw no less than 6 sea turtles. Swimming with these gentle giants and then watching in awe as another of the huge reptiles bobbed obligingly close to our boat was truly one of the stand out memories from a great holiday!
As for the other days, well they were spent enjoying the Yali beach club, free for Asfiya hotel guests, taking in the entertainment and fine dining of Hotel Likya’s Turkish night and relaxing into a state of complete contentment. It was from start to finish one of the most relaxing and enjoyable holidays I can remember and even though it was only a week, I came back very refreshed.
For those wanting a bit more freedom, there are several self-catering options available including large luxury villas. There are also plenty more places in the surrounding mountains to visit (e.g. the Saklikent gorge which we saved for next time!) which makes hiring a car a great way to explore.
Drop me a line if you’d like to hear more about what this part of Turkey has to offer and I’d love to share some of my memories to give you some ideas for that relaxing week in the Med!