Kalkan
Settlements have existed around Kalkan since Lycian times, the area providing an important port for the outlet of mainly agricultural products from the hinterlands. Kalkan increased in importance during the 19th Century and was inhabited by peoples of both Greek and Turkish origin subject to the Ottoman Empire; it was then know by the Greek name of Kalamaki. By the early 20th Century, Kalamaki had become quite a sizeable village, having its own Customs House and reportedly some 17 restaurants, a goldsmiths, a shoemaker and several tailors.
Following World War 1, an exchange in population took place between the new Turkish Republic and Greece in 1923. Most of the Greek peoples then living in Kalkan left to resettle in Megisti (Meis Island), Rhodes or Athens, where a suburb is known as Kalamaki to this day.
In the 1960s, Kalkan was “discovered” by wealthy English yachtsmen and thereafter tourism rapidly became the main economy of the area. Thankfully, strict building and conservation regulations have allowed Kalkan to retain its historic charm and because of this determination to preserve its identity, Kalkan has managed to retain a distinctive character lacking in many other towns and villages bordering the Mediterranean Coast.
Kalkan today is set at the foot of a natural amphitheatre with hills to the north rising to over 900 meters as the backdrop to the town. The town itself looks out over the pretty harbour, jostling with tour boats, visiting yachts and fishing boats, on to the beautiful Kalkan and Kalamar Bays and beyond to the Çatal Islands set into the shimmering turquoise sea. Narrow streets, lined with bougainvillea clad old whitewashed villas, speciality shops and restaurants, twist downwards to the harbour. At night, Kalkan comes alive with its numerous roof terrace restaurants and bars which offer wonderful views of the illuminated town, sea and stars.
Development in the form of hotels, villas, apartments and shops has inevitably taken place as the town has increased in size and importance to meet the demands of the mainly European holiday industry. Thankfully, most of this growth has been in individually designed buildings, set in ample grounds and constructed of natural materials in sympathy with and retaining the overall style of Kalkan.
