Kalkan, Kas and other beautiful towns to see in the Turkish Riviera

In your trip to turkey, on a route through the Turkish Riviera, the stretch of coastline of the Mediterranean coast which is also known as the Turquoise Coast, you cannot miss a visit to some towns full of charm such as Shield y Nov.

Are two old ports that have preserved a nucleus of small old houses by the sea that create an atmosphere very different from that of modern tourist centers such as Marmaris y Oludeniz.

This traditional architecture It is also different from that of most Turkish populations, since they were originally inhabited by populations of Greek culture.

They also offer a wide variety of accommodation, restaurants, shops and excursion options in the surrounding area.

What to see and do in Kalkan on the Turkish Riviera

As we say, the Kalkan old town is made up of a set of greek style houses built next to the port.

Around it, already on the slopes of the mountain, a number of modern houses have emerged in recent decades, often painted white or bright colors.

Until the 20s of the last century, Shield It was a flourishing port inhabited by a population of Greek language and cultures, and today it is an important tourist center in the Turkish Riviera.

It is very entertaining to walk aimlessly through the streets near the port, dedicating yourself only to browsing the shops, observing the details of the architecture and looking for a bar or restaurant.

There are a good number of houses that could be in any Greek village, but also others of undoubted Ottoman taste; most have been converted into cafes, restaurants, shops or small hotels.

The abundance of these establishments full of charm makes Shield a good base to rest or explore the surroundings, as the ancient Lycian cities of Xanthos, Letoon and Patara They are located within a short distance.

La Kalkan beach It is small, but it is next to the town, so it is very easy to access.

El Kalkan port It is one of the favorite bases of sailors who travel the Turkish Riviera, although it no longer hosts fishing boats but rather sailboats and yachts.

It is a fundamental stage in the call Blue Journey, which consists of covering part or all of the Turkish Riviera in a gulet.

El gulet It is a small sailboat, the traditional boat of the area, and now they are built to be pleasure boats perfectly equipped for sailing for a few days.

Shield It is also a good base for divers, with a couple of sunken ships that are the destination of divers.

There is also the possibility of making the PADI courses.

What to see and do in Kas on the Turkish Riviera

Like Shield, Nov It is a town built around its port.

Centuries ago the population lived in the interior, in the place called Phellos (about 15 kilometers away), and the port was known as Antiphellos.

Nov It is located right at the place where a narrow spit of land juts into the Mediterranean coast dividing the bay in two and thus generating two good, very well protected ports.

This peninsula is about six kilometers long and a road completely surrounds it.

In this part of the Turkish Riviera Numerous hotels, clubs and piers have sprung up, and there are also good beaches, many of which can be reached directly by boat from the Kas port in a kind of service marine bus.

Right at the beginning of that peninsula is the main historical attraction of Kas: The Antiphellos theater.

It is a theater that could seat about 4.000 spectators and is in fairly good condition after restoration.

It is one of the best located theaters in the entire area, right on the edge of the sea. Now it is largely surrounded by olive trees, which adds a certain charm to the place.

Lycian tombs at Kas

As in other towns in the area, on the steep slopes that surround the town you can see some tombs belonging to the ancient lycian culture.

Furthermore, as in Fethiye, there are some examples of sarcophagi in the streets, like the call King's Tomb, which is located in the Uzun Çarsi street.

The port is a very pleasant area to walk, have a drink in a tavern or browse the nearby shops.

It is also the starting point for numerous excursions, either for navigate around or dive.

As in Kalkan, there are sunken ships very close to the coast that are the objective of divers.

One option is to make a visit of a few hours to the nearby Meis Island.

The funny thing is that this island is actually called Castellorizo and it's Greek, so don't forget your passport.

Kekova Island in the Turkish Riviera

From Kas the fundamental excursion is to the area known as Kekova, one of the most beautiful points of the entire Turquoise Coast.

It is worth clarifying that Kekova It is an island that is located off the coast but often this name also refers to the nearby area of ​​​​the continent.

You can tour this area in one boat excursion from Üçagiz, a village located about 30 kilometers from Kas.

One of the attractions of this area is that it is very protected and you cannot build on it, making it one of the best preserved stretches of coastline.

Uçagiz It is at the bottom of a bay almost completely closed by two arms of land. The Kekova Island appears right in front. What makes this excursion irresistible is the beautiful Mediterranean landscape that appears practically intact.

A curiosity are the partially submerged ruins of an ancient city.

A series of earthquakes in the 2nd century AD completely modified the coastline in this area, and now from the ship you can see remains of walls, stairs and piers several meters deep.

You cannot swim at this point to protect those ancient vestiges, although they can be done kayak tours that allow us to get a little closer to the traces of this sunken city.

Kaleköy on the Turkish Riviera

The excursion continues to the small village of Kalekoy (also known as Kale), which is located on one of the arms of land that close the Üçagiz bay.

Kalekoy It is a charming little town that cannot be reached by car because going from Uçagiz, a track ends at a point from which you must continue on foot.

This path follows a path along which there are quite a few Lycian sarcophagi.

At Kaleköy jetty There are two other sarcophagi that come out of the water, since this town is located on the ruins of ancient Simena, which has a small but imposing crusader castle.

Inside that enclosure is what may be the ancient theater smallest of those that are preserved, and seeing the panoramic view from the top of the castle, you understand why it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and intact stretches of coastline in the world. Mediterranean coast.