Kalkan | |
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 A view of the coast at Kalkan | |
  Kalkan Location in Turkey | |
| Coordinates:36°16′00″N29°24′40″E / 36.26667°N 29.41111°E /36.26667; 29.41111 | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Antalya |
| District | Kaş |
| Population (2022) | 3,926 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (TRT) |
| Postal code | 07960 |
| Area code | 0242 |
Kalkan is a neighbourhood of the municipality and district ofKaş,Antalya Province,Turkey.[1] Its population is 3,926 (2022).[2] Before the2013 reorganisation, it was a town (belde).[3][4] It is an important tourist destination on theMediterranean coast. The area includes historical sites (such asTlos andKekova) and fine beaches (includingPatara Beach andKaputaş Beach).
Kalkan is an old fishing town, and the only safe harbour betweenKaş andFethiye; it is known for its white-washed houses, descending to the sea, and its brightly colouredbougainvilleas. It averages 300 days of sunshine a year. The word "Kalkan" inTurkish either meansshield orturbot referring to the town's fishing status.
A substantial Christian community of Greeks lived in Kalkan until the 1920s and the town was called Kalamaki.[5] They left in 1923 during theexchange of populations between Greece and Turkey after theGreco-Turkish War and emigrated mainly toAttica, where they founded the new town ofKalamaki. Abandoned Greek houses can still be seen at Kalkan.[5]
Kalkan was an important harbour town until the 1970s as the only seaport for the environs. It declined after the construction of the Fethiye road but revived after the emergence of the tourism industry in the region.
Although part of theAntalya province administratively, Kalkan is connected more closely to Fethiye economically and for transportation.
The Independent listed Kalkan among the best tourist destinations for 2007. The paper recommended Kalkan, especially for those seeking a romantic holiday and who do not want to travel far from their home country in Europe.[6] According to a 2012 survey 96% of visitors to Kalkan during 2011 were from the United Kingdom.
The Greek ghost town of Kaya in the hills behind Fethiye is the most dramatic reminder of this exodus, but derelict Greek houses can also be seen at Kalkan, Kas and Demre.
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