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Kalkan is a small peaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town on the beautiful Turquoise Coast of Turkey, it has not been touched by mass tourism. More sophisticated than the usual resort town, Kalkan appeals to travelers looking for more than a "sun and sea" holiday. According to the Sunday Times, Kalkan attracts the kind of visitor who would also enjoy Tuscany or the Dordogne. The Guardian likens the town to "the Italian Riviera minus the poseurs."
Kalkan became an important port during the 19th century – even more so than Fethiye or Antalya, its two larger neighbors. It was settled 150 to 200 years ago by people of both Greek and Turkish origin subject to the Ottoman Empire and was known by its Greek name "Kalamaki." Camels brought goods to Kalkan from the nearby Xanthos valley and from as far away as the mountain highlands near Elmali. Cargo ships were then loaded in Kalkan’s harbour to sail for the far reaches of the Ottoman Empire carrying charcoal, silk (you can see many mulberry trees in Kalkan today), olive oil (still produced in Kalkan) and wine, as well as cotton, grain, sesame seed, flour, grapes, acorns used for dye, and lumber from the vast cedar and pine forests. By the early 20th century Kalkan had become quite a sizeable village. At the turn of the century it had its own custom’s house and in 1915 there were reportedly seventeen restaurants, a goldsmith, a shoemaker and several tailors. The first local elections were held in 1928 and in 1937 the present elementary school was opened. 
Following World War I, the exchange in population between the new Turkish Republic and Greece took place in 1923 after the Turkish War of Independence. Most of the Greek origin people then living in Kalkan left Turkey. Some went to the nearby Greek island of Meis, but most were resettled near Athens. They were resettled as a community (like most Greek immigrants from Turkey) and named their new town "Kalamaki", after Kalkan’s previous name.
Trading continued until it faded away in the 1950’s due to the improvement of the Turkish road system and the adoption of overland transport. With no more sea trade, the population of Kalkan trickled away as people moved to larger coastal cities to find work. Luckily, Kalkan was saved by the arrival of wealthy English yachtsmen in the 1960’s and tourism eventually became the main economy of Kalkan. Because of this, Kalkan has retained its historic charm. Strict building and preservation codes are enforced and many of Kalkan’s buildings are listed. Because of the determination to keep Kalkan beautiful, Kalkan has a specialness to it lacking in many other towns along the coast.
Despite the changes tourism has brought to the people of Kalkan, traditional life still continues for many of the local residents. Historically, many locals of Kalkan have owned land both in Kalkan and in the nearby mountain village of Bezirgan, set in a beautiful valley 17 km from Kalkan. Today many of these residents continue to follow the pattern of their ancestors, spending summers in the coolness of the mountains and winters near the warm coast.
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Because of its great charm, Kalkan has a growing number of perennial visitors who say the town is the only holiday destination they would choose to visit repeatedly. There is simply no other town quite like Kalkan along Turkey’s coast.
Besides the famous "Kalkan Style" historic architecture, the many excellent restaurants of Kalkan contribute to the special atmosphere within Kalkan. Good dining has always been the way of life in Kalkan and continues today. In fact, Kalkan is said to have the highest number of restaurants and bars per inhabitant or square meter on the Turkish coast (over 100 of them!). Additionally, Kalkan is especially renowned in Turkey for its numerous roof terrace restaurants and bars which offer a wonderful view of the town, sea and stars. It’s also nice to sit at one of the many fine harbour-side restaurants and watch the pleasure boats and fishermen leave early in the morning as you eat your breakfast, or see the fishing boats return with the day’s catch in the evening.
There is lots to do during the day and nightlife is fun, but laid-back. You won’t find noisy, wild nightlife here, like in some other coastal resorts.
The people of Kalkan warmly welcome you, and you may at first be surprised by the universal friendliness within the town. This, along with warm Turkish hospitality is the basis of life here and the people of Kalkan sincerely enjoy getting to know their guests. So don’t hesitate to accept one of the many tulip-shaped glasses of çay (tea) you will be offered while you amble along Kalkan’s winding streets. You won’t be hassled while you are a guest of Kalkan – the town is hassle-free and is proud to be so. You will find a mixed population here, consisting of locals, some Istanbul Turks and Turks from other cities who have made Kalkan their home and own small businesses, as well as a small number of well-educated foreigners who have settled in the town.
Kalkan does not seem to have been a place of settlement in antiquity (then known as Phoenicus), though it was the place of the only safe harbour between Kaş and Fethiye and would have offered safety to ships during rough weather. Indeed, a fierce battle was once fought in the bay after Roman and Rhodian ships, unable to attack the neighbouring Lycian port of Patara due to bad weather, found short-lived safety in Kalkan’s bay. Read about the battle here. Today’s ships still find safe harbour in Kalkan when the seas are rough.The Lycian coast was famous for its piracy and Kalkan bay no doubt provided a convenient hiding place for pirates to suddenly pounce upon the many heavily-laden merchant ships sailing by.