11/12/2007 - Kalkan By Night !

Kalkan By Night

Kalkan by night is exciting.  The town center transforms at dusk as it begins to bustle with activity - there is much to do: shopping, dining, cafés, excellent bars, or just going for a stroll along the twisting active streets or by the peaceful harbour.

Shopping

There are plenty of shops in Kalkan, all of which open early in the day and stay open until at least midnight. And unlike other resort towns, shopping in Kalkan is completely hassle-free. An evening spent strolling about the winding streets and alleys while window shopping can be very rewarding as there are so many things to see and buy in the many specialty shops.

You can find almost anything in Kalkan, from carpets to t-shirts and boxes of Turkish Delight and the traditional blue-coloured glass "evil eye" for warding off evil spirits. Gold and silver jewelry is a great buy in Turkey as it is sold by its weight.   Lovely antiques, collected selectively from all over Turkey during the winter months, are very attractive as well.   Other items include:
intricately-decorated ceramics, hand-blown glass, hand-carved Meerschaum pipes and backgammon sets inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

Enjoy shopping for excellent clothing. Several tailors are ready to make you made-to-measure clothing of excellent Turkish cloth.  Affordable boutiques offer high fashion clothing, hand-knit articles and leather goods (for excellent prices).  You can even buy that belly dancing costume you've always wanted.

Beautiful Turkish kilims (hand-woven rugs) and carpets (traditional knotted rugs) are very beautiful and will last well over a century.  Take your time to find the one which fits you perfectly.  There is a vast number of types which come from many regions of Turkey with different styles and stories which your salesperson can describe to you in detail.  If you can't afford a carpet or kilim this time, there are also shops which offer lovely high-quality articles made of kilims, such as cushion covers, bags, purses, wallets and slippers. 

Prices in Kalkan are very affordable and shopkeepers are happy to accept your foreign currency.

 

Dining and Drinks

Kalkan is said to have the highest number of restaurants and bars per inhabitant or per square meter on the Turkish coast. Almost every hotel or pension has its own roof-top or terrace bar serving all kinds of international drinks and cocktails.  Kalkan is also renowned for its roof-top restaurants which offer a wonderful view of the town, sea and stars.

There are over forty restaurants in Kalkan offering everything from traditional Turkish meals to international cuisine. Most restaurants offer an open buffet with a large choice of meze (starters) which is followed by fish or grilled meat. The Turkish way of dining is to begin with a selection of three or four starters, followed by the main course, and ending with fruit or dessert plus the famous Turkish coffee ("shekerli" if you like it sweet). Meals can be lingered over for hours in the refreshingly cool evening air, often finishing close to midnight. All prices are displayed near the restaurant’s entrance except fish which can be subject to bargaining.

Kalkan also has all sorts of bars which give the town an exciting after dinner life. You might choose to listen to a gypsy band while sipping your raki (the strong Turkish aniseed drink) and smoking a hooka while reclining Ottoman-style upon cushions (and maybe getting up for a belly dance or two). There are also jazz bars, other live-music bars, several popular small dancing bars with comfortable seating for non-dancers and  two disco bars -one located outside of the center of Kalkan and another open to the public at Pirat Hotel. Because of Kalkan’s strict codes, a large amount of noise from the bars is avoided, ensuring a peaceful sleep.

Many Kalkan hotels hold special “Turkish nights” once a week. These are special events and you need not be a guest of the presenting hotel to attend. Delicious Turkish feasts are held on the rooftop terrace or regular terrace under the stars, often with a belly dancing show, live Turkish music and/or regional folk dancing by children's groups - a very festive night.

10/12/2007 - History and Architecture of Kalkan !

History and Architecture of Kalkan

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.

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 20^th 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.

Kalkan in the 1950's

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. 

Kalkan circa 1960

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.
 

Architecture

Kalkan's Ottoman Greek origin can still be seen in its distinctive architecture which is very similar to the architecture of the nearby Greek island of Meis (Castellorizo).   There is also a Greek Orthodox church by Kalkan's harbour which has been converted into a mosque. 

As you walk about Old Kalkan you will notice much historic architecture.  This architecture is very special, of the traditional 'Kalkan Style', and is well-preserved and protected.  

Old Kalkan's houses line narrow streets winding up from the harbour and are quite beautiful, often covered in bougainvillea. They are characteristically built of stone with small shuttered windows and timber balconies, whitewashed walls and contrasting woodwork. and often have courtyards and gardens. Narrow passages criss-cross between the houses.  To combat the heat of summer, houses were built for coolness.  Balconies, terraces and courtyards were constructed to create cool, comfortable areas, while small windows could be tightly shuttered from the hot noon sun. Windows and balconies of the upper floors face the sea to take advantage of any breezes. 

Old Kalkan buildings are usually two stories high, unless the road is very steep. In this case there is sometimes a mezzanine. Behind the pediment (the hallmark of the traditional Kalkan house) is the red-tiled roof and chimneypot. Ground floors are usually used as shops or for storage while residents live on the floors above. 

Decorative elements can be seen in the sills placed between the floor levels and the tops of windows and on the corners of buildings enhanced with pilasters and pseudo column capitals. Adorned pediments grace facades, and dentils and cornices decorate eves. 

10/12/2007 - Antalya'nın Cennet ilçesi Kaş Hakkında bilmedikleriniz...

Kaş Hakkında   Çoktan çekip gitmis hayallerle sadece orada bulusulacagina inanilan,en çok özlenen,hep gidilip hep arilmak istenen cennet.o sokaklarinin mis kokusu için bile gidilebilecegi gibi, denizinin güzelligi, sakinligi, insanlarinin güleryüzlülügü, müzik kirliliginin olmamasi, insan kirliliginin olmamasi ve daha bir çok sebep yazabiliriz. Kas'ta geçirmenize sebep olabilecegi gibi, tüm hayatinizi öyle bir gözden geçirip, Acaba sorusuylu karsi karsiyaa birakan bir yer. tek düsündügünüz sey acaba buraya yerlessem mi? Likya´nin önemli kentlerinden olan Kas, ilçeyi çevreleyen Antik Döneme ait kentler ve tarihsel degerlerle doyumsuz kültür seyahatleri; Akdeniz´in derinlerde yarattigi heyecanlari doruklarda hissettiren sualti dalislari; nehirlerde yapilan macera dolu ´kano turlari´, ekolojik uyumun kesfedildigi doga yürüyüsleri´; derin ve karanlik magaralara teknik donanimli magara dalislari; yüksek daglardan turkuaz rengli sularin manzarasina süzülen ´yamaç parasütü´; Akdeniz´de degerli taslari andiran adalar ile çevreye yapilacak ´Mavi Yolculuk ve tekne turlari; damak tadiniza uygun deniz ürünleri ve daglarda yetisen kokulu otlarla tatlandirilan yöresel yemeklerden olusan menüsü; yüzlerce yilin mirasi, el sanatlarinin çesit ve güzelligi; Kas´in bagli oldugu Antalya ve ilçelerine ait turizm merkezleri ile tabiat,tarih ve kültür zenginligini, alternatif turizm imkanlari ve çevresinde yer alan turizm merkezlerinden olusan renkli yelpazesi ile düþsel bir mekandir.   Bu olaganüstü tatil beldesine uluslararasi bir nitelik kazandiran ve Kas Belediyesi tarafindan düzenlenen Kas Festivali ise her yil eylül ayinda yapilmaktadir. --       About Kas
Kas is a small historical town on the south coast of Turkey. It was one of the most important marine cities and wine production sites of the Lycian civilization and is now surrounded by rock tombs and ruins of the ancient city Antiphellos.
	Right across from Kas, there is the Greek island Kastelorizo . It is only 3 miles (5 km) away from Kas. There are daily excursions by boats to Kastelorizo and also to another antique city of Lycian Civilization, the Kekova Island. --
Kas is the marriage of beauty and the deep blue Mediterranean Sea. In Kas, the center of the historic Lycian Region, the Taurus Mountains embrace the sea as they continue to the great depths of the Mediterranean. The area is rocky all around, which helps to keep the bay crystal clear.
Kas was once the site of an ancient city Antiphellos. Today the only remains of this Lycian city are the rock-cut tombs and sarcophagi. You can wander through the streets stopping to examine the souvenir shops that offer Turkish handicrafts, leather goods, silver items, cotton clothing, and handmade carpets. After shopping, stroll along the flower-lined Akdeniz Promenade or relax under the shade of a palm tree. There are many bars and restaurants in Kas that offer plenty of night life. , Once you decide to come to Kas, you must arrange your flight to the Dalaman or Antalya Airport. Kas is right between the two. 150 km. from Dalaman and 180 km. from Antalya.

11/10/2007 - Kaş'a nasıl gidilir ? ve Kaş'ın çevreki yerleşim merkezl

Kaş'a nasıl gidilir ? ve Kaş'ın çevreki yerleşim merkezlerine uzaklıkları...

10/10/2007 - Akdeniz - Antalya - Kaş hakkında detaylı bilgiler...

Kaş Sualtı	Kaş Sahili	Kaş Tekne Gezisi	Kaş Çarşısı	Kaş Kaya Mezarlar
AKDENİZ /Antalya /Kaş Kaş köyleri edinilen belge ve buluntulara göre, Lykia medeniyetinin en önemli bölgesidir. Teke Yarımadası sahillerinin M.Ö. 6 bin yılı öncesinden beri iskan edildiği bilinmektedir. Kaş arazi kesiminin batısında ve denize bakan bir tepede kurulmuştur. Şehir daha sonra genişlemiş ve kuzeybatıya doğru büyümüştür. Kaş'ın doğu ve kuzeyinde yer alan dağlarda birçok kaya mezarı bulunmaktadır. Lykia yazılarını taşıyan kaya mezarları "İonik" tarzda şekillendirilmiştir. Kaş'ın eski ismi Antiphellos'tur. Bu isimden de anlaşılacağı gibi şehir bir Lykia şehridir. İlçe merkezi, Kalkan ve Gelemiş Köyü'nde son yıllarda turizm, hızlı bir şekilde gelişmektedir. Bu nedenle turistik tesislerin sayısı hızla artmaktadır. Kaş özellikle dalgıç turizmi bakımından ülkemizin önde gelen merkezlerinden biridir. Meis Adası'na en yakın noktayı oluşturan Kaş'da tarihi eserleri ve doğa güzellikleriyle önemli turizm potansiyeli vardır. Bir dil gibi denize uzanan Çukurbağ Yarımadası üzerinde yeni yapılmış  modern oteller yarımadayı süslemektedir. Kaş'ın içinde tertemiz sularıyla Büyük Çakıl Plajı, Küçük Çakıl Plajı ve Akçagerme Plajı gibi plajlar vardır. Ayrıca kayıkla Çayağzı Plajı'na da gidilebilir. Kaş'ın etrafında yer alan 6 adet mağaradan Kaş'a 18 km. uzaklıktaki Mavi Mağara, Aşırlı Adası Deniz Mağarası, güvercinleri ile ünlü Güvercinlik Mağarası en ünlü olanlardır. Bu arada Kaputaş Plajı da bir dünya harikasıdır. Kaş zengin tarihi yanında gün geçtikçe daha çok rağbet gören trekking, dağcılık, rafting gibi doğa etkinlikleri içinde sayısız olanaklar vermektedir. Doğa ile başbaşa olmak isteyenler için Gömbe'deki Yeşilgöl ve Uçansu Şelalesi iyi bir seçenek oluşturmaktadır. Akdağ'ın dibinde bulunan Gömbe, Kaş'tan 70 km uzaklıktadır. Akdağ ise Batı Torosların Kızlar sivrisinden sonra en yüksek zirvesidir. Burada bulunan küçük göller dikkat çekicidir.Gömbe'de Komba antik kenti ve buradan 13 km. uzaklıkta Nisa antik kenti vardır. Ayrıca Kaş içinde Kandyba antik kenti vardır. Bunların dışında Kaş'a 12 km uzaklıktaki Phellos antik kenti görülebilir. Kaş çevresindeki önemli yerlerden biri de Kekova'dır. Kekova'ya Kaş'tan tekne ile gidildiği gibi karadan üç Üçağız'a gidilip kayıkla da gezilebilir. Burada batık şehir görülebilir. Kaş'ın etrafında adı bilinen Istlada, Apollonia, İsinda, Kyaenai gibi antik kentler yanında ismi bilinmeyen birçok harabe yeri daha vardır. Pek çok adı ve geçmişi bilinen veya bilinmeyen tarihi eser mevcuttur. Örneğin Tüse Köyü'nün yakınındaki alçak bir tepe üzerinde Tysse adında küçük yerleşme görülür. Kaş'da kıyı balıkçılığı yapılıyor. Yörede çıkan başlıca balık türleri; mercan, grida, orfoz, barbunya, iskaroz, sokar, palamut ve kefal... Ayrıca ahtapot avcılığı da yapılıyor.Taze kalamar yemek isteyenler, deniz lokantalarında güzenle sipariş edebilirler. Kaş'ta restoranların hemen hepsinde Akdeniz mutfağının tipik lezzeti hakim. Yöresel tatlar açısından da çok zengin. Gömbe Yaylası"nın kebabı ve dondurmasını özellikle tadın. Yayla balıyayla yoğurdu, üzüm pekmezi, keçiboynuzundan elde edilen harnup pekmezi, tereyağlı keşkek de çok meşhur. Kaş'ta İtalyan, Meksika, Fransız mutfaklarından lezzetler sunan restoranlar da bulabiliyorsunuz. Karayolunu tercih edenler, gerek Antalya, gerekse Muğla Fethiye üzerinden gelenler sahil yolunu izleyerek Kaş'a ulaşabilerler. Kaş'a yaklaşırken göreceğiniz manzara size bütün yol yorgunluğunuzu  unutturacaktır. Alternatif olarak da sahil yolu yerine bol virajlı ve orman manzaralı Korkuteli-Elmalı-Kaş dağ yolu tercih edilebilir.  Kaş'tan Kaputaş Plajına gitmek isteyenler yarım saatte bir kalkan minibüs seferlerleri ile gidiş ve akşam 18.00'de de dönüş  imkanı bulunuyor. Uçak Yolculuğunu tercih edenler için; Dalaman Havaalanı - Kaş arası 160 km. , Antalya Havalimanı - Kaş Arası ise 210 km.  Clup Hotel Phellos Kaş-ANTALYA Tel:+90 242 8361953   Hotel Barbarossa Kaş-ANTALYA Tel:+90 242 8364071     Habesos Hotel Kaş-ANTALYA Tel:+90 242 8362022     Hera Hotel Kaş-ANTALYA Tel:+90 242 8363062     Oreo Hotel Kaş-ANTALYA Tel:+90 242 8362220