To the west of Kalkan lies Patara, a stunning and undeveloped nine mile stretch of soft golden sand, where the evocative ruins of a once-fine city protrude out of the encroaching sand dunes.
So outstanding is Patara that it was voted the world's best beach in a 1998 survey of 100 tour operators carried out by The Sunday Times.
Going on a languorous 'Blue Cave Cruise' on a fishing boat around little 'Mouse' and 'Snake' islands to secluded coves will give you a taste for further exploration.
   In the heart of Lycia, Kalkan offers easy access to many of the great classical sites, almost all of which are set in stunning natural surroundings.
You can explore up into the mountains, entering a lush region of lakes and streams, pastures and alpine villages.
    At the village of Bezirgan you can watch carpets being woven and at Arycanda there is a wonderful archaeological site, whose remains and setting rival those of Delphi.
At Kekova you can hire a boat over to the pretty little harbour of Kale and clamber up to the hilltop Byzantine fort past the eerie sarcophagi of the ancient Lycians.
Peering from the boat into the pellucid blue water you may spy the sunken city. At Letoon, the half-submerged remains of Leto's temple are still inhabited by frogs, whilst at Xanthos, enigmatic inscriptions and bizarre 'harpy' tombs occupy a dramatic hilltop site.
   However you choose to spend your days, no-one can resist being back in Kalkan by evening, for the variety and quality of eating places on offer is quite astonishing for such a compact little place.
You can sit cross-legged on kilims or floor cushions and be served Turkish dishes the traditional way or indulge in an orgy of seafood in one of the smart waterfront restaurants. There are even little backstreet restaurants so low-key most foreign visitors never notice them - just the place to enjoy delicious and genuine local cooking.
    Magical surroundings, a dash of relaxed sophistication and a seemingly limitless variety of places to explore make Kalkan irresistible