Rooftop restaurants with vistas over beautiful bays, a stylish marina, 'old town' winding paved streets, and beach clubs on rocky outcrops over the blue Mediterranean, served up with a dash of golden sand and Lycian ruins - that's Kalkan.

Having grown from a sleepy fishing village to a harbour town with a sophisticated marina in only a few years, Kalkan has elegantly met the challenge of absorbing this growth while maintaining its own unique character. Building restrictions have preserved the charm of the old town and port, allowing the development to spread naturally out towards the mountain slopes in an architectural style in keeping with the original Greek-style houses.

Newcomers to Kalkan will enjoy the 'town for all seasons' feel, where those who like the quiet life can find peaceful nooks and crannies and those who prefer night life and music will find selected bars to entertain them. Unlike many resorts which cater for British visitors, Kalkan offers a tasteful selection of high-quality Turkish and European cuisine, often in rooftop bars or restaurants with stunning views of Kalkan bay, which are a special feature.

A small pebble beach by the harbour is a favourite for sunbathing, but for a more active day in the sun the local beach clubs have swimming platforms carved in the rocks by the emerald green Mediterranean waters, offering a wide range of water sports. The beach clubs can be a day out in themselves, as many of them feature good quality restaurants and Turkish ottoman seating with jewel-coloured cushions for lounging in the sun or shade, and transfers are included in the entrance fee.

Kalkan is a unique blend of the cosmopolitan with a village feel. It's an enchanting little corner of the country that somehow manages to cater exceedingly well for British tastes without ever losing its own truly Turkish character. Discerning guests will love the sophistication that Kalkan offers, hand-in-hand with its proximity to mountain villages where traditional Turkish life carries on apace, undisturbed by mass tourism. A winding pomegranate-lined road leads up the mountainside to Islamlar, a small hamlet boasting the curious feature of a number of trout farms with restaurants.

Along the coast towards Kas, is the stunning beach of Kaputas, easily reached by a fifteen minute local bus (dolmus) ride. This is picture-postcard territory - crystal clear waters and golden sands, nestling between craggy outcrops, reached only by boat or a steep staircase from the coastal road above, which itself has featured in a national newspaper guide to the best coastal drives in Europe.

Only half an hour away, history lovers can indulge themselves in an afternoon of pottering around the ruins of Xanthos, ancient Lycian settlement, where new mosaics have recently been uncovered. The site includes a Greek theatre, ruined columns and tombs, and a temple, with its brightly coloured and patterned mosaic floors.

The nearby beach of Patara has its eighteen kilometers of golden sands and dunes protected by conservation orders. The Sunday Times has rated Patara Beach as amongst the top six in the world.

A twenty-five minute dolmus ride (the local inexpensive bus service) away from Kalkan, Patara's vast expanse of beach is a real attraction in an area where most swimming is done from rocky platforms directly leading in to the sea. It has a slightly hippie-ish village town center, so as a day out, it's worth the small admission fee.

Kalkan and all its enchantments will quietly seduce you into living on Turkish time, unhurried and peaceful, enjoying all that the region has to offer. This is where the living is easy, the views are stunning, the food is fabulous and the people are friendly - what more could you want from a holiday?

VILLAS AT THE HILLSIDE

VILLAS IN THE CENTRE