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Kışla, the Villa That Faces Kalkan Across the Bay

A four-bedroom villa with a ten-metre infinity pool and a roof terrace above it all. Every bedroom has the sea in front of it, and the old town lights up on the far shore.

By Lycia Journal4 min read
An infinity pool over the bay, with green hills and the far shore behind it

The lanterns on the terrace hold large oil candles, and they are lit before the sun goes. By then the glass doors of the living room are open to the pool, the barbecue has given off its first smoke and the water in the infinity pool has taken on the colour of the sky. Across the bay the old town comes on one window at a time, climbing the hill in rows, with the harbour lights strung below it. The sun leaves this house late, and it leaves slowly.

The house stands in Kışla, the residential side of the bay beyond Kömürlük, and it looks straight back at Kalkan: the harbour, the old town and the mountain behind. It has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, sleeps up to eight, and is stacked over four floors, so the view widens with every flight of stairs.

Every bedroom faces the sea

The ground floor is one open room. Floor-to-ceiling glass runs along the front, so the sofas, the kitchen and the pool terrace share a single view. The kitchen has granite worktops and a full-size oven, and a Nespresso machine stands on the side (capsules are not supplied).

The master bedroom is on the first floor, with a super king bed, a balcony over the water and a bathroom with a jacuzzi bath. Next to it a mezzanine gallery serves as a study, looking down into the living room and out to the sea. Two double bedrooms share the second floor, one with a king bed and one with a super king, each with a large balcony and its own bathroom. At the top, a twin room opens onto the roof terrace, the highest point of the house.

A bedroom opening onto a balcony over the water, with a glass-walled shower beside it
A freestanding bath under a window that looks out over the bay

Ten metres of water

The infinity pool is 10 metres long and 4.5 wide, and between 1.2 and 1.5 metres deep, long enough for proper lengths. Sun loungers and parasols line the terrace, a rattan seating area sits beside a poolside shower, and a shaded dining table stands next to the stone barbecue. A table tennis table fills the gaps between swims.

The sunset side of the bay

Kışla is a residential enclave with a hillside that faces the harbour and the old town across the water. At dusk the town lights up against the mountain, which is why people book this side of Kalkan for the evening more than the morning. A few beach clubs sit along the shore here, and some run a water taxi across to the harbour for their guests. Hours depend on the season and the weather, so ask at the beach club before you plan an evening around it.

On foot the old town is about 20 minutes away, downhill on the way in. The climb home is the hard direction. By car it takes three or four minutes, and the nearest beach club is a few minutes on foot.

Editor's picks

  • Take the first coffee to the roof terrace.It is the highest view in the house, with the whole bay below.
  • Swim lengths before breakfast.At ten metres the pool allows it, and the terrace is empty.
  • Light the lanterns before dinner.The oil candles are already there, and the terrace looks its best once the sky has gone dark.
  • Cook at the stone barbecue.Eat at the shaded table beside it, with the lanterns still unlit.
  • Walk down to a beach club for lunch.It is a few minutes down, and the water taxi is worth asking about for the way across.
  • Walk into the old town for dinner and take a taxi home.Downhill in, a short ride back.
  • Spend a morning at Xanthos or Patara.Both lie west of Kalkan, and the pool is waiting when you return.
A living room with a long wooden table and open glass doors, with the sea and an island beyond

Insider notes

Xanthos and Patara both accept the Müze Kart, so carry it on the days you go.

The Nespresso machine comes without capsules. Buy a box on the way in, before the first morning.

Thursday is market day in Kalkan, and it is the best time to fill the kitchen with fruit, vegetables, cheese and olives. If you drive, park at the edge of the old town and walk the last stretch.

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How to get to Kışla

Dalaman is the closest airport, about 1 hour 45 minutes by road, with private VIP transfers, shared shuttle minibuses and easy car hire at the airport. Dolmuş minibuses connect Kalkan with Kaş and Fethiye, and Kışla is a short taxi ride from the old town. Flights from Europe and Istanbul are covered in Getting there.

By the pool the candles in the lanterns are already burning when the first window lights up across the bay.

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