Göynük→Kalkan

Göynük and Kalkan sit at opposite ends of a very long stretch of the Turkish Riviera, and they feel like two different holidays. Göynük is pine forest, a pebble beach and a limestone canyon on the edge of the Kemer coast. Kalkan is whitewashed villas stacked on a steep hillside above a small blue bay, with rooftop restaurants looking out to the Greek island of Kastellorizo. Moving between them is a proper road journey, and this page explains what to expect from it.

The transfer covers 111 km and takes about 117 minutes of driving in normal conditions. A private car collects you at your hotel or apartment in Göynük and takes you to the door of your hotel or villa in Kalkan. You do not change vehicles, you do not wait at a bus station and you do not drag your suitcases up a hill in the midday sun. Below you will find the drive described stage by stage, the practical points about arriving in Kalkan, a guide to its different areas, and ideas for what to do once you have unpacked.

Plan on roughly two hours door to door. The figure of 117 minutes is the driving time on a clear run. Add a little for the pickup, for any stop you ask for, and for the slow final descent into Kalkan, where the streets are narrow and steep.

Most of the trip follows the coastal highway known as the D400. This is the main road that links the Antalya region with the Lycian coast to the west. It is a good road, but it is not a motorway for most of its length. It passes through towns, crosses agricultural plains, climbs over headlands and drops back to the shore. The speed of the journey therefore changes from one stretch to the next, and that is part of its character.

Because the journey is long, the type of car matters. Everyone gets air conditioning, room for luggage and a driver who knows the road. If you travel as a family, a couple, or a group with golf bags or surfboards, tell us when you book so we can send a vehicle of the right size. Child seats are available on request.

Göynük lies just north of Kemer, where the Beydağları mountains, part of the Western Taurus range, come down almost to the sea. The hotels sit in a narrow green belt between the forest and the shoreline. The road out is short and pleasant. Pine trees close in on both sides, and you may catch glimpses of the sea through the trunks.

Your driver follows the road out of the village and joins the main coastal route. From here you head towards Antalya. The city is a natural turning point on this journey. It is the largest place you pass, it has the most traffic, and it is where the day's pace is decided. After that, the road swings west and the real coastal drive begins.

The Antalya area is the busiest section. The road runs along the edge of the city's western suburbs, and in summer you can expect heavier traffic here than anywhere else on the route. Early morning and mid-morning are normally the smoothest. Late afternoon, when day-trippers and commuters are heading home, is the slowest.

Once you leave the suburbs behind, the landscape opens up. Greenhouses cover the plains around Kumluca, and the plastic roofs flash in the sun. This is farming country, and the fields supply much of the fresh produce you will eat in Kalkan's restaurants. After the plains, the road gains height and follows the headlands above Finike, where citrus groves fill the valleys. Orange and lemon trees grow right up to the road in places, and in the cooler months the fruit hangs ripe on the branches.

The scenery continues to change as you go west. Near Demre the plain widens again. This is the home of the ancient town of Myra and of the church associated with Saint Nicholas, a stop that many visitors add to a longer trip. Beyond Demre, the road climbs once more, and the long sweeping curves above the sea become the dominant feature of the drive. From here the Mediterranean is below you on one side and rugged hills are above you on the other. The coast looks wilder than it does in the resort areas around Kemer and Antalya.

Kaş is the last real town before Kalkan. It is a relaxed harbour town with a bohemian reputation, a small marina and a view across the water to the Greek island of Meis, as the Turks call Kastellorizo. Many travellers stop here for coffee or lunch. If you want to do that, say so at the start and your driver will find a good place to pull in.

Past Kaş, the road continues along the cliffs. It passes the turning for Kaputaş Beach, a tiny cove at the bottom of a flight of steps, set below the road between two rock walls. The beach is unmistakable from the road because of the bridge that crosses the gorge above it. It is popular, so the roadside can be busy on hot days.

Then comes the final descent into Kalkan. The road drops down a steep hillside in a series of bends, and the whole bay opens up in front of you. You see the harbour, the white houses terraced down the slope, and the sea in several shades of blue. Most people reach for their phones at this point. The view is the reward for the long drive, and it is one reason why we suggest travelling in daylight if you can.

The 117-minute figure is a good guide for a normal, free-flowing journey. The real time depends on the season and the hour.

• Early morning (before the day heats up): The easiest time to travel. The road is quieter, the light is soft and the views are at their best.
• Midday in July and August: Busy, especially around Antalya, Kumluca and Kaş. Tour buses, camper vans and holiday traffic slow the flow.
• Late afternoon and early evening in summer: Often the slowest stretch, as everyone returns to their hotels at the same time.

If your timing is flexible, an early start gives you a comfortable arrival in Kalkan with the afternoon still ahead of you. If you must travel in the afternoon, the car is air-conditioned and the stretch beyond Finike is scenic enough to be enjoyable even when it is slow.

Göynük is a village as well as a hotel strip, so pickups are straightforward. Your driver collects you from the hotel entrance or from the address you give us. Please tell us the hotel name, the building or block if it is a large complex, and a mobile number that works in Turkey, such as a WhatsApp number. A clear pickup point saves time, especially if your hotel has more than one entrance.

Your driver helps you load the bags. If you are leaving a large all-inclusive resort, allow a few extra minutes for the walk to the front of the hotel.

Kalkan is built on a steep hillside, and this affects the last few hundred metres of the transfer. The centre and the old town are a tangle of narrow, one-way streets. Many villas stand on lanes that are too steep or too tight for a larger vehicle, and the centre can be congested at peak times.

For this reason, please send us the exact address of your villa or hotel. A pin from a map app helps a great deal. Our drivers know the town, and they know which lanes a car can use and where a short walk is unavoidable. In that case, the driver will stop as close as is safe and help you with the luggage.

Some points to keep in mind:

• Many villas in Kalkan are on the hills above the town. They have wonderful sea views, but the access roads can be steep and winding.
• In the old town, streets are narrow and some are best covered on foot.
• If you arrive in the evening, the town centre can be busy with diners and strollers, so the final approach can take longer than you expect.
• If you are renting a villa, ask the owner or the agent for the entry instructions and gate details before you travel. Send those details to us.

If your accommodation is on the hillside and you have a lot of baggage, say so when you book. We can then plan the drop-off in a way that causes the least effort.

Kalkan is small, but the part of town where you stay shapes the whole holiday. Here is a simple guide.

The old town and the harbour. This is the heart of Kalkan. Narrow lanes lead down to a small harbour, and the area is full of restaurants, bars, boutiques and galleries. Old stone houses with wooden balconies and bougainvillea line the streets. It suits couples, friends and anyone who wants to step out of the door and be in the middle of things. The trade-off is noise at night in high season, and a lot of steps.

The hillsides above town. Most of the villas with private pools are here. The views across the bay are the main attraction, and the evenings are quiet. It is the best choice for families and groups who want privacy and space. The trade-off is that the walk down to the centre is easy, but the walk back up is steep. A taxi or a short transfer is often needed for the return.

The bay and the waterfront. Small hotels and rooms sit near the sea, and several beach clubs are here. This area suits those who want to be near the water and who prefer to swim from a platform or sunbed rather than a long beach.

Think about how you plan to spend your days. If you want to walk to dinner every night, choose the old town or the lower slopes. If you want a pool and a view, choose the hillside and accept that you will use taxis.

Kalkan itself is not a big beach destination. Its charm is the setting, the food and the views, and the town has only a small public beach. Most visitors use one of the beach clubs, which offer sunbeds, a platform in the sea and a place for lunch. The water is clear and deep, and it is a good place to swim and snorkel.

For a proper beach, you have a few good options within easy reach:

• Kaputaş Beach. A small, scenic cove a few minutes east of Kalkan, reached down a flight of steps from the road. The water is a vivid turquoise. It is very popular, so go early in high season.
• Patara Beach. A short drive west of Kalkan, this is one of the longest and widest sandy beaches on the Turkish coast. Sand dunes back the shore, and the ancient city of Patara lies behind them. In the town, the main attraction is simply to walk. The old town has stone houses, small shops that sell local crafts, olive oil and textiles, and little squares where you can stop for a drink. The view from the harbour at sunset is the one most people remember. Many visitors also like to climb to a high terrace or a rooftop restaurant to watch the sun go down over the bay.

Kalkan has a good reputation for food. For a small town, it has an unusually wide choice of restaurants, and many of them are on rooftops or terraces with a view over the bay. Seafood is a speciality. You will find grilled fish, calamari and prawns, along with Turkish meze, fresh salads, grilled meats and local dishes made with produce from the farms you pass on the transfer.

The evening mood is relaxed and a little upmarket. Tables fill up at sunset, when the light over the bay turns gold and pink. Dinner is unhurried, and afterwards a slow walk through the old town is the usual way to end the night.

Kalkan is not a loud party destination. The nightlife is sophisticated rather than rowdy, with cocktail bars, wine bars and music cafes rather than big clubs. If you want a more lively evening, Kaş is not far away, and it has its own bars and harbour restaurants.

If you arrive late after the long transfer, many restaurants in the centre stay open into the evening, so a late dinner is possible. Tell your driver if you want to be dropped in the centre for a meal before you go on to your villa.

A two-hour transfer is manageable with children if you prepare a little. These points help.

• Child seats. Ask for the right seat when you book. We can supply child seats on request, and it is much easier to arrange them in advance.
• Timing. An early departure from Göynük often works well. Younger children can nap in the car, and you arrive with the day still ahead.
• Motion. The mountain bends between Finike, Demre and Kaş can upset sensitive stomachs. Sit children towards the front of the car if possible, and take a short break if someone feels unwell.

In Kalkan, the hillside layout can be hard work with pushchairs, so a lightweight, easy-to-fold buggy is better than a large pram. Many villas have private pools, which families love, but think about pool safety for small children and check the fencing or access with the villa owner. Patara Beach is a good family day out, because its wide sand gives children plenty of room to play. Boat trips, short coastal walks and visits to the ruins at Patara also suit families with older children.

Some travellers do not take this transfer as a daytime holiday journey. They may be coming from a late flight or leaving for an early one.

If you are travelling to Kalkan after landing at the airport, your plans are more complicated, so it helps to tell us your flight details at booking. We can then plan the pickup around your arrival. Delays happen, and a driver who knows your flight number can adjust.

Driving a long coast road at night is slower and less comfortable than in daylight. The views are lost, and the winding sections between Finike and Kaş need more care. If you have a choice, it is nicer to arrive in Kalkan in daylight or in the evening. If you land late and your villa is far from the centre, tell us so we can arrange a clear plan for the final approach and for the entry to the property.

If you need to leave Kalkan very early in the morning, plan the pickup time in advance. Ask your villa owner or hotel to arrange early luggage handling or a packed breakfast if needed, and make sure the entrance to your accommodation is easy for a car at that hour.

Many guests who go from Göynük to Kalkan will later travel back towards Antalya for their flight home. Plan this return with extra care. The distance is long, and a journey that looks easy on the map can take longer than expected in busy season.

Some simple rules help:

• Start early. For a morning or midday flight, leave Kalkan early enough to absorb a slow patch around Kaş, Demre, Kumluca or Antalya.
• Add a buffer. Allow at least the check-in time your airline asks for, plus an extra margin for traffic and for the narrow streets when you leave Kalkan.
• Confirm the pickup point. If your villa is on a steep lane, tell your driver where to meet you. A meeting point at the foot of the hill can save time. Tell us your flight time, and your driver will advise a sensible leaving time. You can book the return together with the outward journey or arrange it later.

Once you are settled, Kalkan is an excellent base for exploring the western Lycian coast. These are the popular outings.

• Patara. Visit the beach and the ruins of one of the main cities of ancient Lycia. A gateway, a theatre and a long street are among the remains, and the dunes are right behind them.
• Xanthos and Letoon. These two ancient sites are both on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and they give a deep view of Lycian culture. They are inland from the coast, within reach by car.
• Saklıkent Gorge. A deep canyon inland, popular for a walk along the cold stream and for lunch at the riverside restaurants. It is a good outing on a hot day.
• Kaş and Kekova. Kaş is a pleasant town for a day out. Boat trips from this area explore the Kekova coast, where the remains of an ancient settlement lie partly under the water.

The Mediterranean climate gives the coast long, sunny summers and mild winters. Your experience on the transfer and in Kalkan changes with the season.

Spring (April to early June). Hillsides are green, wildflowers are out, and the air is warm without being hot. It is a lovely time for walking and sightseeing. The sea is still cool, but the roads are quiet.

Summer (late June to early September). Hot, dry and bright. Beaches and beach clubs are at their best, and evenings are long. The roads are at their busiest, and the afternoon heat can be strong, so an early transfer is more comfortable.

Autumn (September to November). The sea is still warm from the summer, the crowds thin out and the light is soft. Many regulars consider this the best time for Kalkan. The sea season on this coast runs from April to November.

Winter (December to March). Mild compared with northern Europe. Some restaurants and beach clubs close or reduce their hours, and the town is quiet. Rain falls in this season, and the mountain stretches of the transfer can be wetter, but the winter light on the bay is beautiful.

Whatever the month, start early if you can and send us the exact address of your accommodation.

Is there a direct bus from Göynük to Kalkan? Not directly. You would travel into Antalya first, change to a Kaş-bound intercity coach, and finish with a local connection or taxi from the highway. It is possible, but slow and clumsy with luggage, which is why most travellers choose a door-to-door private car.

How long does the transfer take? Around 117 minutes of driving for the 111 km, traffic permitting. Allow a little extra in peak summer through Antalya, Kumluca and Kaş, and for the slow, winding descent into Kalkan itself.

Can the driver stop along the way? Yes. The clifftop viewpoints near Kaş and the area around Kaputaş Beach are popular short stops. Mention it when you book or tell your driver, and we will build it into the journey.