Set against the backdrop of Turkey's Taurus Mountains lays the picturesque harbour town of Kalkan.
Proud of its preserved heritage at the heart of a historic coastline, this area welcomes the appreciative traveller with holidays that offer the best of both worlds: authenticity and antiquity, married with choice and comfort.
That comfort comes from Villa Zaffre, a stylish and contemporary dwelling above Kalamar Bay. Voted 'best villa' by The Times in their focus on 50 best Turkish holidays, this four bedroom property with its own rooftop bar has the feel of a luxurious small hotel.
Ideally suited to groups of friends, or families looking for a high degree of privacy and comfort, the crowning glory is the ultra-glamorous swimming pool, with a specially designed shallow end which allows you to take your sun lounger right into the water: a first in Kalkan and an innovative way to keep cool!
The view from here is simply mesmerising, encompassing the electric-blue bay and its islands in the distance. For those looking for a bit more action, the Kalamar Beach Club is close by, with a good choice of water sports on offer.
For larger groups, Villa Zaffre can be combined with the five bedroom Villa Lapis.
Step away from the villa and indulge your leisure time. Old Kalkan's narrow, cobbled streets with their whitewashed Ottoman houses nestle up against artisan workshops and çay houses, where one can bargain for wares and sip black tea in the shadow of the ancient wooden balconies.
Harbourside, as the boats return and the night draws in, settle in a lokanda with a glass of rakı and discover some of Turkey's finest authentic cuisine. Or, by candlelight, enjoy the commanding views from one of the red-tiled rooftop restaurants, enveloped by the scent of jasmine and thyme.
There is ample opportunity for excursions: an abundance of historic sites or the picture postcard beaches of Patara and Kaputaş. Or perhaps Kekova island, with its mysterious sunken ruins, crystal clear through waters refreshed from the mountains beyond – all comfortably reached and enjoyed in a day from your gorgeous villa.
