Antalya

ABOUT

Also known as the Turkish Riviera Antalya, where the pine-clad Toros (Taurus) Mountains sweep down to the sparkling clear sea, is the tourism capital of Turkey. The region, bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year, is a paradise for sunbathing, swimming, and sports activities like windsurfing, waterskiing, sailing, mountain climbing and spelunking. If you come to Antalya in March or April, you can ski in the mornings and in the afternoons swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

Antalya has been continuously inhabited since its founding in 159 BC by Attalos II, a king of Pergamum, who named the city Attalefa after himself. When Emperor Hadrian visited Phaselis in Antalya in 130 AD a beautifully decorated three-arched gate with Corinthian columns was built into the city walls in his honour. It was the only entrance through the city walls.

The fortifications of the Kaleiçi district are the common heritage of the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans. The elegant, fluted minaret of the Yivli Minare Mosque in the centre of the city, built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in the 13th century, has become Antalya's symbol. The two most important Ottoman mosques in the city are the 16th century Murat Paþa Mosque, remarkable for its tile decoration, and the 18th century Tekeli Mehmet Paþa Mosque. Since 1972, the inner harbour and Kaleiçi have been under preservation for their historical and cultural significance.

WHAT TO SEE

Ancient Cities

Patara (Ovagelemiþ)

It is located in 41 km distance from Kaþ on the route of Fethiye-Kaþ. Throughout the ancient times, Patara had secured its place as one of the most strategic towns of the Lykian region. Its harbor served the prosperity of the Roman and Byzantine empires greatly.

Xanthos (Kýnýk)

It is located in 45 km distance in the Kýnýk district. It had served as one of the greatest religious and administrative centres of the Lykian region.

Antiphellos (Kaþ)

Antiphellos is the historical name of Kaþ. It is on the connecting point of the Karia and Lykia regions. The town that still preserves its ancient charm is on the connecting point of the Karia and Lykia regions.

Perge (Aksu)

Perge (18 km from Antalya) was an important city of ancient Pamphylia, originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 BC. St Paul visited this city on his first missionary journey. The theater stage has finely carved marble relieves and other carvings from around the city are displayed in the stadium.
Olympos (Çýralý-Yanartaþ)

The ancient city of Olympos is situated on the southern side of Mountain Tahtalý. A temple gate possibly built during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD), part of a bridge, and a Roman theatre also remain from antiquity. The outer walls and towers around the bay date from the Middle Age.

Myra (Demre, Kale)

The ancient city of Myra, now called Demre or Kale is 25 km west of Finike. It was inhabited as early as 500 BC. St. Nicholas, who was born in Patara, was the bishop of Myra during the fourth century AD and died there in 345.

Aspendos

It is the most important city in the Pamphylia region. It is situated in 48 km distance from Antalya to the East. Aspendos is crowned by the world's best preserved amphitheatre. The theatre was built by Zeno the Architect during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Beaches

Cleopatra's Beach

It extends through the western side of the Alanya peninsula and has a sandy, very pleasant shore. It is only 2 hour distance from Antalya Airport.

Ýncekum Beach

It takes its name from its very fine sand and is in 20 km distance west from Alanya. Its shady palm tree fringes offer ideal opportunities for camping.

Eastern Beach

With its shallow water, the Eastern Beach is known to be very child-friendly. It extends through a 40 km long line towards the Keykubat beach which is called after Sultan Alaadin Keykubat the conqueror of Alanya.

Ulaþ Beach

It is in 6 km distance east from the centre of Alanya. In order to prevent the sudden free falling of rocks to the beach a high wall resembling a castle fortification has been built. You can reach the beach by descending the stairs of the wall. It is common for the yachts to take a swim break at the Ulaþ bay.

Sorgun Beach

Sorgun beach, which is in 3 km distance east from Side, is a small but a well maintained beach that promises a quiet and relaxed time on sand.

Koru Beach

This beach is famous for its natural rock pools. Sea water pours into these shallow pools and when the tide goes out the water warms up and becomes a natural playground ideal for children.

Lara Beach

It is in 12 km distance east from Antalya. It extends through a long line from Antalya's cliffs to Lower Düden Waterfall. It offers a very pleasant time on rather darkish sand softened with gentle waves. The major installation on the beach is Lara Halk Plajý managed by the city of Antalya.

Adalar Beach

It is a rocky beach within the city park (Kararalioðlu Park) and offers a wide range of restaurants.

Konyaaltý Beach

It extends through the west of the city. It has pebbled sand but its great beach installations make it a very popular beach. It is easier and quicker to reach from the city centre.

Kemer Beach

It is a 100 km long Blue-Flag beach that offers many bathing bays surrounded by the Taurus Mountain. Most of the beaches on the coast are fine gravel and sand. The fully-equipped Kemer Marina allows yachtsmen to enjoy the unspoiled bays and beaches south of the town Kemer. A beach promenade north of the marina has steps down from the cafes and shops leading directly to the beach.

Phaselis Beach

Phaselis is an ancient Lycian city in the province of Antalya in Turkey. It is located between the Bey Mountains and the forests of Olympos National Park, 16 km west of the touristic town of Kemer and on the 57th kilometre of the Antalya-Kumluca highway. It can also be accessed from the sea by daily yacht tours. The beach is a part of a unique panaroma, a beautiful combination of mountain, sea, and forest.

Tekirova Beach

It is a Blue Flag beach generously decorated by orange trees. This gravel sand beach is a unique natural beauty and offers water sport possibilities.

Finike (Phonecian) Beach

Finike has 22 kilometres of sandy beach stretching to the east, and picturesque rocky
bays and coves to the west.

Adrasan Beach

It is a natural harbor of Antalya and has a fine sand beach.

Patara Beach

Classified among the world's best beaches by The Sunday Times, it is known as the longest beach in the Mediterranean as it extends through a coast of 14,2 km long. It has a very pleasant shore with its medium grain brown sand. It is in 45 km distance from Kaþ.

Museums

Antalya Museum

Founded in 1922 by Süleyman Fikri Erten and housed first in the Alaaddin Mosque in the old city and then in the Yivli Minaret, the museum was later moved to its current location. The museum consists of 12 exhibit rooms, gardens and open galleries. In these halls the history of Antalya is given in a chronological and instructive fashion starting with the first humans and continuing without interruption to the modern era.

Antalya Atatürk Museum

The Atatürk villa that the people of Antalya had presented to him, is a two-storey stone building with clay tile roof. There is a long hall at the entrance. At the right side of the hall there is a living room, a room, a bathroom and a kitchen situated. At the left side there are two rooms and the stairs going up to the first floor. On the first floor, apart from the hall, there are seven rooms one of them with a balcony. Atatürk had slept in the room across the stairs.

After the death of Atatürk, the Antalya Atatürk Villa was transferred to the Private Administration and used as Night School of Crafts for Girls and The Institute for Girls in 1939. In 1952 the villa was handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture and used as the office of the Directorate of Technical Agriculture until 1980. After 1980 it was transferred to the Ministry of Culture, restored and opened to the public as the Atatürk Museum.

Suna and Ýnan Kýraç Museum

The museum building consists of two Ottoman houses both of which are restored by the Ýnanç family and registered as national cultural heritage.

Natural and National Parks

Within the borders of Antalya, there are four national parks and one natural park all of which offer wonderful opportunities for camping and hiking.

Olympos National Park

To the west of Antalya rise the snow-capped peaks of the Olympos range, where many antique cities, caves bearing the mark of early man, innumerable plants and animals are under protection in the Olympos National Park. This park encompasses a unique variety of flora in a small area. From 1989 on, no permission has been given for any sort of construction. Experts cliam that up till now only 7 out of the Park's 1000 species of plants has yet been classified.

Köprülü Kanyon National Park

Bridge Canyon National Park (Köprülü Kanyon Milli Park) is an ideal stop to arrive in an excursion from Antalya, Belek or Side. In the Park, you could go for either rafting or hiking or instead you could explore the ruins of the Roman theatre, city walls, and Temple of Zeus in the mountain town of Selge (Altinkaya).

Termessos National Park

Termessos possesses an unusual richness of rare plants and animal species, which have been under protection in the Termessos National Park. While driving on the Antalya-Burdur highway ( 11 km ) in the direction of Korkuteli, the Termessos signpost will appear 14 km further on, and Termessos itself is a further 9 km. It is an extensive park and that is why covering its entire ground requires time. The mountainous character of the Park creates a tough but an equally enjoyable hiking route.

Altýnbeþik Cave National Park

Altinbesik Cave is on the western side of the steep Manavgat Hill, 7km from Ibradi (Aydinkent) district of Antalya, and 5 km southeast of Ürunlü village. It is accessible via the Antalya - Ibradi - Ürünlü road, then it requires a one-hour walk from Ürünlü to the cave. The cave was carved into old limestone in the upper Creosote. The surrounding area of the Manavgat Valley has a great natural beauty, and Ürüncü is known for its impressive local architecture.

ACTIVITIES

Antalya offers wonderful opportunities for activities such as golf, water sports, skiing, mountain and nature sports and congress and faith tourism.


Night Life

Antalya has a very colourful night life. Especially, during the summer months, the award-winner marina and its surrounding host a rich variety of discos, bars and pubs all of which are very popular among both the tourists and locals. Likewise in Kemer and Titreyengöl there are plenty of very appealing pubs, rock bars and traditional Turkish taverns. Antalya's night life becomes even more exciting during the International Golden Orange Film Festival.

Shopping

Antalya Migros Shopping Mall, which has been in service since 2001, is the city's most modern and biggest shopping centre with its 104 stores. Also, the Deepo Outlet Center which is situated across the Antalya Airport offers the chance of shopping at great factory outlet prices. Gift shops and small local shops selling traditional handcrafts are spread widely over the historical Kaleiçi and, of course the entire Antalya.

WHAT TO EAT

Antalya enjoys an authentic cuisine which is a wonderful blend of the Mediterranean and Arabic influences. Among its specialties, there are the Kulaklý Soup whose ingredients are chickpeas and small diced meat, Tahinli Piyaz, which is a dried-bean salad seasoned with crushed sesame seeds, Tandýr (tandoor) Kebap, Kabak Tatlýsý (pumpkin desert) sweetened by crushed sesame seeds and grape syrup and bergamot jam.