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Antalya, the Turkish Riviera
is the most stunning part of
Turkey's Mediterranean
coast. It is typical of
Turkey, a thriving modern
city, with a historic heart
in the centre of Kaleiçi
within the old city walls.
This area has seen something
of a renaissance in recent
years, with many of the
wooden Ottoman mansions
being restored and turned
into boutique hotels. No
cars are allowed in the
narrow streets of the old
town so it is a good place
to soak up the atmosphere
around the charming harbour.
The symbol of Antalya is the
fluted minaret or Yivli
Minare built by the Seljuks
in the 13th century. There
are plenty of interesting
pieces in the Archaeological
Museum, from the
Palaeolithic Age right
through to Ottoman times.
 Antalya
has a backdrop of stunning
mountain scenery, and the
city is set high on cliffs,
with many of its grandest
hotels overlooking the sea
on the outskirts of the
town. The beach area of
Lara, approximately 12 km to
the east is home to the best
beach in the area, known for
its golden sand, which is
rapidly becoming a resort in
its own right. To the west,
the long pebble beach of
Konyaaltı is also popular.
Heading up into the
mountains, you can make the
most of the beautiful
scenery by visiting the
spectacular Düden or
Kurşunlu waterfalls. At
Saklıkent, just 50 km away
from the city centre, you
can even ski, where they
usually have snow on the
slopes until early April.
The Altın Portakal (Golden
Orange) film festival is
held annually in the autumn.
Antalya has a large number
of 5 star hotels, many of
which have meetings
facilities, and this,
together with the Pyramid
Congress Centre which can
hold up to 3000 delegates
make it a popular venue for
conferences.
There are many holiday
resorts like Alanya, Belek,
Kalkan, Kaş, Kekova, Kemer,
Olympos, Patara, Side within
the borders of Antalya
region.
The most popular Historic
Sites of Antalya Region:
Aspendos: Just 50 km
east of Antalya, Aspendos
was an important centre of
trade during Roman times.
Today, the most impressive
aspect of Aspendos is her
stunning theatre, which was
built in approx. 162 AD. It
seats 15,000 and has been
beautifully preserved. Each
year it hosts the Aspendos
Opera and Ballet Festival
which takes place in June
and July and gives you the
opportunity to see
performances of classics in
a magnificent setting. The
aqueduct, which supplied
water to the city is also
still relatively intact and
is an impressive sight.
Phaselis: The three
harbours of this Lycian port
city were once a major
commercial centre. In the
shelter of Mount Tahtalı, it
is a popular stopping off
point for yachts, and its
clear waters and sandy
beaches are popular with
sun-seekers. The remains are
mostly Roman and include a
theatre, baths, aqueducts,
Hadrian's Gate, an agora and
an acropolis.
Perge: Just 18 kms
from Antalya, Perge was an
important city in Pamphylia
and was visited by St.Paul
during his missionary
journeys. Today, the city
gate flanked by lofty
towers, theatre and baths
are of interest.
Demre: Also known as
Kale, the ancient city of
Myra, is mostly famous for
its connection with St.
Nicholas, who was bishop
here in the 4th century. His
church is the focus of the
annual ceremony which takes
place to commemorate him on
or around his feast day of
6th December. It is well
worth seeing the Roman
theatre which remains here,
overlooked by spectacular
rock tombs, dating from the
4th century BC.
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