Antalya

A rugged coastline embroidered as lace, mountainous peaks and a fertile land fed by rivers throughout four seasons… Antalya, an uninterrupted witness to thousands of years of history, has much more to offer than the bright sun and blue sea of the Mediterranean. As quoted by the founder of Turkish Republic, M. Kemal Atatürk: “Without a doubt, Antalya is the most beautiful place on earth.”

Unique Points

• From splendid beaches to snowy ski resorts, ancient cities to urban life, Antalya is the all-in-one leisure destination.
• Mild climate: Opportunity of swimming for almost eight months in a year.
• A coastline of 660 kilometres.
• Home to more than 20 ancient cities and 3 magnificent ancient regions: Lycia, Pamphylia and Pisidia.
• Long and beautiful sandy beaches along with turquoise waters.
• Luxurious Mediterranean resorts.
• Amazing diving options.
• Astonishing golf courses.
• Impressive walking trails at the very heart of the nature.
• Perfect destination for bikers: diverse road & mountain bike routes. 

Brief History

• Antalya took its name from the King Attalus II of Pergamum who established a naval base here in 1st century BCE to house his mighty fleet of ships. He named the harbour town Attaleia after himself. 
• There were settlements in the region since the Palaeolithic Age as numerous caves in the area prove. This is proved by remains of Neanderthals found in the Karain Cave.
• Antalya has hosted many civilizations for thousands of years. Antalya has a worldwide reputation being a modern city hosting the biggest number of archaeological excavations and ancient cities. The whole city is like an open-air museum. 
• Three magnificent ancient regions; Lycia in the West, Pamphylia in the East and Pisidia in the North merge within the borders of Antalya. 

Ouick Facts

• Antalya is the 5^th most populous city in Türkiye with a population of 2,5 million.
• Antalya is one of the world’s best-loved and most visited tourist resort provinces, with numerous five-star hotels, all-inclusive luxury holiday villages, entertainment establishments and countless natural beauties.
• Within Antalya you’ll find some of the Mediterranean’s cleanest beaches, making it the perfect holiday destination for travellers who love to relax and sunbathe.
• Antalya, as one of the top tourism destinations around the world, has 213 eco-friendly beaches withBlue Flag certification and leads the global tourism industry in this context.
• Antalya hosts the eminentGolden Orange Film Festival for more than 50 years history in October.
• The Aspendos Ancient Theatre is reanimated under a moonlit sky in July, during the International Opera and Ballet Festival.

Old Town (Kaleiçi) & the Historical Harbour

Located in the city centre of Antalya, Kaleiçi is home to boutique hotels, historical artifacts, museums, local handicrafts and designer shops, stylish cafés and restaurants. Kaleiçi neighbourhood is surrounded by by two fortified walls in the shape of a horseshoe. 

The architecture of Kaleiçi bears traces of Ottoman architecture and reflects perfectly the lifestyle, traditions and the culture of the region.

• Hadrian’s Gate (Üçkapılar): It is possible to enter Kaleiçi through Hadrian’s Gate (Hadrian Kapısı). Built during 130 CE in the name of the Roman Emperor Hadrian the edifice is one of the unspoiled historical buildings in Antalya.
  • The symbol of the city, Yivli (Fluted) Minaret is, a 37 metres-high red brick tower built by the Seljuks in 1230.
  • Just south to Kaleiçi is the city’s historical harbour. This old harbour of Antalya was restored in the 1980s and the restoration work was recognised with the European Council Golden Apple award. Anchored in the marina, dozens of cruise boats offer daily tours to the cliffs and waterfalls.
  • Another important building in the quarter is Karatay Madrasa (Karatay Medresesi). The niches in the madrasa and the ornate patterns on the mihrab are quite remarkable.
  • Dining: From fine dining restaurants with exceptional sea and mountain views to small cafes and döner kebap booths, Kaleiçi offers a wide selection of restaurants.
  • Antalya Museum: One of Türkiye’s richest museums in terms of artefacts from antiquity, the museum has 14 galleries and an open-air exhibition area. The museum is on Cumhuriyet Bulvarı, within walking distance to the centrum.
  • Konyaaltı & Lara Beaches: The coastline of the city offers long sandy seaside facilities with swimming, sunbathing, food & beverage and entertainment options.
  • Düden Waterfalls (Karpuzkaldıran): Near Lara Beach, the waterfall and the surrounding park is the city’s most popular public park and picnic areas.

Myra Ancient City & Rock Cut Tombs / Demre

A 2 hours 30 minutes drive to the west of Antalya city centre takes you to the town of Demre. There, you can visit the impressive rock-cut tombs and the Roman theatre of the ancient Lycian city of Myra. 

Church of St Nicholas also known as Santa Claus

Near Myra, the church dedicated to St Nicholas; once bishop of ancient Myra, a native of Patara around 4th century BCE.

Phaselis Ancient City

Not far from the town of Kemer; 1 hour drive to the west of Antalya city centre, is located Phaselis –an ancient Lycian city.  The remains of this important ancient city are located at the seashore. The ancient port city is covered with pine and cedar trees and visitors can visit the port even during the hottest days of summer. 

Olympos Beach & Chimera – Yanartaş

The ancient city of Olympos is situated on the seashore, close to Çıralı beach. 70 kilometres to Antalya, on the southern foothill of Tahtalı Mountain (Mount Olympos). Chimera (Yanartaş), the eternal flames on a rocky mountainside above Çıralı village near Olympos, is a fascinating natural phenomenon with a magical mythological story behind.

Ancient Sites of Perge & Side

Perge, located 19 km east of Antalya, used to be one of the most important cities of ancient Pamphylia. The area of ancient Perge is vast and the visit takes at least two hours. The best-preserved buildings of the city –the theatre and the stadium– are located on the access road to Perge. Perge was the important stop for St. Paul who spent some time in this city in order to promote and popularize Christianity during his  missionary journeys in the first century AD, made his famous speech to the followers of Christ after returning from Cyprus and was boarded in Perge to go to Rome.

The ancient city of Side located at halfway from Antalya to Alanya, is a 1hr15m drive from Antalya city centre. Side is a port city. The city dates back to the 8th century BC and its name means “pomegranate” in ancient Luwian, the language of one of the earliest civilizations of Anatolia.

Aspendos Ancient Theatre

The best persevered 2nd century Roman theatre in the world and impressive ruins of a well-preserved Roman aqueduct located 50 km east of Antalya city centre.

Top Experiences

• Visiting Kaleiçi – the old town of Antalya
• Taking a boat trip: Antalya has an almost 600-kilometre-long coastline and boat trips are available from almost every town, but while in the city center do not miss a two-hour boat trip from the Old Harbour (Kaleici Marina)

• Exploring the region from the sky: Mount Olympos Aerial Tramway is an exciting and comfortable way of climbing to the peaks of Taurus mountains where visitors can enjoy the views of the Mediterranean overlooking the pine & cedar forests.
• Golfing: The town of Belek offers top quality golf courses, not only for hotel guests, for all golfers, including beginners’ courses.  Blended with ocean vistas and the surrounding forests, Belek courses make restful as well as challenging playing venues.
• Trekking and hiking: The Lycian Way and Pisidian Way are marked long-distance trails following the paths of ancient civilisations of the region on the west and east of the Taurus mountains.
• Diving: Kaş and Kekova regions are perfect spots for diving lovers.
• Cycling: Alanya and Kemer has beautiful road & mountain bike routes of various difficulties. The Mediterranean region on the southern slopes of the Taurus Mountains offer 300 days of sunshine. 

Family Fun

• Adventurous Rafting in Köprülü Canyon: A day activity for families full of fun on a guided boat. About an hour drive from the city centre.
• Theme and aqua parks: Land of Legends, located in Belek region is a complex of aqua parks, restaurants and shops.

• Jeep Safari into the Taurus Mountains
• Sandland (Antalya Sand Sculpture Museum), is one of the premier sand sculpture events in the world where hundreds of giant sand sculptures are exhibited. Young visitors can take part in the workshop programme. In addition to the children’s playground, the ATV safari and water sports promise a memorable day for the whole family.
• Lara & Konyaaltı Beaches: Blue-flagged sandy beaches. 
• Amusement Park Aktur, a classic amusement park in the very heart of the city. The rides operate using a pre-paid card system, so once you arrive, load it up and away you go! There are a couple of high adrenalines, twisting coasters and spinning rides that teenagers and adults will love, and also plenty of smaller attractions for the whole family to enjoy, such as smaller coasters, bumper cars and the soaring Ferris wheel.

Popular Routes in the Antalya Region

Discovering Kaleiçi: Gate of Hadrian, Old Port, Yivli Minare, Karatay Madrasa, Antalya Museum

Ancient cities of Antalya towards Manavgat:On the way from Antalya to Manavgat, you can visit Perge, Aspendos and Side ancient cities as well as Manavgat Waterfall.

St. Paul’s Trail: St Paul was responsible for the spread of Christianity to Western Europe. And this trail includes some of the paths that he walked in starting that mission. The starting point is at Perge, close to Antalya Airport. The route ends at Yalvaç, near Lake Eğirdir in Isparta. Eğirdir is a major transport and accommodation hub on the route. Trekking is best in spring and autumn. On the way, you can find accommodation in village houses or small pensions, but on longer sections you will have to camp in plenty of good places.

Spiritual Route of St. Nicholas:St. Nicholas, or as he is best known in the West, Santa Claus, was a native Lycian, a member of an ancient civilization of southern Asia Minor. He was born in the famous Lycian city of Patara and served as the miracle-working Bishop of Myra in the 4th century. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, merchants, and sailors. One of his most famous miracles is saving three young girls from being forced into prostitution by secretly dropping gold, which their father used as their dowry, through the window of their house.

The church dedicated to him in the ancient city of Myra, today known as Demre, and his tomb are pilgrimage sites for many believers. Gemile Island by the shores of the city of Fethiye today hosts the ruins of several Byzantine churches built between the fourth and seventh centuries AD.

The Lycian Trail: The Lycian Way, opened in 1999, is a 509 km long distance waymarked footpath around the coast of Lycia in southern Turkey, from Fethiye to Antalya. The Lycian Way is graded medium to hard; it is not level walking, but has many ascents and descents as it approaches and veers away from the sea. It is easier at the start near Fethiye and gets more difficult as it progresses.

It is recommended walking the route in spring or autumn; February – May or September – November; summer in Lycia is hot, although you could walk short, shady sections. On many days, you can stop and swim in the beautiful turquoise waters or relax on a tiny beach. The waymarked route is mainly over footpaths and mule trails; the hills are of limestone which is often hard and stony underfoot.

The Pisidian Trail: Located in the Taurus Mountain Range, it is a 350 km trekking trail where nature and archaeology meet. The trail connects many archaeological sites in the region: Sagalassos, Termessos, Pisidya Antioch, Kremna, Adada, Selge, Pednelissos, Amblada, Anabura, Tymriada, Ariassos, Pityassus…

Kaş – Kalkan – Kekova

The island of Kekova, an hour from Çayağzı by sea, gives its name to a whole group of picturesque islands, numerous bays and ancient cities. Continuing west out of Kekova you come to Kaş, a lovely spot surrounded by mountains on three sides. Swimming and diving are the main experiences in the clear, cool waters around Kaş with an exciting, ancient underwater heritage to explore.

Along the scenic Kalkan road, Kaputaş Beach is one of the Mediterranean’s iconic beaches at one end of the Turquoise Grotto.

A little further on the west is Kalkan, a lovely small hilltop town overlooking a splendid tiny bay. Ancient city of Patara, with its remarkable Roman structures and sandy Patara Beach where Caretta Caretta turtles lay their eggs, is one of the many antiquities in the area.  The Lycian cult centre of Letoon, city of mother goddess Leto and Lycian capital of Xanthos, today in the village of Kınık, are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.