Antalya

Antalya is the largest city on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, and is one of the hubs of the so-called Turkish Riviera.

Having entered the scene in 150 BC as Attalia, named after its founder, Attalos II, king of Pergamon, Antalya has always attracted a wide array of travellers, including Paul the Apostle, and Ibn Battuta among others. Antalya had replaced Phaselis—beautiful ruins of which now lie to south of the city, between Kemer and Olympos—as the main harbour of the surrounding region during the reign of Seljuks, in early 1200s, but the lack of a large hinterland (or, rather, lack of good connections with its mountainous hinterland) meant for much of its history eversince that it was a provincial coastal town, albeit with a multicultural community of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. As the centre of a region with beautiful beaches, verdant mountains, and a mindblowing number of ancient ruins, the tourism investments started in 1970s, which changed the fate of the city considerably. However, as most of the visitors (make no mistake—they are in the range of millions annually) to the region are actually on "all-inclusive" vacation packages nowadays, they are immediately taken from the airport to the huge resorts lining the coastline of hundreds of kilometres, where they stay until the end of their holidays except perhaps a raid or two to the nearest and the most popular attractions, so Antalya itself, especially the old town (Kaleiçi), is more of an independent traveller destination, where you will meet the other travellers of a similar mind, and the locals.

Around April, when you can perfectly get a suntan and the weather is much more bearable than summer months, is one of the best times to visit the city.

Antalya is rich in history and art.

• The old quarter, Kaleiçi, has narrow, winding streets enclosed in ancient city walls, which now protect the peaceful quarter from the noise of the concrete metropolis of a million people. Although there are other entrances, it is best to enter and exit the old quarter from charming Hadrianus Gate, built by the Roman emperor Hadrianus as the entrance arch to the city.
• There's a great archaeology museum and plenty of historic buildings and ancient ruins nearby.
• Aspendos (ancient Roman amphitheater). Well-preserved Roman amphitheatre about half an hour from Antalya. The site includes other ancient ruins.
• Antalya Aquarium, Dumlupınar Bulvarı Arapsuyu Mahallesi No 502, Konyaaltı (Bus 56 stops next to the aquarium, or take a taxi from the otogar (approx 20 TL). US$40.
• Tünek Tepe. A hill-top restaurant/café to the west of Antalya, giving stunning views over the city and the coastline in both directions. A cable car (Teleferik) opened in 2017, transporting visitors from a station close to the port right to the site. There is plenty of car parking at the cable car station (cost 5 TL). It is also possible to drive to the top of the hill, but parking could be a problem. Tünek Tepe is not really on the tourist radar, so it could be quiet. Menus in the restaurant are in Turkish only. The upper revolving restaurant is being refurbished during the summer of 2017. 15TL.
• Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park. A beautiful park with some impressive waterfalls. There is a concrete/stone path around the site which takes you past all the best bits. It is not suitable for elderly/disabled persons. There is the chance to get wet in the waterfall. In the ponds, you can see fish and turtles. There are refreshment stalls near the entrance and a good café/restaurant near the end of the path. 6TL.

The old quarter, Kaleiçi, has narrow, winding streets enclosed in ancient city walls, which now protect the peaceful quarter from the noise of the concrete metropolis of a million people. Although there are other entrances, it is best to enter and exit the old quarter from charming Hadrianus Gate, built by the Roman emperor Hadrianus as the entrance arch to the city.

There's a great archaeology museum and plenty of historic buildings and ancient ruins nearby.

Aspendos (ancient Roman amphitheater). Well-preserved Roman amphitheatre about half an hour from Antalya. The site includes other ancient ruins.

Antalya Aquarium, Dumlupınar Bulvarı Arapsuyu Mahallesi No 502, Konyaaltı (Bus 56 stops next to the aquarium, or take a taxi from the otogar (approx 20 TL). US$40.

Tünek Tepe. A hill-top restaurant/café to the west of Antalya, giving stunning views over the city and the coastline in both directions. A cable car (Teleferik) opened in 2017, transporting visitors from a station close to the port right to the site. There is plenty of car parking at the cable car station (cost 5 TL). It is also possible to drive to the top of the hill, but parking could be a problem. Tünek Tepe is not really on the tourist radar, so it could be quiet. Menus in the restaurant are in Turkish only. The upper revolving restaurant is being refurbished during the summer of 2017. 15TL.

Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park. A beautiful park with some impressive waterfalls. There is a concrete/stone path around the site which takes you past all the best bits. It is not suitable for elderly/disabled persons. There is the chance to get wet in the waterfall. In the ponds, you can see fish and turtles. There are refreshment stalls near the entrance and a good café/restaurant near the end of the path. 6TL.

Most of Antalya's historic buildings can be found along the narrow, winding streets of Kaleiçi, the old quarter. Historical, architectural and archaeological sites of note include: Yivli Minaret, Karatay Medresesi, Hıdırlık Tower, Ahi Yusuf Mescidi, Iskele Mosque, Murat Paşa Mosque, Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque, Balibey Mosque, Musellim Mosque, Seyh Sinan Efendi Mosque, Hadrian Arch, and the Clock Tower. Many structures date back to the Hellenistic era. Also The Antalya Museum has a notable archaeology collection.

• Walk around and chill at Karaalıoğlu Park or observe fishermen at lively Yacht Harbour
• Shop at great malls; Terracity, 5M Migros, Özdilek and Deepo Outlet Center.
• The hill of Tünektepe, with a height of 618 m/2009 ft, west of the city has a splendid panorama of Antalya. On the top of it, there is a hotel, a rotating restaurant, and a nightclub, although the club is mostly open for private parties only.

You can take a short scenic cruise on the Mediterranean from the boats anchored in the harbor. Assume that the right price is about half of the first price you are offered. Don't believe their assurances that the boat is leaving right away—the boat will leave when the owners think there is no reasonable chance that more passengers can be persuaded to board. Morning cruises tend to be calmer than afternoon cruises.

The usual souvenirs are kilims, blue eyes, fake designer clothing, shoes, aromatic herbs, waterpipes and more.

If you feel the need to visit a modern shopping mall, Terracity Mall on the way to Lara has all of the international designer shops you could wish for. There is even a stylish supermarket and power boat dealer.

Pharmacies sell most prescription drugs completely legal just over the counter and at low prices. A wide array of generics (drugs containing the same agent as a brand medicine, but from less known companies) is also available. Best-sellers include Viagra, Prozac, Ventolin, Xenical, various contraceptive pills and antibiotics.

The export of antiques or objects considered so is strictly forbidden and will cause a lot of problems not to say hefty fines to those caught when leaving the country. Possession and possibly even commerce in Turkey is legal - just the export is banned. Be on your guard and don't believe sellers who may try to convince you of the opposite. Also, customs back home target more and more faked goods such as video, CDs, shoes, watches and the like. The odds of being caught are minimal, but you should know that you are moving on illegal terrain.

A meal in a restaurant will normally set you back about 7 to 20 TL (a typical dish will be about 12 TL). Service is amazing, and only matched by its genuine friendliness. There are also good seafood restaurants. Of course seafood and fancy restaurants are more expensive. One caveat to be aware of is to make sure the quoted price is the same as the price written on the menu.

If you’re on a budget you’ll appreciate the plenty quick eating stalls south of Muratpaşa, where you can get a chicken dürüm from 2.5 TL.

• Seraser Fine Dining Restaurant, Tuzcular mah. Karanlik sok. No:18 Kaleici/ Antalya, +90 242 247 6015. 15:00-01:00.
• MCYörüks, Atatürk Street 68 (Located between Işıklar and Karaoğlan Park. A middle class semi-casual restaurant located in City Center serving dishes and alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks from Western, Islamic and Turkish world as well as fast food with live music every evening and night. Prices are cheap and no more than €10 per person for a full meal.
• Volkan Balık, 1315 Sokak (Near from the old town and Atatürk Stadium, +90 242 248 8557. Delicious fish and mezzes. Good atmosphere. Nice and simple fishermen style decoration. ~35 TL/person for a whole meal.

Seraser Fine Dining Restaurant, Tuzcular mah. Karanlik sok. No:18 Kaleici/ Antalya, +90 242 247 6015. 15:00-01:00.

MCYörüks, Atatürk Street 68 (Located between Işıklar and Karaoğlan Park. A middle class semi-casual restaurant located in City Center serving dishes and alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks from Western, Islamic and Turkish world as well as fast food with live music every evening and night. Prices are cheap and no more than €10 per person for a full meal.

Volkan Balık, 1315 Sokak (Near from the old town and Atatürk Stadium, +90 242 248 8557. Delicious fish and mezzes. Good atmosphere. Nice and simple fishermen style decoration. ~35 TL/person for a whole meal.

Antalya has a lively nightlife in summer. Options include bars with nargile (water pipe), games, live music and sitting around, discothèques with glamorous visitors, etc. On Konyaalti's Beach Park one club follows the next. Some of traditional houses of Kaleiçi (Old City) has been turned into bars, in which a bottle of 'Efes' beer costs 6-9 TL, depending on the place. Their gardens shaded by trees offer a nice escape with a beer from the peak of summer heat. Raki is a traditional alcoholic beverage that tastes like licorice. Make sure you do not drink it fast otherwise you will be out quickly.

Antalya Police Department has a "tourism police" section where travellers can report passport loss and theft or any other criminal activity, they may have become victims of. They have staff multilingual in English, German, French, and Arabic.

• Tourism Police, Kaleiçi Yat Limanı (at the marina below the old town, +90 242 243-10-61.

Tourism Police, Kaleiçi Yat Limanı (at the marina below the old town, +90 242 243-10-61.

• Kemer to the south west is a touristic sea side region popular with the historical places, night life and hotels which is half an hour from Antalya city.
• Further south, Çıralı is a coastal town with several mid-range, quiet pansiyons to stay at, including Hotel Canada, with pleasant gardens. The beach at Cirali is protected from development because sea turtles come onto shore every year to lay their eggs.
• The beach at nearby Olimpos is also a nice, pebble beach. Accommodations in Olimpos are more backpacker style, with treehouses especially popular with younger travelers.
• Demre further west from Olympos, is the site of the St Nicolas Church, associated with the real Santa Claus (don't miss the larger than life Santa Claus statue in town.) Also just outside Demre are Lycian rock tombs in the cliffsides.
• Kaş which is about 2 hours drive from Antalya can be another excellent choice for extended holiday if you decide to run away from the whole crowd.
• Kalkan is half an hour further west of Kas. A beautiful upmarket harbour town with cobbled streets and high quality restaurants. Nearby Patara has the best golden sand beach on the Mediterranean coast, and can be visited even if you are not staying there.

• The Antalya region has some of the finest Roman ruins in the country, including Perge and Aspendos, with the largest, most well preserved Roman theater anywhere.
• Belek to the east is popular with golf links and luxury hotels.
• Manavgat is about 1 hour to the east by car. It is home of the impressive Manavgat waterfalls, which has recently been modernised.
• Further east, Side is a nice coastal resort with some well-preserved Roman ruins.
• Alanya to the south east is a popular tourist destination 2 hours away.

• Termessos — the ruins of an ancient city in a gorgeous setting high over the Taurus Mountains inside pine forests
• Trains and buses arrive in the travel hub of Denizli. From there, dolmus take you the 10 miles or so to Pamukkale.

• During high season, buses run direct from tourist centers including Istanbul, Ankara, Fethiye, Bodrum, Marmaris and Selçuk.

• If you intend to head north by hitchhiking, take public minibuses #25 or #57 which stops at city bus stops near the otogar. These minibus lines take you to a highway junction with traffic lights out of city, situated amidst pine woods. This junction is not the last stop so be sure not to miss the stop situated there. Fare: 1.35 TL/person.

If you intend to head north by hitchhiking, take public minibuses #25 or #57 which stops at city bus stops near the otogar. These minibus lines take you to a highway junction with traffic lights out of city, situated amidst pine woods. This junction is not the last stop so be sure not to miss the stop situated there. Fare: 1.35 TL/person.