Turkish Riviera with Antalya, Alanya, Side and Cleopatra
The Turkish Riviera is the southern coastal strip of Turkey and one of the most popular summer holiday destinations. The region is particularly popular among all-inclusive vacationers. Between sun, sea and beach, the region between Antalya and Alanya also has numerous ancient sights and natural spectacles to offer.
While the Turkish Riviera is flat and has long sandy beaches, the Aegean coast is characterized by mountainous landscapes and romantic bays.
The city of Antalya also has a beautiful old town to offer - this is called Kaleiçi. The clock tower is located on the edge of the old town, which is why we started our exploration tour from there. Near the clock tower is another attraction, the Yivli Minare - a mosque, which the locals often refer to as the city's landmark. The best views of this impressive structure are from nearby Republic Square. Other sights in the city include Hadrian's Gate, the marina and the Archaeological Museum.
If you are looking for peace and relaxation, Belek is ideal for it, it is also wonderful to hike in the pine forests around Belek. If you want to experience something more than Side has a lot more to offer.
Antalya, on the other hand, is known for its historical and cultural wealth, its magnificent beaches and its luxurious resorts.
Alanya is the epitome of a relaxed and carefree tourist attraction. The choice between Side and Alanya ultimately depends on your personal preferences. If you are interested in history and archaeology, Side might be a better choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a livelier holiday with beautiful beaches, Alanya might suit you better.
In Side, which is characterized by tourism, there are numerous restaurants and cafés as well as many colourful shops and souvenir shops that invite you to stroll around. In particular, the pretty old town and its ancient ruins, along with the picturesque beaches, are among the city's best-known and most popular sights.
Antalya Airport (IATA: AYT, ICAO: LTAI) is 10 km (6 miles) east of the city center of Antalya, Turkey. The airport is operated in Turkey's primary holiday destination located on the country’s Mediterranean coast. The airport is big and modern, built to accommodate the millions of passengers who come to Turkey's Mediterranean beaches in summer.
Located on the western end of the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey, Antalya has been one of the most important commercial ports of Anatolia throughout its long history, has constantly been settled after second century AD and hosted many voyagers as part of their itinerary.
This walk can be completed within a morning or afternoon hike, or as long as you want it to enjoy it! Start at the Kaleiçi (Old Quarter) and walk down to the ancient marina or, if you wish, start at the marina itself.
Besides the historical structures with Hadrian city gate and the city walls, there are three traditional old trolley´s at work in Antalya. These trains belonged to the former Nuremberg trolley. A line of about 5 kilometers parallel to the coastline was allocated for the traditional Antalya trolleys in 1999.
The Suna & İnan Kıraç Research Institute on Mediterranean Civilizations, within the Vehbi Koç Foundation, is an international cultural institution chartered to encourage and support researches to study, document, protect, and restore the historical, archaeological, ethnographical and cultural assets of Antalya and her environs; and to elucidate the region’s deep-rooted relations with the Mediterranean region.
The magnificent place of Düden Waterfall is about 10 kilometers distance to the beaches South East of Antalya away and can easily be reached by dolmus or with a rented car on well prepared asphalt roads.
The Hadrians Gate (Turkish: Üçkapılar = "the three gates") - is a significant landmark of Antalya, the ancient Attaleia, next to the famous harbor in the old town center of Kaleici.
Antalya offers an almost secret pearl, the old center of the city, Kaleiçi (Inner Castle) in addition to internationally renown Airport, Hadrian’s Gate and the Fluted Minaret:
Several times we have used our trips to Antalya to take a break at the amazing waterfall of Kursunlu, about 40 kilometers to the South-East of Antalya and to the South of the ancient ruins of Perge.
Once visiting Antalya, please do not miss to visit to the archaeological museum of Antalya. It is located on the western outskirts, about 2 km from the center and was founded in 1919. If you are close to the old center called Kaleici, you may even use the old Nürnberg tram to get to museum.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower came to Antalya to stay for a short while. In a distance of about one mile away from the new industrial harbour of Antalya, the ship can be seen from the road leading to Kemer. To visit the ship is not possible at stake.
Lot of emails of readers asking for street markets or open air market in Antalya, so we decided to publish a short list of markets in the different districts of Antalya.
The Alaaddin or Yivli Minare Mosque ("Fluted Minaret" Mosque), commonly also called Ulu Mosque (Turkish: Ulu Cami, "Grand Mosque") in Antalya is a historical mosque built by the Anatolian Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I at the beginning of his reign.
Belek once was a small village next to Antalya until... As everywhere along beautiful beaches, hotels have been built. But how is it different from other places with similar beaches? The starting point was to introduce a variety of sporting activities during holiday time for visitors.
Lycia, due to its geographical location has always stayed on the fringes of global events and power struggles of the antiquity. However, at the same time she has always been in touch with all parties in terms of political power struggles.
According to the Greek Writer Strabon (63 BC-19 AD) Perge was founded by Greek colonists led by Mopsos and Kalchas who came to Pamphylia after the Trojan War around 1200 BC.
30 miles to the west of Antalya at the base of the Bey Mountains, which belong to the Olympos National Park, Kemer, one of the most beautiful holiday resorts with a beautiful harbor for sailing ships, is situated. Small and beautifully-decorated shops offer a wide variety of different goods.
The iconic Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour was a gift from France, in 1886. But, did its inspiration originate almost 2000 years ago, in Turkey? A recent discovery in the remnants of excavation in one of the country’s most important archaeological sites is cause for speculation.
Southern Turkey is on one hand shaped by the sea, its landscapes and culture, and on the other by the outstanding services and activities it has to offer. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, it is undoubtedly an attractive holiday destination for guests from Europe the whole year round.