Antalya: one of the most popular destinations in Turkey

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Antalya, a city of six hundred thousand inhabitants, is one of the most popular tourist resorts on the southern Turkish coast. The city is located on the sea in a splendid position surrounded by the mountain range of the Tauern Mountains, which here exceed 3,000 meters in height.

Founded in the 2nd century BC, with the name of Attaleai by the king of Pergamum Attalus II Philadelphus, the city has a rich history that passes through the domination of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Seljuks, the Crusaders and the Ottomans.

The city, located at the end of the vast homonymous gulf, enjoys an excellent Mediterranean climate and in recent years has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey. This is because of both its long beaches, and because of the beauty of its historical monuments ranging from Roman to Byzantine times up to the Ottoman one.

HOW TO GET TO ANTALYA

Flights: The city’s airport is Antalya Airport (IATA: AYT) which is located just 10 km east of the city center. Some cities in Europe and the Middle East are directly connected with Antalya. If instead there are no direct scheduled flights. It is probably convenient to use the convenient connections with a stopover in Istanbul that Turkish Airlines has from many airports.

WHAT TO SEE IN ANTALYA

The city is full of tourist attractions. The district of Kaleici, is the picturesque historical center of the city, here are some beautiful and characteristic wooden houses. Today shops, bars and restaurants occupy its narrow and suggestive streets. The Archaeological Museum of Antalya is interesting with a rich collection of classical statues.

Of the Greco-Roman era are visible: the Hidirlik Kulesi tower probably built as a lighthouse in the 2nd century, the Roman walls and the arch of Hadrian (130 AD). The minaret of the Yivli Minareli mosque in the city center and the Karatay Medrese (college of theology) in the Kaleici district are remain from the Seljuk period, both built in the 13th century.

There are two other mosques from the Ottoman period: the Murat Pasa mosque (16th century) and the Tekeli Mehmet Pasa mosque (19th century).

WHAT TO SEE IN THE SURROUNDINGS OF ANTALYA

At 12 km to the east, after passing by the Duden Su waterfalls, where a stream flows with a jump of water into the sea, you reach Lara beach. Around Antalya there are a surprising number of remains of ancient cities. Among the most important stand out: Termessos, which is located at over 1,000 meters above sea level in the Taurus mountains, is probably the most interesting of all. The city was the most important settlement of Pisidia, the remains of the agora, the odeon and the theater are visible today, the panorama of the mountains that forms the backdrop to the amphitheater is unforgettable.

Aspendos, which was one of the most important cities of Pampilia, today the remains of the odeon and the basilica are visible. Ariassos, located in a valley 48 km from Antalya. The gates of the city walls, the baths, some tombs carved in the rock and an intact mausoleum are visible. Perge, 18 km north-east of Antalya, located on two hills, on one hill we find the theater on the other the acropolis. Other remains of ancient cities are found in Phaselis and Side.

The climate of Antalya.

The official website of the Antalya city hall.