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The Mediterranean and Antalya |
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Antalya
West of Antalya
East of Antalya
The Eastern Mediterranean Coast
The Turkish Riviera
In Antalya, the pine-clad Toros (Taurus) Mountains
sweep down to the sparkling clear sea resulting in an irregular coastline of
rocky headlands and secluded coves.
The region, bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year, is a paradise for
sunbathing, swimming, and sports activities like wind surfing, water skiing,
sailing, mountain climbing and spelunking. Awaiting your discovery are important
historical sites set in a landscape of pine forests, olive and citrus groves and
palm, avocado and banana plantation.
The Turkish Riviera is the tourism capital of Turkey. Its full range of
accommodation, from tourist class to deluxe hotels, and the hospitable people of
Antalya will make your holiday comfortable and enjoyable.
Antalya
Surrounded by amazing scenery of sharp contrasts,
Antalya,
Turkey’s principal holiday resort, is an attractive city with shady palm-lined
boulevards and a prize-winning marina. In the picturesque old quarter of Kaleici, narrow, winding streets and old wooden houses abut the ancient walls. Antalya has been continuously inhabited since
its founding in 159 B.C. by Attalos II, a king of Pergamum, who named the city Attaleia
after himself. The Romans, Byzantines and Seljuks successively occupied the city
before it came under Ottoman rule. The elegant, fluted minaret of the Yivli
Minareli Mosque in the center of the city, Built by the Seljuk sultan Alaeddin
Keykubat in the 13th century, has become Antalya’s symbol.
The Archeological Museum, with
artifacts from the Paleolithic Age to Ottoman times, offers a glimpse of the
area’s rich history. Two colored ceramics dated at 5.400- 8.500 B.C. are worth
seeing.
On the eastern side of Can Mountain, 30 km from Antalya, the Karain Cave, which dates from the Paleolithic Age, is the site of the oldest settlement in Turkey. A single entrance, lit by the morning sun, opens onto three large interconnecting chambers. Although the little museum at the entrance displays some of the finds, most of the artifacts are housed in various museums throughout Turkey. Some of them are dated at 160.000 B.C.
| Antalya - My preferred hotel chain is
Marriott |
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West of Antalya
The 42 km of road from Antalya to Kemer passes through spectacular mountain scenery. This resort town has been carefully designed to blend in with the surrounding scenery and offers an ideal environment for a wonderful holiday. The fully-equipped Kemer marina allows yachtsmen to enjoy the unspoiled bays and beaches south of the town.
At the foot of 2.575 meter high Mt. Tahatali (Olympos), 15 km south of Kemer, the three harbors of Phaselis were once a major commercial center. The ruins of aqueducts, agoras, baths, a theatre, Hadrian’s Gate and an acropolis reveal the city’s historical importance. The ancient city of Olympos is situated on the southern side of Mt. Tahtali. Oleander and Laurel bushes shade the Olympos Valley, which can be approached by land or sea.
North of Olympos up from Cirali Beach is Yanartas (at a height of 300 meters) where Greek mythology tells us the Lycian hero Bellerophon mounted his winged horse Pegasus and slew the fire-breathing Chimaera. Gas which seeps from the earth burns brightly at night at this site, which the Byzantines also considered a religious area.
The ancient city of Myra, now called Demre or Kale, is 25 km west of Finike. It was inhabited as early as 500 B.C. Many splendidly carved rock tombs dating from the 4th century B.C. overlook the magnificent Roman theatre. St Nicholas, who was born in Patara, was the bishop of Myra during the 4th century A.D. and died there in 326. Every year in December the St. Nicholas Commemoration Ceremony attracts many tourists who spend their Christmas holidays on the sunny Mediterranean coast of ancient Lycia.Kekova, an island an hour from Dalyanagzi by sea, gives its name to a whole ensemble of picturesque islands, numerous bays and ancient cities. These bays provide natural harbors in all seasons, and yachtsmen particularly enjoy exploring the unspoiled landscape. Along the northern shore of KekovaIsland at Apollania, earthquakes have disturbed the land causing some of the ancient houses to sink under the clear water.
Continuing the west of Kekova, you come to Kas, a lovely spot surrounded on three sides by mountains. The friendly local fishermen are happy to run water-taxi service to take you to a favorite bay, cove or beach along the coast. The swimming and diving are excellent in the clear cool water around Kas.East of Antalya
Wide fertile plains parallel the endless sandy beaches east of Antalya until you come to Alanya. Abundant modern tourist facilities and well-preserved historical sites give you a number options for day’s activities.
Perge (18 km from Antalya) was an important city of ancient Pamphylia, originally settled by Hittites around 1.500 B.C. St. Paul visited this city on his first missionary journey. The theatre stage has finely carved marble reliefs, and other carvings from around the city are displayed in the stadium. Amateur archeologists will want to see the handsome city gate flanked by two lofty towers, a long colonnaded road once paved with mosaics and lined with shops, a large agora, the public baths and a gymnasium.
Aspendos Theatre, the best preserved theatre of antiquity, with seating for 15.000. Still used today, the theater’s galleries, stage decorations and acoustics all testify to the architect’s success. Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, an agora and one of that largest aqueducts in Anatolia.Side, one of the best known classical sites in Turkey, was ancient harbor whose name meant pomegranate. Today a pretty resort town, its ancient ruins, two sandy beaches, numerous shops and extensive tourist accommodation attract throngs of visitors. There are numerous cafes and restaurants with a view of the sea. The magnificent theater of the ancient city, built on colonnaded arches, is the largest in the whole area. Other monuments include the agora, the temple of Apollo, which is situated near the sea, a fountain and necropolis. The extensive Roman baths, now a museum, houses one of Turkey’s finest archeological collections.
The Eastern Mediterranean Coast
Mark Antony gave the lovely Cilician shores between
Alanya and the Syrian Border to Cleopatra as a wedding present. Also associated
with the region’s past is St. Paul, a native of Tarsus. Today the
region is known for its fertile soil which produces abundant crops, and for the
hospitality of the region’s denizens.
Mersin the provincial center of Icel, lies midway on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Its shady palm-lined avenues, the city park and modern hotels create a pleasant ambience from which to visit the nearby historical sites and numerous beaches. A rapidly developing city and the largest free-zone port on the Turkish Mediterranean, Mersin has a regular car ferry service to Gazimagusa (Famagusta) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
East of Mersin, on the edge of the fertile Cukurova Plain, is Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. Of ancient origin, the city was invaded and destroyed on several occasions, In the past, it had served as a capital city. Archeological remains to be seen are some bronze weapons, The Cleopatra Gate through which Mark Antony and Cleopatra passed when they came to tarsus to meet, a Hittite temple, an ancient church, the Ottoman Ulu Cami.The biblical city of Antioch, lies on the Asi River on a fertile plain surrounded by grand mountains. Once the capital of the Seleucid kings, it was notorious for its wealth and luxury. In Roman times, the city continued to thrive with commerce and culture. It featured prominently in early Christianity where the name "Christian" was first coined. The Antakya Museum houses one of the richest collection of Roman mosaics in the world. These fantastic mosaics in stone were uncovered mostly at excavations in Antakya and nearby Daphne. Outside the town is the Grotto of Peter the apostle. In 1983 the church was declared as a sacred site by the Vatican.
