Antalya is the fourth largest city in Turkey and the main city on the Mediterranean coast in a crescent shaped bay surrounded by the Taurus Mountains. Its popularity as a holiday destination is in part due to its attractive harbour setting and the picturesque old quarter of Kaleiçi. Enclosed within ancient Roman walls, it is a fantastic maze of steep narrow streets lined with ancient buildings and shops and is dominated by the Yivli Minaret.
Antalya is the fourth largest city in Turkey and the main
city on the Mediterranean coast in a crescent shaped bay surrounded by the
Taurus Mountains. Its popularity as a holiday destination is in part due to its
attractive harbour setting and the picturesque old quarter of Kaleiçi. Enclosed within ancient Roman walls, it is a
fantastic maze of steep narrow streets lined with ancient buildings and shops
and is dominated by the Yivli Minaret.
To the west of the old city is a shingle beach with plenty of
restaurants, cafes, shops and snack bars. If you want a beach with sand you
will have to head 7 miles out of town to Büyük Calticak and Kuçuk Calticak.
Slightly further afield are places such as Phaselis, with its ancient city and golden sand, or Belek's white sand beaches.
Referred to as the Turkish Riviera, the Antalya shoreline
boasts secluded coves, ancient cities and harbours, seaside towns, sparkling
seas and majestic cliffs. The city provides an excellent base for
exploring the small towns nearby, as well as caves, waterfalls and Roman
ruins, including Perge and the mountain-top remains of Termessos
Enjoying a typical Mediterranean
climate, Antalya has mild winters and hot summers. Rain is unlikely in the
summer months, but the rainfall is quite high in winter.
The average monthly temperatures are:
|
°C |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Day |
14 |
15 |
18 |
21 |
25 |
30 |
34 |
34 |
31 |
26 |
20 |
16 |
|
Night |
5 |
6 |
7 |
10 |
14 |
18 |
21 |
21 |
18 |
14 |
10 |
7 |
Antalya has everything you could want
to buy - from designer leather
to antique carpets, spices and Turkish delight to fake
Rolex and jazzy glass lanterns.
The whole of the old city is one huge
shopping mall, but away from here are the huge modern Migros Shopping Mall and the Deepo Outlet Center, while out near the airport are several huge jewellery and carpet emporia.
In Antalya textiles, cotton clothing,
traditional pottery and wood carvings, ornate meerschaum pipes, carpets, prayer
rugs, gold and copper work, leather goods and souvenirs, local jams and jellies
made from a variety of fruits and vegetables are very popular.
Haggling is expected and bargains can
be had. Roadside stalls, bazaars and also markets usually sell their goods
until midnight.
Antalya offers a very colourful
nightlife. Why not start your evening along the Konyaalti waterfront. If you enjoy cocktails try the terrace bars in one of the five-star
hotels along the waterfront. For a beer or something less formal, head to the
smaller bars around the harbour front in Kaleiçi.
This is also the area for clubs. They
generally start late and continue through to the early hours. Here are some of
the names to look out for:
·
Ally’s
·
Inferno
·
Club 29
·
Jolly Joker
Although
Antalya offers many things to see and do, you may want to spread your wings a
little and explore what the area has to offer. Below are just a few of the
highlights waiting for you:
·
Perge
·
Aspendos
·
Side
·
Damalatas
Caves
·
Duden
Waterfall
·
Termessos
·
Olympos &
the Fire of Chimaera
·
Manavgat
Waterfall
·
Beldibi Cave
