The Antalya Region, offering all the mysticism of past in our day, is now called the "Turkish Riviera" due to its archaeological and natural beauties. Antalya is the place where sea, sun, history and nature constitute a perfect harmony and which also includes the most beautiful and clearest coast along the Mediterranean.

Antalya is a city full of sunshine and opportunity, a place where work and leisure go hand in hand. As well as being the main holiday destination on the Turkish Riviera, it is also a sought-after congress centre with a capacity to accommodate 35 000 delegates.

Hotels and resorts in Antalya are situated along the shore that streches for about 150 km. In terms of number of hotels and bed capacities, Antalya is listed number one in Turkey. There are 680 hotel facilities in total in the region. This number includes motels, guest houses, 2, 3, 4 and 5 star hotels and resorts. Antalya attracts around 5 million tourists every year.

Evidence of human habitation in the region dating back over 200 000 years has been unearthed in the Carain caves 30 km to the north of Antalya city. Other findings dating back to Neolithic times and more recent periods show that the area has been populated by various ancient civilizations throughout the ages. The reign of the Kingdom of Lydia in the west Anatolia came to an end in 560 BC after the Persians defeated it during the battle of Sardis in 546 BC. From 334 BC until his death, Alexander the Great conquered the cities of the area one by one. In 150 BC Attalos the 2nd, king of Pergamon, founded the city of Attalaia (today’s Antalya) to base his powerful naval fleet. The last king of Pergamon died in 133 BC and he left his kingdom to the Romans. The Roman and subsequent Byzantine Empires ruled the area for the next 13 centuries. Ottoman rule began in 1391. The brief occupation of the area by the Italians came to an abrupt end after the First World War with the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923.

The area is now registered as a province of the Republic of Turkey.

The tourism sector in the region of Antalya had small beginnings in the 1960s. The development of tourism soon gained momentum and now Antalya has huge touristic potential with its warm climate, diverse historical and cultural background, great natural beauty and various leisure activities. There are not many places in Southern Europe that can boast both extreme good value for money and high standards of accommodation and service, a warm, sunny climate and an exhaustive range of leisure facilities. Antalya region can offer you all the above as well as friendly, welcoming locals, delicious food, excellent shopping opportunities and a rich culture and fascinating history waiting to be explored.

Antalya has hosted many national and international congresses in the previous years. For those on the look out for a unique convention and incentives destination, Antalya has it all.

Antalya, the city itself offers historical and beautiful sites. In addition, the region is famous for its natural beauties and ancient cities. National parks and waterfalls are important attractions. Recently, golfing has become very popular in the region. Antalya's warm Mediterranean climate and green lush countryside guarantees perfect golfing throughout the year. The excellent International standards of the golf and leisure facilities at the National Golf Club has gained world-wide recognition and is now home to International Cup Games attracting the most famous names and faces in the golf world.

Points of Interest

The Old Town - Kaleiçi

The ancient city of Antalya was protected by two walls, in the shape of a horseshoe, one running along the shoreline and the other inland. There were also walls built specifically to separate settlements from eachother and watch towers were built along the outer walls. Some remains of the walls can still be seen today as well as a few turrets, Hadrian's Gate, the Clock Tower and the Hidirlik Tower. Nowadays the ancient city centre surrounded by sea and land walls is called the Kaleiçi. The streets and buildings still bear the marks of Antalya's history. The characteristics of the old houses tell not only a tale of architecture but also reflect the social lives, customs and habits of the people who dwelled in old Antalya and provide us with much valuable information about that time. The streets in the old town are narrow and slope upwards from the harbour. Some very interesting historical sites to visit within the old town are the mosque with the truncated minaret, the fluted minaret (Yivli Minare), the Keyhusrev Medrese, the Karatay Medrese, the Iskele Mosque and the Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque and various old chapels especially the Church of St. George which has been beautifully restored by the Suna-Inan Kiraç Foundation. During the 19th century there were many inhabitants of Greek and Armenian origin who lived happily alongside their Turkish counterparts. And it is this multicultural aspect of the old town that gives it its very distinctive atmosphere. The yacht harbour and surrounds offer awe-inspiring views both day and night.

Museums

Antalya Museum on Konyaalti Street on the outskirts of the city and which reflects contemporary museum concepts, is one of Turkey’s largest museums, with 13 exhibition halls and an open air gallery. It covers an area of 7000 sqm and has 5000 works on exhibit. The museum comprises the children’s section, natural history, pre- history, small objects, gallery of the gods, underwater remains, gallery of the emperors, burial culture, icons, mosaics, coins, etnografic sections and open air gallery.


Suna-Inan Kirac Mediterranean Research Institute.

This Institute bought two ancient buildings of which, one was an old city house and the other was the Hagios Georgios church and reconstructed them according to the original. According to the script at the main entrance it is known that this church was rebuilt in1863 with the help of Christians of Antalya. The lower floor of the old house is in use of a library with a lot of literature about Antalya itself. On the other hand, this Institute is a place were old cultures are researched. Canakkale seramics are also on exhibit in this ancient church. Also gravurs, fotographs and maps of old Antalya can be seen here. The institute is open to visitations.

National Parks

Olympos National Park

To the west of Antalya rise the snowcapped peaks of the Olympos (Tahtali) region, where many antique cities, caves have been explored.

Termessos National Park

It is located 30 km along the Antalya Korkuteli highway. This was the site of the ancient city of Termessos. The park, which is covered by wild flora, is of unusual beauty.

Köprülü Canyon National Park

The canyon itself is a 14 km long and 100m wide valley between Balasag village and Beskonak. The park is thickly covered in cedar and pine trees. The ancient stone bridges stradding the Köprü stream is still in use today. Today it is also the place for enjoying white water rafting.


Karain Cave

At a distance of 31 km north-west of Antalya lies the Karain Cave. The limestone formations opened up to reveal a natural cave which had served as habitations for the paleolithic, neolithic and Chalcolithic people and during the classic era, as a temple to the mountain goddess. It is the largest cave in Turkey to have been inhabited. Some of the findings are on display in the little Karain Museum and others in the pre-history section of Antalya Museum.

Water Falls

All streams in the region find their way to the Mediterranean and flow down the slopes of the Taurus, sometimes above and sometimes underground until they reach their destination in the shape of spectacular waterfalls. There are more than 20 waterfalls in the region. The most beautiful of these are the Düden Falls (15 km north of Antalya), the Kursunlu Falls (18 km from Antalya, on the Antalya-Alanya highway) and the Manavgat Falls (3km north of Manavgat).

Ancient Cities

Perge

The ancient city of Perge can be found along the Antalya to Alanya. Founded in around 1200 BC, its saving grace was its distance from the sea which allowed it to grow without interruption from sea pirates. Perge, which enjoyed prosperity throughout the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras, boasts an impressive Amphitheatre and large stadium each with a seating capacity of 15 000 and 2 000 respectively, both well preserved and thus of great significance to archaeologists today. Some of the ruins worth seeing in Perge are the gates, agora, nymphaeum, the pillared streets, sarcophagi, basilica and acropolis. One point of interest are the 30 or so open chambres situated beneath the stadium seating area which are thought to have been used as shops.

Side

The exact date of its founding is not known. In the language of Anatolia, "Side" means Pomegranate. From inscriptions it appears that Side dates back to the Hittites. One of its most important buildings is its 15000 spectator theatre. The difference between this Roman theatre and other antique theatres in the region is that it is not built against a hillside. The 2 storey theatre, built on a series of arches, is 20 m high. The orchestra and stage are in a state of ruin. Side has colonnaded streets, a triumphal arch, harbour, baths, fountains, cisterns, aqueducts, temples and an agora.

Aspendos

City of Aspendos dates back to the 5th century BC. This extremely well preserved Roman amphitheatre, which was built around the 2nd century AD, was later used by the Seljuks as a caravanserai. With a seating capacity of over 17 000 it is still used today to host spectacular concerts, ballets and other significant events. In addition to the theatre the agora, basilica, nymphaeum and 15 km of aqueducts are to be seen. The pressured aqueduct system is a feat of engineering from the Roman period.

Phaselis

Phaselis was settled by the Rhodians in the 7th century B.C. and for many years was claimed to be the most important port city of the eastern Lycian seaboard. On both sides of the avenue are sidewalks and shops. Close to these can be seen the public places like baths, theatre and agora. It is reached by road and also from the sea.

Myra

Situated between Finike and Kas Myra used to be a one of the most important of six Lycian cities. Originally a coastal city the gradual build up of silt from the Demre stream has left it stranded several miles away from the sea. Myra was abandoned after the Arab invasions in the 9th century A.D. The rock tombs and amphitheatre are worth a visit as is St. Nicholas’ church nearby where the legend of Father Christmas (Santa Claus) is said to have originated.

Activities

White Water Rafting

The Köprülü Canyon National Park is the most popular starting point for safe yet thrilling white water rafting trips down gushing rivers.

Trekking

There are many fascinating walks and treks up in the mountains or along the coast to be discovered by the walkers.

Yachting

The best way to see the beautiful coastline of Antalya from the sea is by yacht or gulet (Turkish style wooden vessel). Daily boat tours are great to enjoy the calming waters of Mediterrenean, to watch the sunset and to see the beautiful waterfalls cascading into the sea.

Jeep Safari

Daily jeep tours are organized up into the Olympos and Taurus mountains. Drive up an altitude of 1000 meters passing through ice cold streams and plunge into rivers to cool off. It is a great opportunity to experience some of the world's most breathtaking scenery.