Antalya: Turkey’s tourism capital isn’t just a postcard pin-up, a thumping beach holiday, or a pretty historical town. It is all these things, and more, and has somehow preserved its charm despite welcoming 14 million tourists per year. They come for sandy beaches, great nightlife, excellent museums, and an unbeatable setting on the Mediterranean, surrounded by hiking trails and the remains of some of the best-preserved cities of the ancient world. Despite the small-town feel of its historical center, Antalya is Turkey’s 5th city with 1 million inhabitants, excellent transport connections, a vast range of bars and restaurants, and the official start or end point of the Lycian Way, all of which mean Antalya as something for everyone.
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HISTORY OF ANTALYA
This part of Turkey was once the heartland of the great Lycian kingdom, giving what is now Antalya province some of the world’s most impressive ruined classical cities.
Antalya itself is a relatively new addition to this line-up, founded as recently as 150 BC by Attalos II, King of Pergamon. He named the city Attalea, after himself, which became Adalia under the Romans and Antalya under the Turks.
Attalos III died heirless in 133 BC, and donated his entire kingdom to the expanding Roman Empire. The Romans recognized its importance as a seaport, from which St Paul and St Barnabas travelled to Antioch in 46 AD, and which became a key embarkation point for Crusaders heading to the holy land.
After the Sack of Constantinople in 1204, when the armies of the Fourth Crusade turned on the Byzantines they had come to defend, Antalya became the personal fief of an Italian crusader named Aldebrandus. He ruled for three years before being overrun by the Seljuk Turks in 1207.
With the Seljuks’ decline, Antalya became capital of the Beylik of Teke from 1321 until 1391, when the territory was claimed by the Ottomans, who brought peace and stability for the next five hundred years.
After WW1, Antalya was briefly ruled by Italy as European powers scrambled to claim parts of the ex-Ottoman Empire, but were driven out in 1921 by the forces of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk before establishing the Turkish Republic.
By then the city had a population of 30,000, swelled by migration from the Caucasus and the Balkans as the Ottoman Empire fell apart. The population exchange of 1923 saw the departure of most of Antalya’s Greek population.
Large-scale development started in the 1970s, turning Antalya into one of Turkey’s biggest and best loved cities, as it remains today.
SIGHTS OF ANTALYA
Antalya’s old town, Kaleici (or ‘inside the castle’), is a maze of cobbled streets and lovingly restored historical buildings.
These include Hadrian’s Gate, built into the towering city walls to commemorate a visit by Emperor Hadrian in 130 AD.
The Kesik Minare Mosque was built on top of a 5th-century Byzantine Church in the 1200s.
Antalya’s stunning, historical harbor is one of the city’s highlights and was one of the most important ports in the Eastern Mediterranean for thousands of years.
The Yivli Minare Mosque (or Fluted Minaret Mosque) has become the symbol of Antalya because of its photogenic backdrop, turquoise tile work, and unusual minaret. Built on the foundations of a Byzantine church in 1230 by the Selcuks, it has since become part of a complex of historical buildings, including a medrese, a dervish lodge, and an ethnographic museum.
The Hıdırlık Tower was originally built by the Romans as a military outpost, and later served as a lighthouse.
Antalya Archaeology Museum houses thousands of stunning artifacts from nearby ancient cities like Perga and Aspendos, and is one of the best museums in Turkey.
Despite all this history and culture, one of Antalya’s main draws is its beaches, the best and most accessible of which is Konyaaltı Plaj, part of Yaşam Park, a 7 km strip of cafes, bars, and picnic areas south-west of the center.
Another favorite is the excellent Antalya Aquarium and its 131-meter long aquarium tunnel, the longest in the world.
12 kilometers northeast of Antalya are the Düden Waterfalls, one of Antalya’s most visited and most photographed natural wonders.
The Antalya Observation Tower was built to mark the 2016 Expo and offers stunning views of the city and the surrounding sea and countryside.
AROUND ANTALYA
Antalya province is brimming with history, presenting visitors with limitless day trips to unmissable sites like Termessos, Perga, Aspendos, and Phaselis. Many of these are arranged along a stunning coastal hiking route known as the Lycian Way, one the best in the world, which conveniently begins or ends in Antalya. Check out our videos about each of these places.
TRANSPORTATION TO / FROM ANTALYA
It will take you a couple of days to do justice to most of the sights mentioned in this video on foot, many of which are clustered in the old town. Beyond Kaleici, minibuses and trams are the easiest way to get around.
The city’s airport, the busiest in Turkey, has regular flights to most major European and Turkish cities. To get here from the city center take the tram (30 mins) or the number 600 or 800 or airport service bus (45 mins).
EATING IN ANTALYA
For a hearty kebab blowout, check out Uğur Ocakbaşı to the south-west of the center. In the old town, Luna Garden is a local favourite for late-night munchies to ward off the hangovers.
DRINKING IN ANTALYA
Also in the old town, Edinburgh Bar is a favourite drinking spot for locals and visitors alike, with good cocktails and a lively atmosphere.
ACCOMMODATION IN ANTALYA
For accommodation, we suggest staying in the old town and checking in at Villa Tulipan Hotel, which has clean rooms, reasonable prices, and an included breakfast.
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