What is the peculiarity, so to speak, of this resort? Antalya (Turkey) caters to all categories of tourists. Here, connoisseurs of ancient and medieval history, as well as lovers of the spirit of a modern metropolis, will find a lot of interesting things for themselves. Here you can enjoy the Turkish identity and at the same time feel like in a real European city. It is good to relax here for noisy youth, couples with children and the elderly. Accommodation is easy to find in Antalya, with countless hotels ranging from modest hostels to VIP hotels.
This metropolis is called the capital of the Turkish Riviera for a reason. The population of the city, numbering a million people in winter, doubles during the tourist season. Gradually, the surrounding resorts and even quite remote ones, like Belek or Side, are drawn into the orbit of the metropolis' attraction. Therefore, this entire region of the Mediterranean is called the Anatolian coast.
History of the city
King of Pergamon Attalus II founded in 159 BC. e. village, which he named after himself. The independence of this city on the Mediterranean coast did not last long. Already in 133 BC. e. Attaliacaptured by the Romans. Emperor Adrian liked this convenient port so much that he ordered to build his winter residence in it. Since that time, the city gates, named after him, have been preserved.
Attalia flourished both under the Romans and under Byzantium. But with the raids of the Seljuk Turks, the city lost its land connection with the capital. Basileus John II Komnenos achieved only by military campaigns that Antalya ceased to be an enclave. But not for long. In 1207, the Seljuks conquered the Mediterranean coast of modern Turkey. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Antalya managed to be the capital of the independent Muslim principality Hamid. But since 1423 the city becomes part of the Ottoman Empire. After the Second World War, with the fashion for beach holidays, Antalya gradually turns into a metropolis. However, the new does not replace the old. The map of Antalya (Turkey) clearly shows how the historical center is separated from the modern areas.
Climate
What makes this area so attractive to tourists? Probably its climate. The high Taurus Mountains in winter protect the city from cold winds from the north. But for the same reason, cyclones caused by storms in the Mediterranean cannot escape and rain down on the Anatolian coast.
The lion's share of precipitation falls in winter, which is why some meteorologists call the local climate "almost monsoonal". But the summer is hot here. Although it rains very infrequently, the high relative humidity (about 65%) makes it difficult to bear the heat. But the currents and nature of the day off the coast of Antalya are as follows,that the swimming season here begins in early May and ends in November. And even in January, if someone is not afraid of +18 degrees, you can plunge into the sea. Of course, the Emirates and Egypt are more suitable for winter holidays, not Turkey. Antalya, whose weather is cloudless in summer, can boast that its holiday season lasts 8-9 months. The temperature in the warm season is about +28 degrees.
Hotels in Antalya (Turkey)
5 star all inclusive is the most common offer in the more remote areas of the city - Kundu and Lara. In Konya alti, chosen by our compatriots, there is also no shortage of respectable hotels, in which all entertainment is located inside the hotel. As a rule, they all represent one or two multi-storey buildings. Only a few hotels offer villas or bungalows to guests.
Hotels located west of the historic center use the city beach with large white pebbles. Those that stand on the rocks have platforms for sunbathing and descent into the water. The best hotels with their own beach are located in the Lara area - there is a sandy coast. But in old Antalya there are many small and inexpensive city-type hotels. Some of them are located in beautiful old buildings.
Nightlife
The city of Antalya never sleeps. For restless young people, many nightclubs, discos, and bars open here at sunset. The most popular, one might say, cult place is Olympos. Thisdisco is located on the territory of the hotel "Falez". An open-air nightclub operates at the Club 29 hotel. And they are having fun on the Konya alti beach, where you can often hear Russian speech.
On Wednesdays and weekends, you can see a professional belly dance performance at the Talya Hotel (on Fevzi Jakmak Street). Anatolian "Aqualand" at night turns into a water disco, where dancing can be combined with rollercoaster rides.
Shopping
For lovers of shopping, we advise you to walk along Ataturk-Jaddesi. On this street are the most luxurious shops in the city. But in other areas there is no shortage of shops with hookahs, haberdashery, jewelry and, of course, fine quality Turkish textiles.
There is a huge shopping center Migros 5M in the Konya alti area. By the way, it is located close to such attractions of the city as the Mini City and the Aquarium, so you can combine an exciting excursion with shopping. In general, it is better to explore the city on your own. The so-called "Antalya-tour", that is, a bus sightseeing tour, is often a hidden knocking out of money from gullible tourists. First they are taken to the “leather center”, which is a huge haberdashery warehouse, then to a textile store, and then to a jewelry store. Only at the end, tired tourists are shown the Duden waterfall.
Natural attractions of Antalya
There are quite a few of them, and they are very different. You can get to the Duden waterfallsby boat from the port. The lower cascade is already visible from the side, and it is worth climbing to the upper one. Under it there is an entrance to a spacious karst cave.
Excellent beaches are located on the small island of Reshat, not far from the coast. There are also boats from the port. The city has many shady well-groomed parks. Seven kilometers away rises the hill of Tyunektepe. At its top, in addition to the observation deck, there is a round restaurant building with panoramic windows. From there you can see, at a glance, the whole of Antalya (Turkey). Photos of landscapes opening from the hill will be worthy of becoming a computer screensaver. And forty kilometers from the city there is a real ski slope, where in winter you can famously ride on a snowy slope. Thirty kilometers from the city are large and branched Karain caves.
Historic Sites
But there are even more man-made miracles in the city of Antalya (Turkey). To see them, immediately go to the Kaleici area. This is the old city. Here are the remains of ancient walls, the gates of Hadrian, ancient Byzantine basilicas, medieval mosques, baths. Roman, Greek, Seljuk and Ottoman architecture intertwined in the narrow streets. In this area there is also a port with a typical fish market for these places. Be sure to buy and try the grilled fish. It is found only along the local shores, and its taste is amazing. At your request, the seller will clean and gut the fish.
The symbol of the city is the Yivli Mosque with a beautiful high minaret. You must also visit the towers. Hidirlik and Kale-Kapysy, Seljuk-Khan caravanserai, Mehmet Pasha and Iskele mosques. Of the museums, we recommend visiting the Archaeological and Ethnographic. The Aquarium is also interesting, where almost all the living creatures of the Mediterranean swim above the tunnel for visitors.
Antalya (Turkey): how to get there
The city is growing at the same rapid pace as Istanbul and Ankara. Therefore, there are many interesting modern buildings in Antalya. One of them is the Sabanci Pyramid, a grand structure made of glass and concrete.
To make the arrival and departure of city guests more comfortable, two international terminals were built. By the way, it is very convenient to get to the city of Antalya (Turkey) and from Istanbul on local airlines. The beautiful bus station is serviced by Japanese minibuses, which have replaced the old dolmushi. It takes twenty minutes to get from the airport to the city.
