Travel to Antalya

Travel to Antalya

Located on the Aegean and Mediterranean coast in Turkey, Antalya is a great place to explore ruins, hit the beach and relax in the sun. No matter when you visit, the weather is almost always beautiful, the food is good and the markets are packed with plenty of bargains. Within the narrow streets of the Old City are dozens of restaurants serving Turkish fare and plenty of bars with live music and good drinks.

Transportation to Antalya

Flights from many European destinations use Antalya International Airport. From further abroad, you may have to connect in Istanbul first. Turkeys rail service offers good fares and comfortable travel to Antalya from anywhere in the country and from the rest of Europe, via Istanbul.

What to see

The Old City of Antalya, known locally as Kaleici, is located within the crumbling ruins of ancient fortifications. The narrow streets of the district are full of restored Ottoman houses, shady trees and quiet tea gardens. At night, the bars in the centre make up Antalyas fabulous nightlife.

Several historic minarets dotting the city skyline serve as reminders to the citys Ottoman heritage. The Truncated Minaret was built as a Byzantine temple, but later converted into a church and then a mosque. The Fluted Minaret is 38 metres high and displays striking architectural prowess in its construction.

Very few buildings at all remain standing amid the Phaselis Ruins, just out of the city. Whats left of the 6th century city is nestled in the woods in a lovely cove between two peninsulas. If you want to know something about its history, you can visit the Antalya Archeological Museum; but even if you dont, the area is enjoyable for its peace and beauty.

Daytrips

Antalya has a rather crowded public beach, Beach Konyaalti. But perhaps the most beautiful beach is at nearby Patara. Not only is the sand soft and beautiful, but to reach the beach, you must first walk through ancient ruins. Phaselis, Olympos and Kemer have great cove beaches and the areas of Bedibi, Tekirova also have several good stretches of sand.

Activities and leisure

Shopping is one of the main activities in Antalya. With the profusion of shops, stalls and markets, there are plenty of good deals to be found, particularly if you arent shy of bargaining. Dogugaraj market has the best variety of goods and sells everything from Turkish textiles and carpets to metal-work, souvenirs and a large number of items that you probably wont even be able to identify.

Safety issues

Turkish driving has a reputation for being somewhat erratic. Many people joke that the first thing people do when they buy a car here is to rip off the turn signal, it is so infrequently used. Whether you are a pedestrian or a driver, be wary when you hit the streets.

Some Turkish food can be quite spicy and may irritate the stomachs of the uninitiated. The best way to stay healthy in Antalya is to drink bottled water, and lots of it. The sun is hot and heatstroke is common. Luckily, the hospitals in Antalya are of good quality and there are also a few private clinics.