Antalya, Antalya Region, Turkey
Antalya is one of the biggest cities in Turkey and its old town is most certainly one of the most picturesque. With its palm tree lined streets, marina and historic attractions, Antalya is a major tourist attraction.
Antalya
Antalya, also known as the Turkish Riviera, is a large modern city, with a small historic centre, set between the impressive Taurus Mountains and long stretches of beach lapped by crystal clear waters. Enjoying 300 days of sunshine a year, Antalya is a great place to enjoy outdoor activities whether it's simply sunbathing and paddling or hiking and mountaineering.
Read more about: Beaches | Things to do | Out and about | Antalya Reviews
Beaches
To the west of Antalya is Konyaalti Beach, it stretches for 7km and is backed by the beach park where numerous drinking and snacking options are available. The beach is well serviced with plenty of facilities and activities to enjoy. This beach is particularly popular with locals and is busy during the weekends.
Lara Beach is around 16km to the east of the city, consisting of sand and pebbles this long stretch of beach is backed by hotels, restaurants and snack-bars. Loungers and umbrellas are available for hire, good toilet and shower facilities as well as plenty of water-sports to try out, and between May and October the Sandland festival sees some amazing sand sculptures being created.
Things to do
Antalya has plenty of facilities to entertain its visitors; to the west of town by Konyaalti Beach is a waterpark, Dolphinland, the Antalya Aquarium and Aktur Lunapark (fairground).
If you're interested in the Ancient cultures of Greece and Rome, then a visit to Antalya's Archaeological Museum is a must, while families may enjoy a visit to the Antalya Zoo which can be found to the north of the city.
Out of town - Antalya is a good base for trips to nearby sites of interest such as the Perge and Side ancient Roman ruins, Duden and Kursunlu waterfalls, the Roman theatre of Aspendos and the Termessos archeological site found high on the Gulluk Mountain National Park.
Out and about
Getting around Antalya is easy with a variety of public transportation options available, such as public buses, trams, mini-buses, taxis and dolmus.
Known as Kaleici, Antalya's old town is full of character with narrow winding cobbled streets once enclosed in the ancient city walls. A pedestrian zone in the centre features a landmark stone tower, the Grooved Minaret and a statue of Attalus, while the Roman arch known as Hadrian's Gate, can be found at one of the entrances.
Antalya is famed for its nightlife and there is something here to suit all tastes, with great clubs, pubs, discos and even family friendly bars.
As such a large city it's no surprise there are plenty of shopping options in Antalya from the small shops and kiosks in the old town to the large air-conditioned shopping malls its all here.
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