Places to Visit in Antalya
There are many beaches, natural wonders and cultural heritages that you can visit in Antalya city center and districts.
PLACES TO VISIT IN ANTALYA CITY
Kaleiçi : It is surrounded by inner and outer walls in the shape of a horseshoe, most of which has been destroyed and destroyed. The walls are the joint work of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The walls have 80 bastions. There are about 3,000 houses with tiled roofs within the walls. The characteristic structures of the houses not only give an idea about the architectural history of Antalya, but also reflect the lifestyle, traditions and customs of the region in the best way. In 1972, Antalya inner harbor and Kaleiçi district were taken under protection as a "SIT area" by the "Real Estate Antiquities and Monuments High Council" due to its unique texture. The Golden Apple Tourism Oscar award was given to the Ministry of Tourism by FIJET (International Association of Tourism Writers) on April 28, 1984, for its restoration work on the "Antalya-Kaleiçi Complex". Today, Kaleiçi has become an entertainment center with its hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars.
Yivli Minaret : It is the first Turkish structure of Antalya. It is in the centre, near the port. According to the inscription on it, it was built during the rule of Anatolian Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat (1219-1236). The brick-built body consists of eight half-cylinders. If there was a mosque next to this minaret, it must have been destroyed. Because the mosque next to the minaret belongs to a later period, 1372. It was built by an architect named Tavaşi Balaban during the Hamitoğulları period, a Turkish Principality.
Düden Waterfall : It is located within the borders of Kepez District, invark neighborhood. Düden Waterfall is also referred to as İskender Waterfall and Upper Düden Waterfall in various sources. At the same time, there are people who call it Düdenbaşı Waterfall. At the 28th kilometer of the old Antalya-Burdur road, and at the 30th kilometer of Kırkgözler, there are two large karst springs called Pınarbaşı. These two rivers with plenty of water merge after a short flow and disappear in the Bıyıklı Sinkhole. The water lost in the Bıyıklı Sinkhole, after going underground for about 14 kilometers, emerges from one end of the Varsak depression, and after a very short flow, it sinks again from the other end of the depression. The water lost in Varsak comes to the surface in Düdenbaşı after about two kilometers of underground flow.
Kurşunlu Waterfall : After entering the Isparta road from the 24th km of the Alanya road to the east of the city centre, it is 7 km. available later. This natural wonder is also one of the most visited places. The waterfall is like coming out of a fairy tale land. It is in a deep green valley. The whole surroundings can be visited with a walk of about half an hour. A large number of fish live in the waters where ponds are formed in places. It also draws attention with its rich fauna. Düden, Kurşunlu and Manavgat Waterfalls have been used as locations in many Turkish films. All of them can be easily reached by bus.
Konyaaltı Beach : Konyaaltı Beach is one of the two biggest beaches of Antalya. From the pebble beach, you can enjoy Antalya's warm or huge wavy sea depending on the season. In addition, the luxury of reaching a decent beach through the city gives a different pleasure.
Lara Beach : The sandy beach, located a little outside of Antalya, is a tourism paradise today. This beach, where the people of Antalya once set up camps called oba and spent the summer months, is now decorated with luxury hotels. With its fine sand and warm water, it is difficult to find a place to step on the beach in summer.
Antalya Archeology Museum : Founded in 1922 in Konyaaltı, Antalya Archeology Museum sheds light on the historical and cultural heritage of the city. It is possible to see close to 5 thousand works of different themes in the museum. You can examine the finds brought from around Antalya, which has the largest number of ancient cities, and enrich your archeology knowledge.
PLACES TO VISIT IN ANTALYA DISTRICTS
Side Ancient City: Side, the most important port city of Pamphylia in ancient times, was founded on a peninsula with a width of 350-400 meters, located 80 kilometers east of Antalya and 7 kilometers southwest of Manavgat. Side VII. century, it became a settlement center. VI. BC. century, it came under the rule of the Lydian Kingdom with all Pamphylia, and after the collapse of the Lydian Kingdom in 547/46, it came under the rule of the Persians. The city, which preserved its freedom to some extent in this period, minted coins in its own name. Side, which opened its doors to the Macedonian king without showing any resistance during the Anatolian campaign of Alexander the Great (334 BC), later became one of the great coinage centers established by Alexander. Side, which constantly changed hands between the Hellenistic Period kingdoms after the death of Alexander, was built in BC III. century, first by the Ptolemies, and in the years 215-189 BC, it was under the rule of the Seleucids. According to the Peace of Apameia made in 188 BC, when the Seleucids were defeated in the war they opened against the Romans, Pamphylia and in the meantime Side were given to the Kingdom of Pergamon. On the other hand, Side regained its independence after a while and experienced one of the brightest periods in history.
Olympos Ancient City: Olympos is the second important port city on the southern coast of Antalya after Phaselis. The city takes its name from Tahtalı Mountain, which is one of the western extensions of the Taurus Mountains, 16 kilometers to the north, with a height of 2 thousand 375 meters. It is within the borders of Beydağları-Olympos National Park. Although the exact date of its foundation is unknown, Olympos, which is mentioned in the Lycian Union coins minted in 167-168 BC, is one of the six cities with three voting rights in the Lycian Union.
Patara Ancient City : It is located in today's Gelemis Village, at the southwest end of the Xanthos Valley, between Fethiye and Kalkan, and is one of the most important and oldest cities of Lycia. The name of the city is mentioned as Patar in Hittite texts of the 13th century BC. While the pottery sherds recovered from the Tepecik Acropolis contain Middle Bronze Age features, the stone ax from the pre-Iron Age, which was also unearthed on the skirts of the eastern slope of Tepecik, shows how far Patara's history goes. Patara, which has continued to be an important city throughout history because it is the only place in the Xanthos Valley that can be sailed, is referred to as Patara in the Lycian language in inscriptions and coins.
Aspendos Ancient City : Located on the second kilometer of the road that turns north from the 44th kilometer of Antalya - Alanya highway, Aspendos is famous for having the best preserved Roman Period theater not only in Anatolia but also in the entire Mediterranean world. The city was established on the hill plain near Köprüçay (Ancient Eurymedon), one of the largest rivers in the region. Today, theaters and waterways are mostly visited in Aspendos, which owes its transportation and development to the Mediterranean Sea to the nearby river and therefore to the fertile lands around it. The remains of other buildings belonging to the city are located on the plain of the hill on which the theater leans.
Myra Ancient City : Myra Ancient City, located in and around today's Demre district center, was founded on the plain with the same name. The connection between the city and the sea was provided by the navigable canal to the west of the Myros River (Demre Stream). Sea transportation and trade of the region was also carried out from Andriake (Çayağzı) Port, located on the other side of the canal. The Ancient City of Myra is especially famous for its Lycian Period rock tombs, Roman Period theater and Byzantine Period St. Nicholas Church (Santa Claus). Rock tombs, Lycian inscriptions and coins, Myra's at least BC. They show that it has existed since the 5th century. According to the information given by Strabo, Myra, one of the six big cities of the Lycian League, is referred to as Myrrh in the Lycian inscriptions.
Damlataş Cave : Damlataş Cave was discovered in 1948 during the quarrying for stone to be used in the construction of the port. The cave is on the west coast of the historical peninsula. There is a 50-meter passage at the entrance of the cave. After the passage with a height of 15 meters, a cylindrical space is reached. From here, it goes down to the bottom of the cave. The stalactites and stalagmites of the cave, which is located in the semi-crystalline limestone, were formed in 15 thousand years. The cave was named Damlataş because of the water drops that continue to drip from the stalactites.
St. Nicholas Museum : The respected religious personality of St. Nicholas, who was born in Patara in the second half of the 3rd century AD and served as a bishop in Myra, enabled him to reach the rank of saint after his death. He became the most popular saint of many countries. Saint Nicholas, who is respected in the cities of Freiburg in Germany, Bari and Naples in Italy and in the whole island of Sicily, is known as Santa Klaus in Dutch and English languages, and thanks to these, he is considered one of the saints who protect New York by being loved in America. In the northern countries of Europe, the tradition of Santa Claus, the protector and delight of children, was integrated with the belief of St. Nicholas, leading to the creation of a semi-religious and very popular mythical type. It is understood that the origin of this type is taken from the ancient beliefs of the northern countries, as Santa Claus travels in a sleigh pulled by deer. Whereas, the places where the real St. Nicholas of Myra lived are the Mediterranean coasts that never see snow. His protective personality of children in distress has turned into a sympathetic elder who is believed to bring gifts on Christmas nights.