Antalya City Center

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A must see in Antalya city center

A must see in Antalya city center
A must see in Antalya city center

Antalya City Center is an interesting holiday resort with palm-lined streets, beautiful parks, a pretty marina and numerous hotels, bars and nightclubs is one of Antalya’s many neighborhoods travelers like to visit. Visiting a number of attractions, such as Antalya Exhibition Center and Turk Telecom, is an absolute “must” in Antalya City Center. As the ultimate travel destination, Antalya is known for its busy sights and unmatched hospitality from its residents.

Due to the area’s archaeological and natural attractions, Antalya is also known as the Turkish Riviera. Sun, sea, nature and history in one place are worth seeing. there are also some of the cleanest beaches on the Mediterranean coast. The most interesting area of the city is the central old town (Kaleici) with Roman walls, and there are many interesting museums. You can also enjoy city life with the wide range of hotels, restaurants, bars, discos and shops.

Antalya is a city in southern Anatolia and on the Turkish Riviera. Most tourists only know it from the airport, from which you can easily reach the bathing paradises in the area thanks to the good transport connections. The city itself has a lot to offer and is worth a detour. The old town with the old Ottoman houses and the Hadrian’s Gate are particularly worth a visit.

Antalya is the capital of the province of the same name with over a million inhabitants. Antalya is growing strongly and not only through tourism, but also through industry. The city is characterized by the contrast of numerous ultra-modern new buildings that stand directly next to old buildings or buildings ready for demolition. From the plane you can see that entire districts with uniform houses have been pounded out of the ground in a few years. Coming from the east, you drive through endless new housing estates and finally reach the old town, which is worth seeing because of its small streets and the well-preserved old buildings.

Large parts of the city lie on a cliff, which requires some climbing skills to get to the water. There are two bathing beaches west and east of the city center. The airport of Antalya is the starting point for the tourists of the Turkish Riviera, with well-known vacation spots like Kemer, Belek, Side or Alanya. The city lies between the Mediterranean Sea and a high mountain range, so that in summer you can see snow-capped peaks by the sea.

Antalya History

The city lies at the foot of the 3000 m high snow-covered Lycian Taurus Mountains on the Gulf of Antalya. Already 4500 BCE the plain between Alanya and Antalya was settled by the Hittites. They came from the Caucasus and Mesopotamia. In the 9th to 7th centuries from below Greeks and Trakians immigrated. They founded cities and mingled with the Hittites. Until 546 BCE the area around Antalya belonged to the Lydian Kingdom. Then came the Persians and 336 B.C.E. Alexander the Great. 135 B.C.E. Attalus II of Pergamon founded the city and gave it the name Attaleia. After his death, his empire passed to Rome according to his will.

The Romans built 67 B.C.E. in Attaleia a port to fight the pirate raids that are taking over from here. Pompey used the port as a base against the pirates. Paul and Barnabas are said to have visited the city in the first century. Emperor Hadrian visited the city on his journey through the Roman Empire. Lucius Verus was probably proclaimed emperor here. The city became an early Roman colony. In the Byzantine period there was a bishopric. The Seljuks conquered Antalya in 1214 and the Mongols in 1415. A short time later, the Ottomans entered the city, which they ruled from now on.

The city developed slowly but steadily and lived mainly from the fruit trade. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the city grew suddenly due to refugees from the Balkans and the Caucasus. At the end of the First World War, the city was briefly occupied by Italian troops. Since around 1970 the city has grown continuously through the expansion of tourism in the region and has established itself as a central hub.

Antalya Travel Planner

Antalya Travel Planner
Antalya Travel Planner

The Turkish Riviera stretches from Antalya, the capital of the region, further east to Cape Anamur. The picturesque old town of Antalya with its winding alleys and bazaars offers many cultural highlights, including the Yivli Minare Mosque from the 13th century and the Hadrian Gate, which resembles a Roman triumphal arch. The marina is also worth a visit. Look forward to numerous discoveries during your Antalya holiday and get to know the most beautiful sides of the Turkish south coast.

Many small resorts are located on the endless beach of the Turkish Riviera, for example Belek. The relatively new place blends in with pine and eucalyptus forests and is home to a number of very beautiful holiday resorts. There are plenty of entertainment options and, of course, active holidaymakers will also get their money’s worth: Safaris by jeep, boat tours and a great number of sports offer no boredom.

With a history going back more than 3,500 years, Antalya is a paradise for fans of historical sites such as ruins or theaters from the Roman period. But for everyone else, Turkey also has a lot to offer as a holiday destination, from the idyllic fishing villages in Belek to the lively city life in Istanbul. Did you spontaneously feel like going on vacation? Then take a look at our last minute Turkey offers.

Most Popular Things to do and must see in Antalya

The Antalya Kaleici Marina at the old town.

  • The city walls from the Hellenistic period were changed in Roman times and in the 10th century. reinforced by a second wall (inscription in the museum). Remains of walls from pre-Turkish times are the towers and Hadrian’s Gate. The city walls were renewed by the Seljuks in the 13th century. The clock tower in the upper part of the old town was also built on the foundation of the old town fortifications.
  • The Hadrian Gate (Hadrian’s Kapisi), Ataturk Caddesi, is the only surviving entrance gate to the ancient city of Antalya and the port. The city wall ran to the left and right of the gate. The gate was built in honor of Hadrian’s visit in 130. Built on four bases, with three archways and pillars decorated with ornaments, there is no front on either side. Overall, the object has less the character of a city gate than that of a Roman triumphal arch. The two towers on the left and right of the building are different: the left one is from the Roman period, the right one was built under Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat I (1219-1238). The gate was restored in 1959.
  • The old town with the marina is well preserved and worth a walk. There are also viewing platforms that offer an excellent view of the old town. There are countless tourist shops with the usual overpriced tand. The old bazaar is said to be particularly expensive. People buy from Antalya in the new bazaar because it is cheaper.
  • To the east of the marina is the Recep Bilgin Parkı with a beautiful view of the sea and plenty of seating right above the old town. Up here on the edge of the cliff you will find several fountains and beautiful parks with walking paths and many restaurants. On the way from the clock tower Saat Kulesi to Antalya Muzesi you pass the Ataturk monument and the Ataturk culture parki.
  • The fluted minaret (Yivli Minare) and the associated Alaeddin Mosque was built by the founder of Alanya, Sultan Alauddin Keykubad I in the 13th century in honor of his father on the foundations of a Byzantine church. The twelve pillars of the mosque date from this period. The minaret has the shape of a round bar bundle and is 38 meters high. For many, the minaret is the symbol of Antalya; it also served as an orientation for shipping for centuries.
  • The mosque was revised and the roof was replaced by 6 domes. The former Seljuk Koranic School can also be found here. The remaining walls have been supplemented with a modern steel / glass construction. This is where articles of handicrafts are sold. Next to it is the former Mevlana dervish convent, which now houses a gallery.
  • Archaeological Museum of Antalya (Antalya Arkeoloji Muzesi) It is one of the leading museums in Turkey. You can walk 2 km from Ataturk Park or use the tram (2020: 10 TL). It runs every half hour. The museum shows well-preserved pieces from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age, the Greek, Roman to the Ottoman period. The gallery of the gods from Perge, the gallery of the emperors and many sarcophagi and mosaics are impressive. Coins, Aspendos and Side silver treasure and Byzantine gold treasure are also shown.
    • Salon for natural history and prehistory. Here are fossils, stone tools, hand axes, cutting and carving tools and bone tools found in the Karain Cave, 27 km northwest of Antalya. Remains of skeletons and teeth from Neanderthals were also found in the cave. There are also excavations from Semanyuk from the early Bronze Age (vessels, brush handles, idols, tomb with grave goods).
    • Hall I for small exhibits. Here are ceramics from the 12th century B.C.E. up to the 3rd century B.C.E., make-up utensils and jewelry on display.
    • Hall of the gods. Here are statues of the Greek gods Zeus, Aphrodite, Tyche, Athena, Artemis, Nemesis, Hygioeie and Hermes with the Dioscures, on the other hand the Egyptian deities Serapis, Isiris and their sons. These are Roman imitations of Greek originals from the 2nd century AD from Perge.
    • Hall II for small exhibits. A vase of the Egyptian Queen Berenike, a silver plate with a relief of Athena, bronze statues of Apollo and Heracles, a head of Attis and a marble statue of Priapos (symbol of prosperity) are exhibited here.
    • Hall of the Emperors. These statues date from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and were found during the excavations in Perge. The statues represent the emperors Traian, Hadrian, Septimisu Severus and their wives Sabina, Faustina, Iulia Domna, Iulia Soemias and Plankia Magna. Particularly noteworthy is a representation of the three graces and a statue of a dancer made of black and white marble.
    • Grave cults hall. Here are two sarcophagi by Domitias Filiskas and his family. Man and woman are shown lying on the lid. The Eros figures in the corners symbolize family happiness. Two other sarcophagi from the 2nd century AD are associated with Heracles.
    • Room of the mosaics and icons. The most important mosaic in the Antalya Museum was found in Seleukia. It represents ancient philosophers, historians and mathematicians (Solon, Thucydides, Lycurg, Herodotus, Demosthenes, Hesiod). Another mosaic from Seleukia shows Orpheus how he enchants the wild animals with his music. The icons date from the 18th and 19th centuries.
    • Hall of coins. The exhibits include coins from the classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods.
    • Ethnography room. Porcelain and faience from the Seljuk period (mid-13th century) and Ottoman period (15th-18th centuries) are exhibited in the first room. In the second room there are carpets, a house from the Antalya region and weapons. The oldest carpet dates from the 16th century
  • The demolished minaret (Kesik Minare) was built on the foundations of a Serapis temple built in the 2nd century AD. The temple was converted into a basilica in the 5th century AD and into a mosque in the 15th century. This Korkut mosque burned down in the 19th century and is in poor condition.
  • The Hıdırlık Kulesi tower dates back to the 2nd century AD. The lower, square part was the tomb of a Roman dignitary. The round tower was later placed on it; the building served as a watchtower and lighthouse. The tower is 14 meters high.
  • The upper Düden waterfall is a small collection of small waterfalls in a park. This is very popular as a local recreation area in Antalya. There are good options for a picnic here. There are also opportunities to get behind a waterfall
  • The Lower Düden Waterfall falls over the approx. 40 m high cliff into the Mediterranean.

Antalya Lara

Antalya Lara
Antalya Lara

The Lara area two to three kilometers closer to Antalya is still developing rapidly. Where a first real top hotel was realized a few years ago with the Titanic, 5-star hotels such as Delphin Palace or Royal Wings are now, and sometimes very close together, to name just two examples. Since 2006, Lara has also been directly connected to the airport by an express road. Transfer time almost 20 minutes. The range of ultra-modern hotel resorts is now so wide that somewhat older hotels in this area can only reach their customers at lower prices. In contrast to Kundu, there is brisk construction activity at some Lara hotels. There are developments with condominiums. From April to October, however, there is no need to fear construction noise. Noisy construction work is prohibited during this period. (As of January 2007).

Antalya Daily Excursions & Trips

Here are the some list of the daily excursions and trips in Antalya Turkey, this guide is for you

From Antalya there are numerous of daily excursions destination that you can either go by rental car, taxi or by bus. Such as on guided bus tours, Rafting and Pirate boat trips are some of the excursions you can enjoy in Antalya during your vacation there, however, one must expect sales events at carpet dealers and goldsmiths. Numerous providers offer boat tours from the marina.

Düden waterfall in Antalya

The boat trip to the Düden waterfall is organized very touristy, but still worth seeing. The boat trip along the coast of Antalya shows the approximately 40 m high cliffs and adventurous constructions of the hotels, which provide sea access for your guests. The journey takes about 1-2 hours. In the port of Antalya, several boat guides offer the trip at a variety of prices. It’s worth comparing and haggling.
At Manavgat there is a wide but not very high waterfall. Often one speaks of two waterfalls, the smaller one corresponds to more rapids.

Mount Olympos is also within easy reach from Antalya.

A little further away is the Troja archaeological site. There are also numerous 2-day excursions (overnight stays in simple hotels) to the Pamukkale World Natural Heritage Site, white limestone cliffs. Bathing in the hot springs is now forbidden there, the tourists must stay on a predetermined path..

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