Information
City: AntalyaCountry: Turkey
Continent: Asia
Antalya, Turkey, Asia
Overview
Antalya sits on Turkey’s sunny southwestern coast, where the blue-green waters of the Turkish Riviera meet steep cliffs and pine-lined beaches.Antalya draws crowds with its turquoise coast, ancient ruins, and sleek seaside resorts, making it one of Turkey’s top spots for travelers.It combines ancient history with modern comforts and stunning scenery-golden beaches that smell faintly of salt, towering mountains, and timeworn ruins-making it a destination you shouldn’t miss.Antalya sits on the Mediterranean coast, with the rugged Taurus Mountains rising to the north and the bright turquoise sea stretching out to the south.The city lies in Turkey’s Antalya Province, about 720 kilometers-roughly a day’s drive southwest of Istanbul through sun-baked hills.Antalya enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with summers that bake under hot, dry skies and winters that settle in mild and damp, the air smelling faintly of rain.From June through August, summer heat often climbs past 30°C (86°F), warm enough to make the pavement shimmer, while winter days rarely dip under 10°C (50°F).With its steady warmth and bright, cloudless skies, the city draws visitors in every season.Antalya’s past runs deep, with traces of life here reaching back to the Hellenistic period-stone walls still weathered by centuries of salt and sun.Over the centuries, the region watched empires bloom and crumble-Hittites, Lydians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans-all leaving their mark like faint carvings in worn stone.In the 2nd century BCE, the Attalid dynasty of Pergamon founded Antalya, naming it Attaleia in honor of King Attalus II.The Romans later seized it, turning the harbor into a bustling port where merchants shouted over the clatter of unloading ships.After Rome’s collapse, Antalya came under Byzantine rule, its harbors busy with merchant ships, before the Seljuk Turks seized it in the 13th century.In the Seljuk era, the city thrived as a bustling center of culture and trade, its markets alive with the scent of spices and the clink of silver coins.In the 15th century, Antalya came under Ottoman rule and stayed that way-its harbor quiet under the watch of stone towers-until the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923.You can still see traces of the Ottoman era in the city’s carved stone facades and in the rhythm of its daily life.Antalya’s culture blends Turkish, Ottoman, and Mediterranean influences, showing up in lively street music, rich stews scented with herbs, colorful festivals, and intricate local art.The city buzzes with culture, from sunlit art galleries to echoing museums and lively theaters.Cuisine: In Antalya, the food bursts with Mediterranean and Aegean influences, leaning on crisp vegetables, just-caught seafood, and the smooth richness of olive oil.You’ll find local favorites like piyaz, a bright bean salad tossed with onions, keşkek, a hearty mix of wheat and tender meat, plus creamy hummus and flaky, honey-soaked baklava.Antalya brims with lively folk traditions, from soulful music to spirited dances like the Zeybek and Halay, often swirling through the air at colorful local festivals.Kaleiçi, Antalya’s Old Town, winds through a maze of narrow cobblestone lanes where whitewashed Ottoman houses lean over the street, Roman gates stand weathered by centuries, and quiet Byzantine churches hide in the shade.You’ll spot Hadrian’s Gate, the round stone bulk of Hidirlik Tower, and the weathered Kesik Minaret among the city’s key landmarks.The district boasts cozy cafés where the smell of fresh coffee drifts out the door, along with boutique shops and bright, inviting art galleries.Hadrian's Gate, built to celebrate Emperor Hadrian’s visit in 130 CE, still stands tall in Antalya, its white marble arches among the city’s most striking and best-preserved Roman relics.Three graceful arches span the structure, with a tower standing guard at each end.Antalya Museum is one of Turkey’s biggest and most treasured museums, where you can see glinting Roman coins, weathered Greek statues, and intricate Byzantine mosaics that tell the region’s ancient story.You’ll find Roman statues, worn clay pots, and colorful mosaics once buried in the ruins of Perge.Konyaaltı Beach, one of Antalya’s favorite spots, runs for seven kilometers (4.3 miles) along the shore, where pale pebbles crunch softly underfoot.People know it for its pebbled beach, the clear blue water that catches the sunlight, and the sweeping mountain views all around.Restaurants, cafés, and bars stretch along the beach, the scent of grilled fish drifting through the warm air-it’s an easy place to slow down and unwind.Lara Beach, with its golden sand that warms under the midday sun, is a favorite spot in Antalya, lined with sleek resort hotels.It’s the ideal place to dive in for a swim, stretch out under the warm sun, or race across the water on a jet ski.The beach is lined with luxury resorts and dotted with upscale restaurants where you can smell fresh seafood grilling in the salt air.Düden Waterfalls sit in the city’s north, where cool mist drifts through the air, making them one of Antalya’s most stunning natural sights.The waterfalls tumble straight into the Mediterranean, and you can visit them from the rocky ledge above or the misty pool below.Near the falls, you’ll find winding walking paths, shadowy caves, and grassy spots perfect for a picnic.Termessos, an ancient city tucked high in the Taurus Mountains, sits about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Antalya, where pine-scented air drifts through its weathered stone ruins.The city is famous for its well-preserved ruins-a stone theater, ancient temples, and sturdy city walls-that look out over rolling hills and sunlit valleys.High in the Taurus Mountains, Termessos stands as one of Turkey’s best-kept ancient treasures.Perge, an ancient city just beyond Antalya’s edge, holds ruins that trace their story back to the Hellenistic age-weathered stone streets still catch the late afternoon sun.It’s famous for its remarkably intact Roman ruins-a stadium where crowds once roared, a grand stone theater, and massive city gates.Olympos rests along Lycia’s sunlit coast, its weathered stones telling stories through a crumbling theater, worn bathhouses, and temples open to the sky.Close by, the Chimera burns day and night, with blue-orange flames licking out of the rocky ground, sparked by methane gas that ignites on its own.The area’s perfect for hiking-trails wind through tall pines, and you can hear the crunch of leaves underfoot as you explore.Mount Tahtalı, or Olympos, towers 2,365 meters (7,760 feet) above the sea, where the air is crisp and the Mediterranean coast stretches out in dazzling blue below.You can ride the cable car to the summit, watching the mountains roll out below and the sea glint in the distance.Just 29 miles east of Antalya, the Aspendos Theater rises in near-perfect condition-a Roman masterpiece whose stone seats still seem to echo with ancient voices.It still draws crowds today, packing in more than 15,000 people for concerts and lively festivals.All year long, Antalya comes alive with festivals that honor its music, art, and rich heritage-one week you might hear drums echoing through the old town, another you’ll see colorful lanterns lighting up the night.The Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, known in Turkish as Antalya Altın Portakal Film Festivali, is one of the country’s most prestigious events, drawing crowds each year to honor both Turkish cinema and films from around the world.Each year, the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival fills the stone arches of the ancient Roman theater with soaring arias, graceful ballet, and rich classical music.The Antalya Jazz Festival draws jazz lovers from all over, filling the warm night air with smooth, brassy notes.
Landmarks in antalya
