The Turkish Riviera is the southern coastal strip of Turkey and one of the most popular summer holiday destinations. The region is particularly popular among all-inclusive vacationers. Between sun, sea and beach, the region between Antalya and Alanya also has numerous ancient sights and natural spectacles to offer.
While the Turkish Riviera is flat and has long sandy beaches, the Aegean coast is characterized by mountainous landscapes and romantic bays.
The city of Antalya also has a beautiful old town to offer - this is called Kaleiçi. The clock tower is located on the edge of the old town, which is why we started our exploration tour from there. Near the clock tower is another attraction, the Yivli Minare - a mosque, which the locals often refer to as the city's landmark. The best views of this impressive structure are from nearby Republic Square. Other sights in the city include Hadrian's Gate, the marina and the Archaeological Museum.
If you are looking for peace and relaxation, Belek is ideal for it, it is also wonderful to hike in the pine forests around Belek. If you want to experience something more than Side has a lot more to offer.
Antalya, on the other hand, is known for its historical and cultural wealth, its magnificent beaches and its luxurious resorts.
Alanya is the epitome of a relaxed and carefree tourist attraction. The choice between Side and Alanya ultimately depends on your personal preferences. If you are interested in history and archaeology, Side might be a better choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a livelier holiday with beautiful beaches, Alanya might suit you better.
In Side, which is characterized by tourism, there are numerous restaurants and cafés as well as many colourful shops and souvenir shops that invite you to stroll around. In particular, the pretty old town and its ancient ruins, along with the picturesque beaches, are among the city's best-known and most popular sights.
If you drive the road between Karaman and Mut, you should take a short break at the village of Geçimli (Malya) and ask passers-by for directions to the church grotto and the monastery of Alaoda. There was no signage at that time.
Adana Airport (Turkish Adana Şakirpaşa Havalimanı) is one of the largest Turkish airports and is located near Adana.
A really nondescript town on the Turkish Riviera, which has got its fame almost exclusively due to its car-ferry harbor: Taşucu - Ferry to Girne / Kyrenia on Northern Cyprus.
After visiting Yilan Kalesi near Ceyhan and the Lambron Castle near Camliyaila, we drove back to Tarsus and then took the coastal road D 400 in the direction of Silifke via Anamur and Gazipasa to Alanya.
What do paragliders, at least some of them, do when wind and weather conditions do not offer good flight conditions? Yes, right, you climb freely and without any equipment on the rocks of the take off.
Our journey through Southeast Anatolia also led to the biblical Antioch (Antakya) on the Asi, the river which in ancient times was called Orontes and is mentioned in biblical records.
Apamea on Orontes river: Originally the city was called Pharnakes, after the conquest by Alexander the Great it was also called Pella for a short time.
For the past two centuries, the region of the rising sun, the Middle East, often referred to by Europeans as the Orient, has been an essential part of archaeological research and the history of human development and their settlement areas.
Long before the Turkish colonization of Anatolia and the two-stream country came about, there were successive high cultures that ruled the country. The earliest traces of human settlement in the region were discovered southwest of Antakya:
The empire of Alexander the Great had been passed to his diadochi and was divided among them, historically followed the Seleucids as the ruling dynasty, another great power of Mesopotamia.
Leaving Antalya towards Burdur and Isparta on the 650/350 road, you will reach the fork for Korkutelli or Termessos after about 11 kilometers.
In the ancient city of Sagalassos, which dates back to 25 BC when getting under Roman rule, archaeologists working there examined a bathing complex and a latrine integrated into it,
Once again we want to use the still wonderful warm sunny days in December to visit some more destinations from our seemingly endless list of places to visit or short travel destinations.
The Salda Lake is the most famous and clearest crater lake in southern Turkey, the lake is located within the Yeşilova district in Burdur district, only about 150 kilometers from Antalya.
Antalya Airport (IATA: AYT, ICAO: LTAI) is 10 km (6 miles) east of the city center of Antalya, Turkey. The airport is operated in Turkey's primary holiday destination located on the country’s Mediterranean coast. The airport is big and modern, built to accommodate the millions of passengers who come to Turkey's Mediterranean beaches in summer.
Located on the western end of the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey, Antalya has been one of the most important commercial ports of Anatolia throughout its long history, has constantly been settled after second century AD and hosted many voyagers as part of their itinerary.
This walk can be completed within a morning or afternoon hike, or as long as you want it to enjoy it! Start at the Kaleiçi (Old Quarter) and walk down to the ancient marina or, if you wish, start at the marina itself.
The Suna & İnan Kıraç Research Institute on Mediterranean Civilizations, within the Vehbi Koç Foundation, is an international cultural institution chartered to encourage and support researches to study, document, protect, and restore the historical, archaeological, ethnographical and cultural assets of Antalya and her environs; and to elucidate the region’s deep-rooted relations with the Mediterranean region.
The magnificent place of Düden Waterfall is about 10 kilometers distance to the beaches South East of Antalya away and can easily be reached by dolmus or with a rented car on well prepared asphalt roads.
The Hadrians Gate (Turkish: Üçkapılar = "the three gates") - is a significant landmark of Antalya, the ancient Attaleia, next to the famous harbor in the old town center of Kaleici.