GENERAL INFORMATION

Area : 20,723 km²

Population: 2,328,555

Geographical Location: Antalya province is a tourism center in the south of Turkey, with its center on the Mediterranean coast. North; Burdur, Isparta, Konya, east; Karaman, Mersin, west; Muğla provinces. To the south, it is surrounded by the Mediterranean. The length of the Turkish Riviera's Antalya coast reaches 630 km.

  

Tourist Attractions
Antalya and its surrounding is an important and noteworthy touristy center on the Mediterranean Coast with its perfect climate and splendid harmony of archaeological, historical and natural beauties, throughout the year. Daily tours to surrounding touristy areas like Side, Alanya and Termessos are available, in addition to longer tours to Pamukkale or Cappadocia or anywhere you would like to go. Professional tourist guides are also available

Kaleici ;It is surrounded by inner and outer walls in the shape of a horseshoe, most of which have 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. To the Ministry of Tourism for the restoration work of the "Antalya-Kaleiçi Complex", On April 28, 1984, the Golden Apple Tourism Oscar award was given by FIJET (International Association of Tourism Writers). Today, Kaleiçi has become an entertainment center with its hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars.

Old Antalya Houses: In Antalya, where the summers are very hot and the winters are mild, in the construction of the old houses, importance was given to preventing the sun and providing coolness rather than the cold. Shaded rockeries and courtyards are features that facilitate airflow. It is built on three floors with an entrance serving as a warehouse and hall.

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.

Karatay Madrasa: It is one of the important Turkish-Islamic structures in the city center and it was built in the XIII. It was built in the middle of the century.

Evdir Han:  Until the beginning of the 20th century, transportation was provided by horses and camels, and trade goods were transported with these animals. The caravans stayed on the roads, in the "Han" and in the caravanserais. Evdir Han is one of them. It is on the road from Antalya to the north. 1 km of today's Antalya-Korkuteli highway. east and 18 km from the city center. away. The most striking part is the pointed arched portal. XIII. It is a Seljuk work made at the beginning of the century.

Kırkgöz Inn:  The second stop on the Antalya – Afyon old road is Kırkgöz Inn. Kırkgöz Han is 30 km from Antalya. It is located in Kırkgöz, Pınarbaşı locality. It is in a very solid condition.

Duden Waterfalls: Approximately 10 km from the city center of Antalya. This waterfall in the northeast is one of the natural beauties symbolizing the city. It is poured from a height of 20 meters. Its main source is Kırkgöz locality. Lower Düden Waterfall is on the way to Lâra Beach. It pours into the sea from the cliffs at a height of 40 meters in the southeast of the city center. It is one of the iconic natural beauties of Antalya.

Kurşunlu Waterfall: Take the turn on the 24th km of the Alanya road to the east of the city center, and 7 km from the Isparta road. available later. This natural wonder is also one of the most visited places. It is as if the waterfall came from 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 venues in many Turkish films. All of them can be easily reached by bus.

Lara - Konyaaltı Beach: 10 km from the city center of Antalya. The natural wonder Lâ ra Beach in the east and Konyaaltı Beach on the west coast of Antalya center are the most beautiful coasts of the city.

Perge: It is 18 km east of Antalya, near Aksu Subdistrict. It is an important Pamphylia city as it is located on the Cilicia - Pisidia trade route. Its foundation coincides with other Pamphylian cities (VII century BC). Perge was an important city for Christians. St. Paulos and Barnabas came to Perge. Some wealthy people, such as Magna Plancia, have brought important monuments here. In Perge, where the first excavations were started by Istanbul University in 1946; Remains of the city consisting of Theatre, Stadium, Colonnaded Street and Agora were found.

Karain Cave: 27 km from Antalya. The ruins found in the Karain Cave within the borders of Yağcılar, in the northwest, belong to the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze ages. This cave is one of the must-see places.

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Sightseeing
City Walls: The memorial Hadrian Arch and The Clock Tower are remarkable and date back to Hellenistic era.

Kaleici: This is the nucleus of a city which embraced many civilizations during time. It is now restored and has became a most attractive touristy center with its hotels, restaurants, shopping and entertainment facilities. Kaleici retains all the original ancient Turkish archaeological characteristics. The port’s marina has been completely restored and is well worth visiting. The restoration activities in Kaleici won the Golden Apple Prize, the Oscar of tourism.

Antalya Museum: A prize winning museum and one of the most notable archaeology museums, of the world. It is also the only museum in Turkey with a children’s department exhibiting ancient monuments appealing to children.

Hadrian’s Gate: This ornamental marble arch was constructed in 2nd century BC by the Romans in honour of the Emperor Hadrian. It is the most amazing area in the whole ancient Pamphylia region.

Kesik Minaret (Broken Minaret): Once a Byzantine Panaglia church, later converted into a mosque.

Yivli Minaret: This fluted minaret of 13th century was built by the Seljuks. Decorated with dark blue and turquoise tiles, the minaret eventually became the symbol of the city.

Karatay Medresesi, Hidirilk Tower, Ahi Yusuf Mescidi, Iskele Mosque, Murat Pasa Mosque, Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque, Balibey Mosque, Musellim Mosque, Seyh Sinan Efendi Mosque and Osman Efendi Mosque are other places to be visited.
“Han”s are Seljuk or Ottoman inns which have architectural significance. Some worth visiting are the Evdir Han, Klrkoz Han, Alara Han and Castle and Sarapsu (Serapsu) Han.

Ancient Cities
Termessos: It is a Pisidyan city with remnants of an agora, theatre and an odeon. It has a reputation of being the most magnificent necropolis on the Mediterranean, 35 kms northwest of Antalya.

Perge: 18 kms northeast of Antalya. The ruins are spread on two hills, the theatre on one and the acropolis on the other. According to the legend the city was built by three heroes from Troy.

Sillyon: 34 kms from Antalya on the Alanya direction. It is situated between Aspendos and Perge and dates back to 4th.century BC.

Aspendos: One of the most important Pamphilian cities. It is situated on the point where the Kopru River meets the sea. Once an important port and a commercial centre, it has a reputation for raising the best horses on earth. The odeon, basilica, galleria and fountains are worth seeing.

Life style :Antalya and its surroundings have the legacy of two lifestyles that have been floating for centuries. When the Turks first came here, they immediately followed the settled order; They established villages, towns and cities. A part of the population, on the other hand, continued the nomadic life as before the Turks came to Anatolia. According to this lifestyle, which means semi-settled, there are at least 15-20 families that are related to each other, and sometimes hundreds of families; They lived in hairy tents, went up to the mountains in the summer, and went down to the warm plains called winter quarters in the winter. They raised animals such as camels and sheep and made a living by exchanging or selling the products they produced with the products of the settled people. They produced meat, milk, oil, and weaving hair tents and rugs with natural madder. There were even those who planted grains and vegetables in narrow areas in the winter quarters. In fact, large groups of nomads (tribes, tribes, etc.)

 

Turkish rugs, which adorn Europe's most important museums today, are the handiwork of these people. A very large part of today's folk music culture is inherited from nomads. The greatest poets of Turkish folk poetry and music such as Karacaoğlan and Dadaloğlu are the representatives of this culture. While those who have lived a settled life in rural villages for a long time describe themselves with terms such as "native, peasant", if you go to a village where the nomads have settled collectively, they say "This is the village of Yörük". You can hear such descriptions in almost every part of Turkey. However, although people emphasize this ancient difference in life in this way, they all have the same root and are Turkish. Aslı, they do not look at each other differently and see this as a wealth.

Today, Turkey is one of the countries that best adapts to contemporary modern life and uses technology in the best way. But today, there are a few small nomadic groups that have both nostalgic and cultural value and have continued their lives for thousands of years. Their number does not exceed a few hundred individuals. Sadly, only camels remained from that way of life. If you go, you will see decorated camels carrying tourists with bells and bells in Belek, Manavgat and Alanya during the summer months. These camels are a souvenir from those days. You will also see Yoruk tents in Kemer and on the Antalya Kumluca road, which also serve local and foreign tourists. In these tents, which look like a semi-museum, you can eat ayran and pancakes unique to the Yoruks. Even today, the local people of Antalya go to highlands such as Gömbe, Sütlegen and Alanya when they have the opportunity. This tradition It is a memory of their ancestors. In some districts such as Alanya, you will see that the snow stored in the wells of the Taurus Mountains in winter is brought to the district center in August, turned into sherbet and sold by peddlers. Again, this is just one of the old traditions of the nomads.

Local Dishes: The basis of the diet of the nomads is determined by the foods obtained from livestock and wheat. Although a small amount of fresh vegetables are produced on the coastline, wheat and dried vegetables gain weight as you go to the inner regions. It is possible to find all the world cuisines in Antalya in touristic hotels and restaurants. But local dishes unique to the region are: Fried hair, Tandoori kebab, Kölle (wheat, beans, chickpeas and broad beans), Tomato juice, Hibeş, Arapaşi.

Climate: In Antalya, where the Mediterranean climate is dominant, winters are mild and rainy, and summers are hot and dry.

Transportation: Transportation is provided by road, air and sea. Antalya airport is open to international air traffic.