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World > Turkey > Antalya
City Guide Antalya
Overview
General Information
Antalya is a beautifully sunny seaside city located on the Mediterranean in southwestern Turkey. It is surrounded by gorgeous, picturesque scenery and is located on the top of a cliff over the sea. Famous for its beaches, Antalya has 290 km of natural beach on the southern side and is and bordered by the Taurus mountains on the north. The centre of the city is located on a rocky plain right next to the coast. Antalya has become one of the country’s most desireable vacation spots and is a modern city with a relaxed, Mediterranean atmosphere. It is also an ancient city going back to Greek and Roman times, and has many sites that survive from this period. The city was founded in 158 B.C. by the Roman king Attalos and called Attaleia at the time. The strong walls of the city were built by Emperor Hadrian and reinforced by the Byzantines many years later to defend themselves from the Arabs. Only a little over 25 years ago, however, Antalya was little more than a rustic fishing village with its ancient architecture falling into disrepair. But the building of a five-star hotel in the 1970s put the town on the path toward becoming a resort hotspot, and the restoration of landmarks and new efforts toward historical preservation of the old town quickly transformed Antalya into a real Mediterranean gem. It has a population of approximately 775,157 and is the capital of the large Antalya Province.
Weather
Antalya has a typical Mediterranean climate with a great deal of sun, hot, dry summers, and very mild, fairly rainy winters. The city gets around 300 days of sun a year, with most of the cloudy and rainy days falling in autumn and winter. Winter temperatures tend to fall between 6 - 16˚C, while in summer the usual range is between 19 - 35˚C, though temperatures of 40-45˚C are not unheard of. However, even when the weather is extremely hot, the sea breeze helps to make it feel bearable. The sea temperature is always delightfully warm, and almost never goes below 17˚C at any time of year. In summer, the water temperature often reaches 27 or 28˚C.
Language
The language of Antalya is Turkish. English and German are the main second languages and are generally spoken at all tourist sites and hotels, as well as other places if you are lucky.
Religion
Turkey is 99% Sunni Muslim, though a large number of people are not practicing. The last 1% is made up primarily of Christians and Jews.
Currency
The currency used in Turkey is the New Turkish Lira, or lira for short. The official abbreviation of the currency is YTL. One lira is made of 100 kurus. Notes are printed in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lira, and the coins in use have values of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 kurus.
Tipping
Tips are generally more modest in Turkey than other European countries, and can be only a small percent of the price or a rounding up of the bill. However, as Americans tend to leave large tips, many Turks now expect generous tips from them. In restaurants it is much appreciated to leave a tip of between 5 - 10% of the bill. Tipping is not necessary per se, but is customary if the service was satisfactory. In more expensive, luxury restaurants, you should leave a slightly bigger tip, between 10 - 15%. As far as taxis go, don’t leave a percentage tip, but instead just round the bill up to the nearest lira or a convenient amount. If you go to a Turkish bath, the attendants will expect a tip when they line up to say goodbye. If the service has been good, leave a tip of about 15% of what you were charged, spread out among them. It is also customary to tip tour guides and porters who help with your bags a few lira.
Taxes
The VAT in Turkey varies depending on what you are buying. Goods and services that are considered essential are taxed between 1 - 8% of the value, depending on what they are. The tax on services from banks and insurance companies, for example, is 5%. VAT for everything else is 18%. Taxes are levied on imports but not on exports. Details of exactly what items and quantities you can bring in to the country untaxed can be found at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travelg293969c77270/Turkey:Duty.Free.Allowances.Into.Turkey.html
Telephone
There are many public telephone boxes in Antalya and throughout Turkey. Most of them can only be operated by inserting a calling card, which you can buy in various values at post offices, convenience stores, and some supermarkets. There are also metered telephones located in most post offices, where you pay at the counter after you have completed the call. If you want to use your mobile in Turkey, it is cheap and easy to purchase a Turkish SIM card from one of the phone shops in town. The country code for Turkey is +90.
Internet
There are many internet cafés in Antalya and many hotels also offer internet access. Wifi access if more limited, but is available at the airport and a few other public places. Internet cafés are generally easy to spot in the centre of town, and can be found on Varlik Mah., Antalya Cad., Corner Cukurbagli cad., and in the Cumhuriyet Meydani shopping centre, for example.
Emergency Numbers
Ambulance: 112 Fire: 110 Police: 155
Opening Times
In general, shops are open Mon- Sat from 9 am until 7 or 8 pm, though some close earlier at 5 pm. Some shops are also open on Sunday, but it depends on the owners. The opening times of musuems vary, but are typically from 8 or 8.30 am - 5 or 6 pm. Banks are open Mon- Fri 9 am - 5 pm.
Public Holidays
On the following days, most shops, banks and museums will be closed, and public transport is likely to be more limited. 1 January, New Year’s Day 23 April, National Independence and Children’s Day 19 May, Atatürk Commemoration and Youth Day 30 August, Victory Day 28 and 29 October, Republic Day September/October (dates vary), Feast of Ramadan (3 days long) December (dates vary), Sacrifice Feast (4 days long)
Safety
Turkey is comparable in safety to America and the average European countries. Antalya is basically as safe as you can expect a normal city to be, though it naturally has its share of crime. If you follow basic common sense safety precautions it is very unlikely that you will the victim of any crime during your stay. Pickpocketing and theft are the most common crimes against tourists, which you can avoid by keeping a close watch on your belongings and carrying valuables in a very secure place. Rape and violent crimes are rare, but minimize your risk by not walking alone at night, especially in seedier areas.
Sightseeing
Kesik Minaret Complex
A memorial to the mixed history of Antalya is the Kesik (truncated) Minaret Mosque in Kaleici. Originally built as a church several modifications were made during the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods.
Discovering Antalya
Antalya is an idyllic place to visit and has much more to offer than its ever-popular sun-filled beaches. Both the city centre and the surrounding countryside have several ancient landmarks and ruins from the Roman and medieval eras, and the streets of Antalya are filled with beautiful historic buildings and mosques from different ages. The old quarter is called Kaleici and is known for its narrow, winding streets and noteworthy historic architecture, characterized by half-timbered houses, stone arches and turrets, and lovely tucked-away gardens. The old harbour is another favourite tourist attraction, set into the cliffs and bordered by an ancient citadel wall. In addition to these old areas of the city, there is the up-and-coming district of Konyaalti, just west of the city centre, which is full of long stretches of prime beachfront and lots of new buildings and hotels, as well as some musuems. There are also many outdoor activities that Antalya and its surrounding region is perfect for, including scuba diving, sailing, paragliding, rafting, mountain climbing, biking, and more. And because Antalya has become a major tourist centre, the city is full of different kinds of restaurants, shops, pubs and other interesting places to visit.
Hadrian''s Gate
Hadrian’s gate is part of the ancient town wall that survives from the Hellenistic and Roman period, located on the eastern side of the old town. The gate is an impressive, triple-arched sandstone structure flanked by two large towers that was built in honour of Emperor Hadrian in 130 A.D when he visited Antalya. The gate is amazingly well-preserved and its beautiful sculptural decoration is still very clear.
Old Harbour
Antalya’s Old Harbour is a beautiful historic marina that goes back to Roman times, located just below the recently restored citadel. The harbour is bordered with citadel walls on two sides along the slopes and is nestled into a recess in the cliffs below the Kaleici district, offering lovely vistas of the water and the city. The marina is still used today and is full of many kinds of small water craft. The area around the Old Harbour has also become a very popular tourist district, with many trendy restaurants, shops and bazaars. The harbour area is also used in the summer for a variety of open air concerts and other events.
Yivli Minare
One of Antalya’s most striking landmarks, the Yivli Minare or Fluted Minaret is part of the Yivli Minare Mosque, built in the 13th century and located just northeast of the Old Harbour. The 38 metre tall minaret is a great example of Seljuk architecture and is constructed from an octagonal drum on a square base, on top of which the ornate fluted shaft is mounted. Many consider this minaret to be the symbol of Antalya, and it is one of the city’s most photographed monuments.
Hidirlik Tower
A famous landmark on the sea, the Hidirlik Tower is old lighthouse tower above steep cliffs, believed to be built during the Hellenistic period. It was originally a square construction, but was turned into a circular tower in the 2nd century AD. It is located right next to the beautiful Karaali Park Gardens, an ancient “tea garden” where as legend has it, the Roman senator who is buried in the tower used to gather and relax with his family. Today the tower is also surrounded by various nice cafés and restaurants that offer amazing views over the Gulf of Antalya.
Damlatas Cave
This amazing ancient cave is located in the nearby town of Alanya, only 3 km from the centre of Antalya. The cave is spacious, 30 metres in length and 200 square metres total, and is located 15 metres above the coast. Inside, there are dramatic rock formations such as stalactites and stalagmites, which formed approximately 20,000 years ago. In addition to its natural beauty, the cave is believed to offer theraputic effects, particularly for those suffering from asthma. This is due because of its carbon dioxide gases, low temperature, humidity, and slightly radioactive atmopshere.
Roman Ruins and the Flame of C
Just west of the Gulf of Antalya is a large national park called Beydaglari Milli Parki, which stretches from the coast into the mountains and is about 700 square km in total. In addition to the natural beauty of the park, it contains many attractions in the form of Roman ruins. There are the remains of a Roman theatre, a temple, defensive walls and tombs, as well as a Byzantine basilica. The ruins are overgrown but impressive, and located in incredibly picturesque surroundings. The ancient city of Olympos is located in the southern section of the park, and contains one of the region’s most famous and mysterious attractions, the eternal flame of Chimaera. The flames are created by natural gases escaping from crevices in the rocks, and have burned here since ancient times. It is difficult to see the gases in daylight, but at night they are even visible far out to sea. If you wish to reach the rock where the flames come from, you must first complete a strenuous climb, going 300m above the ruins of Olympos.
Iskele Mosque
This attractive mosque was built in the 19th century and is located right next to the Old Harbour. It is small and constructed of elegant white stonework on top of four pillars. It has beautiful decoration inside and a wonderful view of the harbour and a natural spring that is located below.
Murat Pasa Mosque
One of the older mosques in Antalya, the Murat Pasa Mosque was built by Kuyucu Murat Pasa in 1570. It has a high dome intricately decorated on the inside with designs and inscriptions that are considered to be the most beautiful example of Seljuk calligraphy. Another highlight inside is the marble pulpit decorated with bas-relief.
Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque
An 18th mosque in the Kalekapisi district, the Teleki Mehmet Pasa Mosque is one of the most prominent in the city, located very near to the clock tower. It was built in the Ottoman period by Tekeli Mehmet Pasa and has long been a major focal point for the muslim faith. Like most of the mosques in Turkey, it has strikingly beautiful decoration inside and out.
Municipal Park
This is a stately park located near to Hadrian’s Gate and the Town Hall. It extends to the edge of the cliffs and offers beautiful views over the Gulf as well as the Hidirlik tower. The park is a great place for a picnic, a relaxing walk or a bike ride and is full of date palms and the distinctive greenery of the region.
Antalya Beach Park
This is the most popular beach bathing spot and includes a boardwalk with shops and restaurants. The place is quite touristy but also very scenic, and usually has a blue flag raised, meaning that the water is clean. The beach is a popular family spot, usually full of kids playing ball as well as many sunbathers.
Aqualand
A waterpark located very near to Antalya Beach Park, Aqualand is a fun place to go if you get tired of the beach but still want to play around in the water. It has a scenic location near the cliffs of the beach. They have waterslides, swimming pools and a wave pool, which usually has more action than the mild surf of Konyaalti Beach. There is also a restaurant and disco within the water park, as well as a daycare centre for children. Opening times: May - Oct, daily 9.30 am - 6 pm
Beydagari Milli National Park
Just west of the Gulf of Antalya is a large national park called Beydaglari Milli Parki, which stretches from the coast into the mountains and is about 700 square km in total. The ancient city of Olympos is located in the southern section of the park, and contains one of the region’s most famous and mysterious attractions, the eternal flame of Chimaera. The flames are created by natural gases escaping from crevices in the rocks, and have burned here since ancient times. It is difficult to see the gases in daylight, but at night they are even visible far out to sea. If you wish to reach the rock where the flames come from, you must first complete a fairly strenuous climb, going 300m above the ruins of Olympos. In addition to the flames and the natural beauty of the park, Beydagari also contains many attractions in the form of Roman ruins. There are the remains of a Roman theatre, a temple, defensive walls and tombs, as well as a Byzantine basilica. The ruins are overgrown but impressive, and located in incredibly picturesque surroundings.