Turkey series 7 - Antalya

 ANTALYA

Well, well. How was the cotton castle? Did you feel to take a dip in the hot spring? I just felt to go back to the place, while I wrote about it. We are finally at the last stop in Turkey. Uff, long journey, isn't it? But it was worth the trip. Now, let's focus on this blog.

Antalya is a coastal city, facing the Mediterranean Sea, in the southern part of the country. It is the fifth largest city in Turkey. It is another popular resort city. This city more or less looks resembles any Europe city with its diverse food, culture and people. Antalya is the most visited resort city especially among the Germans and Russians. The region holds more resorts than Spain.

                                        

(Antalya)

    

(Map showing Antalya)

Antalya was founded by the Greek king Attalus and the city was named after him as Attalia. Later, it was renamed to Antalya in Turkish. Later, the city came under the Roman rule.

After the first World War, Italy took over Antalya and ruled over. However, under Ataturk, very soon this became a part of modern Turkey. To mark this landmark achievement, a statue has been erected in the memory. This place is called the Republic Square and is main square of the city. The statue shows Ataturk on a horse and a girl and a boy beneath the horse, which depicts the youth. This monument is also called the National Ascension Monument. Towards the west of the Republic Square is the old town, which I will explain further.

(Republic Square)

During the Roman rule, the city was developed. Earlier, the city was walled and now this part of the town is called Kaleci or the old town. One can see small streets, old houses and many architectural structures. Now the city has grown outside these walls and is far bigger. However, the old town is now famous for its pubs and a pretty good night life. Colorful pretty pubs and coffee shops are found here which provide great multi-cuisine food and musical nights.

(A street in old town, Kaleci)

(A coffee shop)

As I said, there are many architectural monuments in the old town. I will take you through some of them below.

Hadrian's Gate was built in the 2nd century by Romans in honor of Emperor Hadrian. This is three-way gate and one can pass through it to enter the old town. 

(Hadrian's gate)

(Hadrian's gate at night)

Another important monument is the Hidirlik tower. This served as a watch tower across the sea where the military could keep an eye of enemy and pirate attacks. Now, the place adjacent to the tower is a cool sightseeing place. One can sit here and enjoy the cool breeze blowing across the Mediterranean. There is also a garden you can see a lot of people taking a stroll here.

(Hidirlik tower)

(View from Hidirlik tower)

(Yivliminare Mosque - Notice the grooves on the minaret. 

present in the old town)

The old town ends along the Marina Bay. A lot of boats are available here which take you through day trips along the Riviera and the Konyatti beach.

(Marina bay at night)

(Boats on the bay)

Apart from the old town, Antalya has a lot of waterfalls. The most famous among them is the Duden waterfall. The water from the Duden river gushes down from the hilltop and falls into the Mediterranean Sea. The view is majestic as the sun beats down. There is a boat trip too from the Marina Bay to the falls. One can take a trip to this from the bay area.

(Duden waterfall)

(Duden river)

Antalya is well maintained with lots of gardens and park. There is a promenade along the bay where one can take stroll in the evenings with the cool breeze blowing across. There are a few places where one can just sit and watch the sunset. Also, as I mentioned, there a lot of cafes. One can sip a coffee or a drink whilst enjoying the views.

(Gardens and fountains in the city)

(View from one the sunset points)

(Turkish coffee)

(View from one of the cafes)

Antalya is a must visit place in Turkey and one of my favorites too. Since it is a coastal city, the temperature is humid and hotter than the other places in Turkey. There are a lot of European eateries here offering Italian, Greek and Turkish food. In the old town area, one can try Turkish coffee and Turkish ice creams. And not to forget the high number of pubs in the old town vicinity. I have mentioned a few restaurants below:

• Luna Garden
• Mermerli Restaurant
• Adana Kebab
• Boboli Garden
• Roberts Coffee

    

(Turkish pizza - must try in Turkey. 

Available in veg and non-veg)

Antalya is a resort town so there are a lot of resorts and hotels available. From a budget hotel to luxury, all types are available.

There is an airport here and it is the cheapest way to reach here from Istanbul, Ankara and Cappadocia. One can take a cab and go on a day tour to Pamukkale and Ephesus. Within the city, the tram is the best way to traverse. However, to reach other places, there are buses available. Also, one can book a cab via Uber too.

There are a few national parks around Antalya. One can go for activities like hiking, rafting, zip-lining etc. These are a little far away from the city so it is better to make arrangements with any tour operators. One can also do scuba diving as it is a coastal city but it is not well known for marine life.

(Tram in Antalya)

One can do a self-planned trip in Turkey too. Book flights wherever applicable. One can also rent a car and cover the Cappadocia, Antalya, Pamukkale and Ephesus and then fly back to Istanbul. But be careful with the lane discipline and the speed limit. Also, it is a right-handed drive so mind that. Budget hotels and airbnbs are available. Food can be a problem for vegetarians as most Turkish food is non-vegetarian. However, breads are soft and fresh, and a lot of fresh fruits are available here. I have also mentioned Indian restaurants wherever possible. Also, one should be careful while shopping especially in Istanbul. There can be racial spurts, but it is better to ignore them.

The total cost of my trip was 1,50,000/- rupees. This is including the airfares, accommodation, food, internal transfers, hot air balloon and shopping. If you self-plan a trip, the cost can get a little cheaper. The best time to visit Turkey is April to May and September to October. June is the hottest month so avoid that. From November end, the temperature starts to dip so be careful to carry thermals. In January, some parts of Turkey experience heavy snowfall. Some places offer skiing as an activity during this time. Do a good research on the activities before leaving as some may get closed like the hot air balloon. It is better to book the activities at the venue rather than advance booking.

This blog brings the curtains down on the Turkey series. I enjoyed the Turkey trip a lot. This was one of my dream destinations and I am happy to have ticked it off my bucket list. I enjoyed writing this series too as it took me back to the happy memories. If you get a chance, then don't miss Turkey. You can contact me if you need to plan a trip here. I hope I made the blogs interesting, and you had fun. Keep filling in with your comments and feedback. Until next blog, bye bye!

In case you missed my previous blogs in this series, here are the links:

Pamukkale

Troy

Ephesus

Istanbul

Hot Air Balloon

Cappadocia