Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, bathed in sunshine for 300 days in a year is a paradise for water sports and mountain climbing. If you come to Antalya in March and April, you can ski the slopes in the mornings and swim the warm sea in the afternoons! Important historical sites await your discovery set among pine forests, olive and citrus groves and plantations of palm, avocado and plantain. 

The elegant, fluted minaret of the Yivli Minare (Grooved Minaret) has become Antalya’s symbol. The Karatay Medrese (theological college) in the Kaleci district exemplifies the best of Sejluk stone carving. The two most important Ottoman mosques in the city are the 16th century Murat Pasa Mosque remarkable for its tile decoration, and the 18th century Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque.

Near the seafront is the attractive late 19^th century Iskele Mosque built of cut stone and set on four pillars over a natural spring. The Hirdirlik Kulesi (tower) was probably constructed as a lighthouse in the second century. Hadriaynus Kapisi (Hadrian’s Gate) is a monumental gate built in 130 AD for the Roman Emperor’s visit. The Archaeological Museum has remains from the Paleolithic Age to Ottoman times and offers a glimpse of the area’s rich history. The Ataturk Museum has objects used by him through his lifetime.  

Antalya has a full range of accommodation ranging from deluxe to tourist class hotels. The people of Antalya are very hospitable making it appropriately Turkey’s tourism capital. For local sight seeing use the mini buses, beach buses and dolmus.

It is a good base from which to visit the quieter beach towns as well as the more grand cities of the past. The beaches at Side, 75 km away and east of Antalya, chosen in early times for a tryst between Mark Antony and Cleopatra; at Alanya, 115 km east of Antalya, and at Patara a few hundred km southwest of Antalya are all very popular among the sun and sand lovers.

Aspendos, has Turkey’s best preserved ancient theatre dating to 2nd century AD. It is still used for the performances during the Antalya Festival in September.

Termessos perched on the mountains, to the west of Antalya, has a wild and splendid landscape. Side, once a beautiful seaside village and also the main slave market in this area is crowded with tourists and shops. It has some impressive Roman ruins including a Roman Bath (a small museum now), the old city walls, a huge amphitheatre, and seaside marble temples to Apollo and Athena. It also has excellent beaches, which are crowded with tourists. Mini buses take you to and from the tourist sites in Side. 

For tourist information, contact telephone number  (242) 247 6298 and 241 1747. National Airlines have daily non-stop flights from Antalya to Ankara and Istanbul, and weekly nonstop flights to Amman, Lefkosa (Nicosia), London, Tel Aviv and Zurich. Buses go regularly from the Otogar (bus terminus) to Alanya, Konya, Nevsehir (for Cappadocia), Side and other towns.  

For more detailed country information, see Turkey.