Antalya - Heaven on Earth

Merhaba! Here is the "Heaven on Earth", according to the traditional local story. Here is Antalya. Built by king Attalos II year 150 BC, and was first named "Attaleai", then later named in Turkish "Adalia" then "Antalya". And the city Antalya gave this Turkish province its name. And since then, the area entered the culture mixer: The Romans, Byzantines and Seljuks in turn occupied the region before it came under the Ottoman rule.
So Heaven on Earth! A multi-culture area, and now the Turkish Riviera.

Antalya is a coastal province between the Tauras Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, south west of Turkey. And this beautiful location made the province one of the important centers for the Turkish tourism and part of the Turkish Riviera (The Turquoise Coast). The province has a long shoreline (657 Km) with many districts: Kalkan, Kas, Kale, Finike, Kumluca, Kemer, Antalya, Aksu, Serik, Belek, Side, Manavgat, Alanya, Gazipasa and Saklikent to name most of them.
There are also a big amount of beaches: Cleopatra's Beach on the west of Alanya, Incekum Beach 20 km away from Alanya and good for camping, East Beach east of Alanya (Mersin - Alanya), Ulas Beach which is 6 km long, Koru Beach with its 3 natural sea pools, Lara Beach

12 Km east of Antalya, Konyaalti Beach 3 km. away Antalya, Kemer Beach, Phaselis Beach, Patara Beach preserved area, Tekirova Seaside, Finike Seaside, Adrasan Seaside with its natural port, Sorgun Beach, Karpuz Kaldiran Beach west of Lara Beach where you enjoy The Duden Water fall, and Adalar Beach.
Antalya besides its beaches offers fantastic historical places. Ariassos and Pisidian city is 48 km from Antalya along the Antalya-Burdur highway with its intact gate, baths and rock tombs. Olympos which is 90 Km southwest of Antalya city near the town of Kumluca. Antiphellos, Myra, Phellos and Sure in Kale. Arycanda, Limyra, Melanippe, Trebema, and Lycian rock graves in Finike. Lycian city of Phaselis in Kemer. Pamphylia and the temple of Athena in Side. The church of St. Nicholas (Nicholas of Myra, or the model for Santa Calus) in Demre. The caves of Beldibi, Damlatas and Karain and the Hidirlik Kulesi (clock tower) originally constructed as a lighthouse in the second century.

The area has it's natural beauty, the Manavgat Waterfall near the city of Side, the Kursunlu Waterfall 19 Km from Antalya, the Duden group of Waterfalls 12 km north-east of Antalya; which ends directly into the Mediterranean Sea, Koprulu canyon and National Park stretches 14 km along the Kopru River and is 400 meters deep in some places. At the rest area there are fish restaurants offering delicious food especially fresh trout. The Roman Oluk Bridge over the canyon and the Bugrum Bridge over the Kocadere stream were engineering feats of their time. Saklikent Canyon or the hidden city canyon is 18 Km long and 50 Km from Fethiye city in Antalya. The level of water rises during winter months and visitors can enter the canyon only in the summer. And there is Saklikent 50 km from Antalya and is a beautiful area for winter sports on Bakirli Mountain at an altitude of 1750-1900 meters. In March and April you can ski in the morning, eat a delicious lunch of fresh fish at Antalya's marina and sunbath, swim or wind surf in the afternoon.

And SmashHolidays.com offers the best way to stay in Antalya. The online hotel booking website has a good variety of Antalya hotels offering 3, 4 and 5 stars, half board or all inclusive meal plans, and prices that start with £200.00 per person 7 nights/8 days half board.

See some of Antalya best hotels here:

Lara Plaza Hotel
Adonis Hotel
Divan Hotel
The Marmara Antalya
Club Hotel Sera
Club Hotel Falcon
Nazar Beach Hotel
Lara Dinc Hotel


Useful phone numbers:

Ambulance Tel: 112

Police Tel: 155

Fire Tel: 110

Coast Guard Tel: 158

Tourism Info: 170

Tourism Police Tel: 527 45 03

Tourism Information Tel: 241 17 47

Akdeniz Clinic Tel: 229 06 59

Antalya Hospital Tel: 335 00 00

Antalya Gov. Hospital Tel: 243 50 60


(Ref. SmashHolidays Blog)