Antalya Travel Guide
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725km (450 miles) to Istanbul; 467km (290 miles) to Izmir; 298km (185 miles) to Fethiye; 435km (270 miles) to Marmaris; 634km (394 miles) to Nevsehir
The enormous and sun-kissed region of Antalya includes seaside towns well beyond the outstretched arms of the Gulf of Antalya, as far as Kas to the west and Alanya to the east. The beaches stretch for miles, summers are scorching, and the airport is conveniently close -- a winning combination that has made Antalya the focal point of the Turkish Mediterranean in just over 10 years. Only 25 years ago, Antalya was a ramshackle fishing village huddled around a harbor backed by Roman and pre-Roman ruins and Byzantine ramparts. The arrival of the Sheraton Voyager, the first international-class, five-star hotel to build on the coastline, proved to be the anchor that would attract more visitors, but it wasn't until as few as 10 year ago that the historic quarter of Kaleiçi experienced a renaissance that continues today. (By the time you read this, there may be nothing left to restore.) Kaleiçi has transformed itself from the ugly duckling of the Mediterranean to a cosmopolitan village, providing travelers with a pretty good reason to do more than just pass through Antalya's airport.
The restoration of Kaleiçi reflects the confidence that people have in the region, where nearby mountain ranges make Antalya and its surroundings the quintessential holiday destination.
Antalya offers an escape into a world where you can (downhill) ski in the morning and swim in the afternoon, explore underwater caves, go rafting through lofty canyons, or simply hide out under a straw parasol on a private beach. The city of Antalya is built on a rocky travertine plateau, formed by natural springs running down the Toros Mountains and surging off the cliffs, with the constant breathtaking silhouette of peaks and snowcaps in the distance. In addition to the wealth of outdoor pursuits, the area also has an overwhelming number of archaeological wonders. The Karain Cave, where 50,000-year-old artifacts were discovered, is the oldest human habitation in Anatolia. The ancient mountaintop ruins of Termessos continue to mock Alexander the Great's lone unsuccessful military campaign. Except in August, when temperatures go as high as 104°F (40°C), the climate always seems to cooperate, as Antalya gets no winter to speak of. Even Universal Pictures recognizes the region's promise, visible in the new 10-studio facility in the nearby town of Çandir, where the NBC miniseries Arabian Nights was filmed.
