Antalya is the pearl of the Turkish Riviera -- an exciting major city, and a paradise for vacationing families from all over Europe. The coast features innumerable delightful beaches, with hotels and restaurants to suit all budgets peppering it in abundance. Those looking to break the streak of all-inclusive days by the pool will find a fascinating many ancient sites to explore in close vicinity.
In the 14th century, the explorer Ibn Batuta, the Muslim counterpart of Marco Polo, wrote that Antalya is one of the most beautiful cities you will ever see. Nowadays, visitors to the city can easily understand this point of view. Antalya - chief city on the eastern part of the Mediterranean coastline - is located on fertile and flat land with high and often snow-covered mountains in the background.
Those who want to make something extra with their holiday and really get acquainted with the history of the city will not be disappointed with Antalya. Karain, a cavern just north of the city, contains remnants of the oldest settlement in Turkey. Romans, Byzantines and “Seldjuks” have always characterised Antalya.
Today, Antalya is a mixture of a modern metropolis and an old-fashioned small town. In Kaleiçi, the visitor will experience the original Antalya. It is an oasis with its small mosques and its muddle of both renovated and ramshackle Ottoman wooden houses from the turn of the century. In the harbour, Yat Liman, there is a multitude of cosy small cafes and bars where you can sit down and relax as you enjoy the boat life in the bay nearby.Read More
