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Antalya

Country:
Turkey
State:
Antalya Ili
City:
Antalya
Type of Location:
Multiple
About Location

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Places to Visit
How to Reach

By Air

One of the easiest ways to get to Antalya is to fly directly to Antalya International Airport, which is not far from the city. The modern airport handles domestic and international flights from Budapest, Moscow, Amsterdam, Zurich, Helsinki, Brussels, Stockholm, Venice, London and other cities. Alternatively, fly to Istanbul and from here get a connecting flight to Antalya, which takes about an hour. There are several flights per day from Istanbul to Antalya. Many of the major airlines, including Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines, have linked with Turkish airlines to provide a service where passengers can check their luggage straight through to Antlaya, despite needing to change flights at Istanbul.

Facilities at Antalya International Airport are superb and include excellent duty-free shopping at the Departures and Arrivals halls. There are also several restaurants and cafs serving international and local cuisine. Other facilities include baby-change rooms, public phones, welcome and information counters, car rental services, more than 10 travel agent counters to assist travellers, banking and postal services. There are also facilities for the passengers who have reduced mobility.

Just outside the airport is the taxi stand and there are always taxis waiting to take you into town. The drivers speak English and the fares are fixed by the municipality. You can also choose to arrive in town by hiring a limousine from the airport, but this is far more expensive than using a taxi. Several hotels will arrange a transfer service for an extra fee. You can also reach the city by taking one of the frequent shuttle buses that run from the airport to the major hotels and landmarks within the city. The fares have all been fixed and the drivers are pleasant and helpful.

By Ferry

Travellers can get to Antalya by ferry. In many cases, this would involve getting a ferry to Istanbul and then connecting to Antalya. There are services from Greece, Italy and many other places in Europe to Istanbul. Travelling by ferry is very comfortable, but depending on the destination port, journeys can be quite long. There are ferries which carry vehicles, but travellers are advised to book early for these services. Several cruise ships also sail the Mediterranean and dock at Istanbul, Antalya, Bandirma and other major ports in Turkey. These include services operated by the CTC Epirotiki, Costa Shipping, Norwegian Line, Golden Sun Cruises and several other cruise companies.

By Rail

The Turkish State Railways provides good rail services that link to most major cities in Turkey. The fares are reasonable and the trains are comfortable, with restaurants, lounges, sleeping cars and couchettes. Although there is a choice of first or second class travel, there are no air conditioned services available. Trains from Austria, France, Switzerland, Jordan, Kuwait, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Yugoslavia, the UK and several other cities all arrive at Istanbul. From here, passengers will have to connect to Antalya via train, bus, flight or car.

By Bus

Several bus companies offer services from Austria, France, Germany, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Syria to Turkey, using luxury buses that ensure comfort on the long drive. These buses arrive at Istanbul, where passengers can connect to Antalya by bus, car, flight or train. Bus services run every 30 minutes to Antalya.

Key places to visit
Pergae, Beaches, Phaselis Ruins, Termessos, Truncated Minaret

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Places to Visit

Pergae

The remains of ancient Perge (Pergai or Pergae, first mentioned in the fourth century B.C.) a Pamphylian city of particular importance in Roman imperial times, lies on a steep-sided hill on the northwestern edge of the alluvial plain of the Aksu Çayi (the ancient Kestros) near the village of Murtuna, 18km/11mi northeast of Antalya. The site is 4km/2.5mi from the river, which was navigable in ancient times, and 12km/7.5mi from the Mediterranean. Like most of the Greek colonies on the west and south coasts of Asia Minor, Perge found itself deprived of one of the main pillars of its existence as its harbor gradually silted up, leading in Byzantine times to its final decline. Perge had one of the oldest Christian communities in Asia Minor
Paul and Barnabas came here after their flight from Antioch in Pisidia and "spoke the word in Perga" (Acts 14:25).

Beaches

Antalya has a sandy public beach, Beach Konyaalti, which is usually quite crowded. However, many of the hotels built along the coast have private beaches that are somewhat less packed. Phaselis, Olympos and Kemer have picturesque cove beaches. The soft sandy beaches at Patara are very beautiful and they stretch for miles along the Mediterranean coast. It is also an enchanting beach, as to get to it you will have to walk through some ancient ruins. There are also beaches at Bedibi, Tekirova and in many of the surrounding areas.

Phaselis Ruins

This ancient city was built in the 6th century and is quite extraordinary. The city sits between two coves on a tiny peninsula. Between the two coves are the scattered ruins of the city. The area is shaded by pine trees and it is quite meditative to stand here and imagine the glorious past of this city.

Termessos

Termessos, an important ancient site (Pisidian not Pamphylian) is situated in the mountains 30km/19mi northwest of Antalya on the gentle slopes of Güllük Dagi (Solymos; 1,650m/5,415ft). This area is now a National Park. Little is known about the town's origins except that it was a Pisidian hill-fort reputedly besieged without success by Alexander the Great. The ruins seen today date from the second and third centuries A.D.; most notable are the theater, the agora, a gymnasium, several pillared halls and a number of graves. A mountain road leads up to the site but the final two kilometers must be covered on foot. From the top there is a magnificent view of the Gulf of Antalya.

Truncated Minaret

The history behind this minaret is as intriguing as it's beauty. The building on which the minaret stands was built in 2 AD. During the Byzantine period, the temple was converted into a church. When the Ottomans invaded and conquered Antalya, they converted the church into a mosque and added the minaret in the 14th century. Part of the minaret was destroyed in an earthquake, but despite that, the beauty of the minaret can still be appreciated.

Right Time to Visit

May - September

Temperature

July - August -> 34(°C) - Summer
January - February -> 6(°C) - Spring


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