Nine Amazing Places To See in Antalya, Turkey
Antalya is one of the most popular holiday provinces of Turkey. There are many resorts where you can relax, rest, and enjoy the sea and sun. With its modern touristic facilities, you can find exciting and also relaxing activities almost every day you spend in the Mediterranean.
Olympos beach is located on the foothill of the Taurus mountains of Antalya. The area is known with the burning volcanic rocks also called the eternal flame Chimera, where the myth of the legendary monster began. The beach is surrounded by the magnificent beauties of nature. There are so many ancient ruins around if you’d like to visit. Antalya is the perfect destination for getting away from all the stress of city life.
Cleopatra Beach
Cleopatra beach is located in the biggest town of Antalya, which is one of the most popular holiday destinations around the world. The name of the beach comes from a story. It is known that the famous Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, and her lover the Roman Emperor Mark Anthony enjoyed their time together on this beach and the emperor gifted the beach to Cleopatra. What makes the beach special is that, the beach sands had been imported from the deserts of Egypt by Cleopatra's orders.
This beach is the most famous public beach with a blue flag status in Alanya. A blue flag means that the beach and the sea are clean and safe. Cleopatra beach indeed is a well-organized, safe, and clean beach with many lifeguards, bars, and cafes.
Visit the Ancient Ruins
Antalya is surrounded by many ruins left by ancient civilizations. There are many tours organized to visit most of them. You can pick any tour to spend a day to see the historical heritage. You would enjoy the nature of the area as well while you are walking around the ruins.
Among the ruins, Aspendos is the biggest and the most famous one thanks to the amphitheater inside the ancient city. It is the most visited historical site in Antalya.
Myra, Kekova, and Simena are the other ancient city ruins that you can visit by a daily tour. In Myra, Saint Nicholas Church, the Santa Claus, is one of the most popular tourist attractions. He may not have magical reindeers, but Saint Nicholas was, in fact, a real person and a bishop who gave gifts to orphan children and the poor. He was born in the year 270 and died at 343.
Leftover graveyards from the Lydians 4000 B.C., the Stone Tombs of Myra are scattered around the town with stone tablet writings accompanying them. These tombs are sometimes referred to as the King Tombs, and include a shrine, as well as an ancient theatre. After visiting Myra, you will be taken to Kekova and Simena ruins by boat. These ancient cities are sunken ruins. On this part of the tour, you can have so many great views for photos, and scuba diving.
Temple of Apollo is the last stop on your tours to ancient ruins. Apollo is the god of sun, art, archery, and many other things in ancient Greek mythology. Its temple in Antalya is one of the most magnificent temples among the many around the Aegean sea and Mediterrane sea.
Scuba Dive Through History and Nature
Antalya, especially its Kaş and Kalkan districts, are home to many top-tier scuba diving sites filled with underwater caves, canyons, reefs, corals, and an Ottoman shipwreck you can discover thoroughly. These two districts are one of the best destinations in the world. You can participate in scuba diving with amazing natural scenery both under and above water.
Go on a Journey Between Mountains and Rivers
The Likya Yolu (Lycian Way) is a 500 km / 335-mile path along Turkey's coast that leads hikers through ancient ruins & natural landscapes. This leftover path from the ancient Lycian civilization connects the Aegean coastal town of Fethiye with Antalya's Konyaaltı on the edges of the Mediterranean.
If walking is tiresome, Jeep and ATV Safari are the other extreme sports that you can do and fill with adrenaline, and pass the road. The terrain around Belek is pretty good for these activities and again thanks to the professional tours, these sports are quite safe to do in here.
Dive into the Mediterranean Cuisine
Mediterranean cuisine is influenced by both western and eastern countries around its sphere of influence. Renowned Mediterranean cuisine is delicious with its unique kitchen traditions with high-quality ingredients. Antalya's authentic recipes, mostly consisting of famous Turkish olive oil, are among the pioneer foods that have shaped the country's food culture. There are top-notch local and international restaurants in Kalkan that serve fresh authentic recipes. You can enjoy a variety of tasty seafood dishes, Mediterranean recipes, and gourmet restaurants.
