Antalya The award-winning Antalya Kaleiçi Marina and Leisure Center is considered one of the loveliest marinas in Turkey. This center can well meet every tourist's need worth its many souvenir shops, friendly cafes and restaurants as well as yacht moorings and services. Sail in the morning and enjoy the restful peace of the marina in the afternoon. The old city walls, lit at night, lend an atmosphere of serenity and timelessness.
The Antalya Altin Portakal (Golden Orange) Film and Art Festival, held in the autumn, attracts both participants and visitors. The ancient theatre in Aspendos makes an impressive setting for some of the festival's plays and concerts.
That could be more appealing than dreamlike landscapes, grandiose mountains and the magnificent colours of the sea and plants? Then contrast the lively holiday life with the quiet of ancient ruins and you have a perfect vacation. Near Antalya are many things to see and do; below are some suggestions for day-trips. You can walk behind the cascade, a thrilling experience; at the Upper Düden Waterfalls, l4 km northeast of Antalya. On the way to Lara Beach, the Lower Düden Waterfalls plunge straight into the sea. The nearby rest area offers an excellent view of the falls; the view is even more spectacular from the sea. Kursunlu Waterfalls and Nilüfer Lake, both 18 km from Antalya, are two more places of superb natural beauty.
The sandy Lara Beach lies about 12 km to the east. Closer to Antalya, but to the west, the long, pebbled Konyaalti Beach offers a view of the breathtaking mountain range. A little further, the Bey Daglari (Olympos) National Park and Topçam Beach provide more splendid vistas. Siçan is a lovely nature island. There are camping grounds at the north end of the park should you decide to linger amid the natural beauty. For a panoramic view of the area drive to the holiday complex and revolving restaurant on top of Tünektepe Hill.
Saklikent, 50 km from Antalya, is an ideal winter sports resort on the northern slopes of Bakırlı Mountain at an altitude of 1,750 to 1,900 meters. In March and April you can ski in the morning, eat a delicious lunch of fresh fish at Antalya's marina and sunbathe, swim or windsurf in the afternoon. The wildlife - deer and mountain goat in Düzlerçami Park, north of Antalya are under a conservation program. On the way, you can stop at the astonishing 115 meter -deep Güver Canyon.
On the eastern side of Çan Mountain, 30 km from Antalya, the Karain Cave, which dates from the Paleolithic Age (50,000 B.C.), is the site of the oldest settlement in Turkey. A single entrance, lit by the morning sun, opens onto three large interconnecting chambers. Although the little museum at the entrance displays some of the finds, most of the artifacts are housed in various museums throughout Turkey.
The ruins of the city of Termessos, set inside Güllük Mourn, a national park northwest of Antalya, is perched on a 1,050 meter high plateau on the west face of Güllük Mountain (Solymos). A wild and splendid landscape surrounds the monumental traces of this city. (A nature and wildlife museum is to be found at the park entrance.)
Renowned for its unspoilt landscape and flora and fauna, the Göller Bölgesi (Lake District) lies in a mountainous area 150 km north of Antalya. Burdur is known throughout Turkey for its beautiful lakes, as well as for its carpets and kilims. The city preserves excellent examples of Ottoman regional architecture, in particular the Taşoda, Kocaoda (also known as Çelikbaş), and Mısırlılar Konaks, or mansions. Dating back to the 17th century, both the interior and exterior decorations reveal much of the Ottoman aesthetic, (Open weekdays except Monday). The Burdur Archaeological Museum houses some very important artifacts from around the region. (Open weekdays except Monday)
Burdur Lake, with nice beaches for swimming, is a superb location for water sports. A climb to the top of Susamlık Hill gives you a panoramic view over the city and lake. The Insuyu Cave, 10 km south on the road to Antalya, is 597 meters long, with nine distinct pools, and chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites. A hundred kilometres southwest of Burdur, in Gölhisar (Cibyra), are ruins, mostly from Roman times, of an important ancient northern Lycian city with a stadium, lower and upper agora, theatre, necropolis and large aqueducts. Also in the region, trapped in the mountains 1,050 meters above sea level, is beautiful Lake Salda, an ideal location for relaxation and cooling off on the sandy beaches or in the lakeside cafes, hotels and restaurants.
The mountains of the Toros (Taurus) Range is up immediately behind the coast, the whole length - from Konyaaltı Beach to the Kırlangıç Peninsula - is a national preserve, the Bey Dağları (Olympos) National Park. The history of this area, the ancient Lycian Peninsula, can be traced back to the Neolithic Age to the settlements at Beldibi.