Antalya lies on the Mediterranean coast in south-west Turkey. It boasts cliffs along the coast and is surrounded by mountains and is now a thriving destination.

Geography

The Taurus mountain range runs in the same direction as the Mediterranean coast. This gives rise to narrow coastal plains backed by mountains. At points, the mountains will actually descend straight into the sea, give striking scenery and forming small bays and peninsulas.

The town of Antalya is on a coastal plain with the town centre being nearest the sea and town spreading gradually inland across the plain.

Climate

The Taurus mountains protect the area from north winds, keeping the climate warmer than it otherwise would be. It is typically Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and warm but slightly wet winters. It can boast of 300 sunny days a year, on average and the sea temperature ranges from 15-28 degrees.

In July and August, the temperature can hit 40 degrees, but it’s typically in the low thirties. A sea breeze tends to keep the climate cool and pleasant.

Food

Antalya is known for the dish known as piyaz, which is made with tahini, garlic, walnuts and boiled beans. As well as other distinctively Turkish dishes, cold Mediterranean dishes are also common and ‘grida’ is a fish that is often seen on menus. A popular snack is boiled lupin seeds, which is known as tirmis.

Sights and attractions

Being on the Mediterranean, Antalya’s beaches are a big draw. Local beaches include Konyaalti, Lara and Karpuzkaldiran.

Other than that, there is a great deal of architecture to be seen, with mosques, churches, madrasahs, masjids and hamams dotted around the town. The harbour area, Kaleici, is surrounded by the city walls and has many houses that are great examples of traditional Greek and Turkish architecture.

While Kaleici is really the heart of the city, there are a number of other monuments and sights. The city walls are significant, as are Hidirlik Tower, Hadrian’s Gate and the Clock Tower. Hadrian’s Gate dates from around the 2nd century, when the Romans built it in honour of the then emperor whose name it takes.

Kesik Minare, which means ‘broken minaret’, was originally a Byzantine church, but later became a mosque. Yivli Minare, the fluted minaret, was built by Seljuks and is hugely striking with its blue and turquoise tiling to the extent that it is now the symbol of Antalya.

There are also several museums in town. The Antalya Museum is the most significant, featuring local archaeology. It has a number of halls, dedicated to natural history, pre-history, the classic period, imperial statues, mosaics and works from the Islamic period as well as a sarcophagus hall.

Places of interest

There are other places of interest nearby. Arapsu Bridge was built by the Romans and is around 5km to the west of town. It is partly underwater now.

Tunek Tepe is a hill to the west of Antalya climbing to a height of 618m. The summit features a hotel, a nightclub and a rotating restaurant called the Doner Gazino. Generally used for private parties, the club offers a spectacular view of the Gulf of Antalya as well as the mountains.

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