Antalya City Guide
The thriving city of Antalya, with a population of over one million, has been at the epicenter of the tourism boom that has rippled across Turkey’s Mediterranean coast since the 1970s. Just like the more es...
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Antalya City Guide
The thriving city of Antalya, with a population of over one million, has been at the epicenter of the tourism boom that has rippled across Turkey’s Mediterranean coast since the 1970s. Just like the more established European Mediterranean destinations, the “Turkish Riviera” offers an enticing mix of beautiful beaches, clear seas, rich echoes of history, delicious food and classical architecture, but is less crowded, less spoiled and has far more affordable prices because Turkey has so far avoided the hyper-inflation fiasco of adopting the Euro as their currency.
Most of the millions of visitors to the region, especially those on package tours, bypass the city of Antalya, instead being picked up at Antalya Airport (about 10km from the city) and shipped directly to the massive resorts, mega-hotels and other mass-tourist storage facilities that dot the coast. A treat is in store, however, for the plucky independent travellers who decide to experience living in the city itself.
Antalya has always been a cultural crossroads, with long-standing Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities living side-by-side and trading with the world. Today, the city pulses with the energy of a young, ambitious population with one foot in the modernity of Europe and one foot in the broiling, bubbling potential of the Middle East. This means a dizzying variety of cuisines, world-class museums, a lively cultural scene and a particularly invigorating nightlife - all things you would struggle to find in a hotel full of sunburnt Germans who smell like swimming pools, buffet sausages and all-you-can-drink cocktails.
Our suggestion for the perfect Turkish Riviera vacation is to base yourself in Antalya, so that you have access to all the city has to offer while, at the same time, being within easy reach of all the beaches and places of interest along the coast. As in every city in which WorldEscape operates, in Antalya we work with private owners to provide guests with private apartments and houses that are more comfortable, spacious and stylish than any corporate hotel room or package-tourist cage factory. Also, in my experience, the native people of Antalya are far more friendly, interesting and interested in us than the poorly paid, overworked migrants who staff the resorts.
From anywhere in the city, you can easily get to excellent beaches such as Konyaaltı Beach to the West and Lara Beach to the East of town. The best area of Antalya, however, is probably Kaleiçi, the old quarter, which is just brimming with character and interesting things to see.
You can pretty much inhale the history as you stroll around Antalya but, for some context, it is well worth visiting the Antalya Museum. There, world-class exhibits will give you a fascinating overview of how the city has been affected by, and played its part, in the massive sweeps, swells and upheavals of history since it was founded by, and named after, Attalos II, king of Pergamon, in 150 BC (I am still holding out the hope that, somehow, a city will be named after me but, at this late stage in my life, to achieve that I may have to resort to violence or some form of mind control. Perhaps, instead, I will just have another drink).
We hope that you will enjoy Antalya, it certainly represents excellent value, but we also hope that you will decide to take the path less traveled, immerse yourself in the real life of this fascinating city and use the city itself as your base, time and time again, for exploring the entire coast and region.
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