The Turkish Riviera is the most
stunning part of Turkey’sMediterranean
coast.Arelatively recent discovery for British and Irish holidaymakers,
it is growing rapidly in popularity.
Side
The old town of Side is set on a peninsula with sandy beaches
to either
side, surrounded still by the ancient city walls. It boasts
an impressive
ancient Hellenistic theatre, the largest in the area, with
seating for 17,000,
overlooking the sea; a charming museum and the stunning Temple
of
Apollo, a romantic spot at sunset. The old town is limited
by the walls
and the sea, which has been a bonus, meaning that the accommodation
here is mostly pensions and small hotels. The long stretch
of sandy
beach a few kilometres outside the old town, known with good
reason as
‘kumköy’ or ‘sand village’, has
become the centre of tourism development
in the town and is now home to large four and five star hotels
and good quality self-catering accommodation. Side has
something for everyone: great beaches, history, an abundance
of
shops, lively nightlife and a good choice of restaurants.
 Antalya
Antalya, the ancient city of Attaleia, is the largest on the
Mediterranean.
It is typical of Turkey, a thriving modern city, with a historic
heart in the centre of Kaleiçi, within the old city
walls. This area
has seen something of a renaissance in recent years, with
many of
the wooden Ottoman mansions being restored and turned into
boutique hotels. No cars are allowed in the narrow streets
of the
old town so it is a good place to soak up the atmosphere around
the charming harbour. The symbol ofAntalya is the fluted minaret
orYivliMinare built by the Seljuk sultanAlaeddin Keykubat
in the
13th century. Culture vultures will find plenty
of interest in the Archaeological Museum
which has artefacts from the PaleolithicAge
right through to Ottoman times.Antalya has a
backdrop of stunning mountain scenery, and
the city is set high on cliffs, with many of its
grandest hotels overlooking the sea on the
outskirts of the town. The beach area of Lara,
approximately 12 kms to the east is home to the best beach
in the
area, known for its golden sand, which is rapidly becoming
a resort
in its own right. To the west, the long pebble beach of Konyaaltİ
is also popular. Heading up into the mountains, you can make
the
most of the beautiful scenery by visiting the spectacular
Düden or
Kurs¸unluWaterfalls to see a completely different
side to the Turkish landscape. At Saklİkent, just 50 kms away
you can even visit a ski resort, where they usually have snow
on the pistes
until early April.
The Altlİn Portakal, ‘Golden Orange’ film
festival is held in the Autumn. Antalya has a
large number of 5 star hotels, many of which
have meetings facilities, and this, together with
the Pyramid Congress Centre which can hold
up to 3000 delegates make it a popular venue
for conferences.
 Perge
Just 18 kms from Antalya, Perge was an important
city in Pamphylia and was visited by St.
Paul during his missionary journeys. Today,
the city gate flanked by lofty towers, theatre
and baths are of interest,
 Aspendos
Just 50 kms east of Antalya, Aspendos was
an important centre of trade during Roman
times. Today, the most impressive aspect of
Aspendos is her stunning theatre, which was
built in approx. 162AD. It seats 15,000 and has
been beautifully preserved. Each year it hosts
the Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival which
takes place in June and July and gives you the
opportunity to see performances of classics
in a magnificent setting. The aqueduct, which
supplied water to the city is also still relatively
intact and is an impressive sight.
Belek
Belek is Turkey’s premier golf resort (see page
40 for details), but don’t let that put you off as
it also has plenty to attract the non-golfer too.
The setting is spectacular with long, golden
sandy beaches, and a backdrop of mountains.
Belek has won awards for environmentally
friendly development and there are many rare
species of plant and wildlife indigenous to
the area. Accommodation is mostly of the 5
star variety with all facilities laid on including
sporting and other activities, spa treatments
and entertainment. Many of the hotels are also
set up to cater for children with kids clubs and
other facilities.
Alanya
Once a pirate stronghold, Alanya is now a
modern resort, famed for its beautiful sandy
beaches. Its harbour is dominated by the
Kİzİlküle or Red Tower, which protected the
dockyards in Seljuk times, the remains of
which can still be seen in the waters. High on
a promontory is the old fortress or kale.with
its well preserved walls, towers and Byzantine
church. It takes about an hour to walk up (or
you can catch a bus) but it is well worth it for
the views alone.Alanya itself has no less than
three blue flag beaches and has a full range
of accommodation with plenty of good shops
and restaurants, together with lively nightlife.
An unusual sight is the Damlatas¸ Cave with
its strange rock formations, which is said to
relieve those who suffer from asthma. A boat
trip will take you to the Fosforlu Magğara with
its phosphorescent rocks, Kİzlar Magğarasİ,
where pirates imprisoned their female captives
and the lovers’caves orAs¸İklar Magğarasİ. Just
15 kms to the east is the idyllic scenery of the
Dim Çayİ river.
 Kemer
Kemer was one of Turkey’s first purposebuilt
resorts, carefully planned to blend in
with the surrounding scenery. At its heart is
the attractive marina, a stopping-off point
for gulets on the blue cruise. Around it are
sophisticated shops, bars and restaurants catering for the
resort’s well-heeled clientele.
Kemer Beach is a clean pebble beach, but
the main resort areas are on the beaches
located a little further out, namely Kİzİltepe,
Göynük, Beldibi, Çamyuva and Tekirova.
Surrounded by pine forests, they offer a
range of accommodation including five
star hotels, all designed to blend in to the
natural environment.
Phaselis
The three harbours of this Lycian port city
were once a major commercial centre. In
the shelter of Mount Tahtalİ, it is a popular
stopping off point for yachts, and its clear
waters and sandy beaches are popular
with sun-seekers. The remains are mostly
Roman and include a theatre, baths, aqueducts,
Hadrian’s Gate, an agora and an
acropolis.
 Olympos
and Yanartas¸ (Chimaera)
The ancient city, which was prominent in Lycian times, is
set on the southern side of Mount Tahtalİ, surrounded by oleander
and laurel bushes. It is in a charming spot set on a 3 mile
long beach amidst unspoilt nature, and the ruins include baths,
a temple, Roman theatre and necropolis. To the north of Olympos,
past the attractive beachfront hamlet of Çiralİ, high
on the hillside is the legendary burning flame ofYanartas¸,
literally ‘burning stone’. Caused by natural gas
escaping from the rocks, it is immortalised in the legend
of the Lycian hero Bellerophon, mounted on his winged horse,
Pegasus, slew the fire-breathing monster, the Chimaera. In
Byzantine times it was a religious site, and there are remains
of a temple here probably dedicated to Vulcan.
Demre
Also known as Kale, the ancient city of
Myra, is mostly famous for its connection
with St. Nicholas, who was bishop here
in the 4th century. His church is the focus
of the annual ceremony which takes place
to commemorate him on or around his
feast day of 6th December. It is well worth
seeing the Roman theatre which remains
here, overlooked by spectacular rock tombs,
dating from the 4th century BC.
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