The Mediterranean Region

Antalya, The Turkish Riviera

In Antalya, the pine-clad Toros (Taurus) Mountains sweep down to the sparkling clear sea forming an irregular coastline of rocky headlands and secluded coves. The region, bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year, is a paradise of sunbathing, swimming, and sporting activities like windsurfing, water-skiing, sailing, mountain climbing and caving. If you come to Antalya in March and April, you can ski in the mornings and in the afternoons swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Important historical sites and beautiful mosques await your discovery, amid a landscape of pine forests, olive and citrus groves and palm, avocado and banana plantations.

The Turkish Riviera is Turkey's tourism capital. Its full range of accommodations, from tourist class to deluxe hotels, and the hospitable people of Antalya will make your holiday comfortable and enjoyable. Set amid amazing scenery of sharp contrasts, Antalya, Turkey's principal holiday resort, is an attractive city with shady palm-lined boulevards and a prize-winning marina.

The East Coast of Antalya / The Coast of Light

Wide, fertile plains parallel the endless sandy beaches east of Antalya until you come to Alanya. Abundant modern tourist facilities and well- preserved historical sites give you several options for a day's activities.

The large popular resort center of Alanya lies at one end of a rocky promontory which juts out into the Mediterranean between two long sandy beaches. The first thing that greets the visitor is the 13th century Seljuk Castle,which sits like a crown atop of Alanya Peninsula. About 150 towers punctuate the walls of the well-preserved, double-walled citadel. Within the outer walls are ruins of mosques, a caravanserai and a covered bazaar; in the inner walls are a ruined cistern and a Byzantine church. Besides the impressive castle, there is the shipyard and the Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) with monumental beauty.

Alanya is a beautiful holiday center of modern hotels and motels, numerous fish restaurants and cafes and bars. The cafes that ring the harbour have become popular gathering places for tourists. From the town's lovely park, the road runs along the coast to the harbour, lined with countless boutiques that tempt tourists with handicrafts, leather, clothes, jewellery, handbags and the amusing painted gourds, a symbol of the area. In August, when Alanya hosts a colorful International Folklore Festival the atmosphere is charged with vitality and gaiety.

History

Alanya is a panoramic port city on the southern slopes of the majestic Taurus Mountains surrounded by orange, lemon and banana groves. Used by the Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat as a winter residence, Alanya’sshipyard dates back to the same era and was one of the most advanced in the world at that time. It is also famous for its 9th century castle and its popular beaches.

 
Climate

Because of its climate, plants from all over the world can be found in Alanya. Some of the most common are oranges, bananas, vegetables of all kinds, tropical fruits from South Africa and India such as papaya, guava, avocado and a variety of dates and coffees. Alanya has a typical Mediterranean climate with wet humid winters and hot dry summers. The average temperature year-round is 19ºC. The water averages 21ºC.

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