Antalya: a growing city

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Surrounded by the Taurus mountains and situated on the Gulf of Antalya, the mix of well-preserved Ottoman structures coupled with some adventurous modern hotel architecture makes a visit to the fastest-growing cities in Turkey an exciting and very memorable experience.

Dorte Huneke
ANTALYA - Turkish Daily News

In Antalya the growing season lasts all year long. �There is no winter in here,� says Cemal Şimşek, a 59-year-old farmer who grows tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, cucumbers, beans, apricots and lemons. Hot, sunny summers and mild temperatures during the rest of the year make the �Turkish Riviera� a rich garden of fruits and vegetables full of flavor. Even under perfect weather conditions, however, the quality of the harvest depends on how much attention is paid to the fields. �You have to take good care of your crops,� noted Şimşek.

Visitors to Antalya can expect the same careful treatment. Friendly, relaxed residents, excellent service and hospitality reign in the tourist epicenter of Turkey's Mediterranean coast and it is increasingly becoming a place for health tourism with special holiday packages for older tourists.

Antalya, an important metropolis even in Byzantium times, was probably founded by the king of Pergamon, Attalos II, in 150 B.C. under the name �Attalia.� In June of this year, however, a group of archaeologists digging in the city center found artifacts that could put that date as much as 100 years earlier.

A wander through the picturesque alleys of old Antalya (Kaleiçi), which is full of well-preserved Ottoman architecture, reveals exquisite gardens and cafes nestling behind open gates built into the ancient city walls.

Antalya is also among the few cities in Turkey where one can explore the city and its surroundings by bike. Antalya's mayor, Menderes Türel, who has done a lot to improve the traffic infrastructure of the city, is also trying to make the city more cycle friendly by creating new bike paths.

Tourists in search of luxury are also attracted by the extremely large and creatively designed hotel complexes � which can really be called palaces -- built with great speed over the last five to 10 years. South of Lara Beach are hotels known as the Titanic Hotel, the Kremlin Palace, Topkapı Palace and the entrance gate to Dolmabahçe Palace (built to size!) � places one could normally only dream of entering in a bathing suit with sand in one's toes.

�Within the next few years Antalya will be the leader of tourism in the Mediterranean region,� said Türel, noting that the number of beaches with blue flags is up from 75 to 143 since 2004.

Visitors must also be sure not to miss the small fish restaurants along the Aksu River, right behind �Mardan Palace.� Each restaurant has a boat service that takes customers across the river to their table. And with any luck, Mustafa and his wife, Aysel, owners of the Mustafa Bey Restaurant, will set out down the river in their restaurant boat later that evening. It is customary to tie a handkerchief to the overhanging branches of the wishing trees and to make a wish (which one must be sure to keep to oneself) with the chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs in the background.

What to do?

Visit the ancient and best-preserved amphitheatre of Aspendos, located 46 kilometers east of Antalya on the way to Alanya.

Belek has an impressive national park, as well as top class golf clubs.

Contact the Antalya Golf Club at 3 Kum Tepesi Mevkii Belek, Tel 0242 7255970 www.antalyagolfclub.com.tr

Where to eat?

Eat and drink in the cool gardens of Demlik Cafe Bar right in the middle of old Antalya:

Kılınçaslan Mah. Zafer Sok. No.16, Antalya

Tel 90 242 247 1930

For traditional cuisine try Seden Osmanlı Mutfağı Restaurant on Atatürk Cd. No. 52, Kaleiçi, Tel 90 242 243 4540

Where to stay?

Those who wish to stay in Ottoman style in the city center can book a room at the Atelya Art Hotel

Barbaros Mahallesi, Civelek Sokak No. 21, Antalya

Tel: 0242 241 6416

How to get there?

SunExpress flights to Antalya from Adana, Bodrum, Dalaman, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, İstanbul, İzmir, Kayseri, Sivas, Trabzon, Van and all over Europe make the way to Antalya shorter.

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