Dance of ancient and modern times: 10 places in Antalya that travelers should visit

Old town Keleici

Kaleici is the historical center of Antalya, its oldest part. The architecture of the Kaleici district is diverse: here you can find architectural elements from different historical periods in different parts of the country. The old town of Kaleici consists of four districts: Seljuk, Tuzchullar, Barbaros and Kilicharslan. The total area of ​​Kaleici is 35 hectares.

Ancient streets dotted with old houses, colorful restaurants and lively tourists and locals – this place screams to be visited by every traveler who comes to the city.

Old harbor

Antalya’s Old Harbor is located in a cliff face – a picturesque valley of boutiques, cozy cafes, bazaars and small yachts overlooking the glittering Mediterranean. It is difficult to imagine that this place was once a major economic center of Antalya, but from the second century to the mid-20th century it was the main port, bringing prosperity to the entire city and its surroundings.

Here you can take a walk or rent a small yacht and look at the harbor from an unusual angle.

Antalya Archaeological Museum

This is a favorite tourist attraction in Turkey. The museum rightfully won such attention from travelers – without unnecessary modesty, it can be called one of the greatest archaeological museums in the world. In 1988 he was even awarded the European Council Special Prize.

The territory of the archaeological museum is 7 thousand square meters. Visitors can stroll through 13 exhibition halls and view more than 5,000 exhibits. Another 25-30 thousand exhibits of ancient history and art are gathering dust in warehouses – they simply do not have enough space. However, the success of the museum among tourists lies not only in interesting exhibits, but also in the history of its creation.

Yivli Minare

Yivli Minare, also called the Great Mosque, is one of the hallmarks of Antalya.

It was built in 1230 by the Seljuk Sultan Ala-ad-din Kay-Kubad I and reconstructed in 1373. The mosque, famous for its minaret, is one of the earliest examples of Islamic architecture in the city. Since 2016, it has been included in the tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Turkey.

Roman Theater Aspendos

Often connoisseurs of antiquity come to Antalya for one day just to visit this ancient Roman theater. To be more precise, Aspendos is not only a theater, but also the remains of a large ancient city. However, only the theater has been completely restored, while the rest of the area remains in ruins.

The ancient city of Aspendos is one of the important cultural assets of Turkey, it was founded by the Achaeans in the 10th century BC and occupied a very important place because it was located on a trade route.

It is the theater of the city of Aspendos that is considered the best preserved building of those times in the world.

Karainskaya cave

Karaina Cave is located 35 km north of Antalya. It is one of six caves with evidence of prehistoric settlement discovered in the region, indicating the importance of early human activity in the area. The cave is of interest for the finds found here from Paleolithic times.

Excavations have shown that the settlement of upright man here began 700 thousand years ago. BC e. and continued continuously throughout the Paleolithic period until Byzantine times. A fragment of a Neanderthal skull was also discovered here, now on display in the Antalya Museum. Paleolithic and Neolithic flint blades, scrapers and arrowheads have also been found.

Nowadays, small excursions are held here for those interested.

Olympus and Cirali

The picturesqueness of these two villages, located very close to Antalya, will be the envy of almost every corner on earth. They are located on a piece of fabulous coastline, near the overgrown ruins of the ancient Lycian city of Olympus. Besides the ruins, the famous attraction here is the chimera, a natural eternal flame flickering from a cliff. Both generations are very popular among tourists and look like real resorts, with their relaxed tranquility during the day and vibrant life at night.

Aqualand Entertainment Center

Let’s deviate from antiquity, because today Antalya is a large resort city that has something to surprise connoisseurs of modernity.

For example, the Aqualand Entertainment Center is located here, the largest water entertainment center on the entire Mediterranean coast. Its area is amazing: it is 12 thousand square meters. m. It houses huge classic swimming pools, water slides, themed recreation areas, a children’s entertainment room for the little ones and a dolphinarium.

City of Perga

18 km east of Antalya is the city of Perga – the most grandiose ancient city of the Turkish Mediterranean. It was founded by Achaean Greeks, fugitives from the overthrown Troy.

Here you can see streets with the remains of temples, baths, a theater, a gymnasium and a stadium. The most significant monument of the ancient city of Perga is the South Gate with giant round towers, through which, as evidenced by references, the Apostle Paul and Saint Barnabas entered the city.

Mini-city

For those who cannot travel around the whole of Turkey in order to get acquainted with its main attractions, a Mini-City walk is ideal. On the territory of the open-air museum of historical and religious miniatures, tourists will be able to see the sights of Turkey in miniature and enjoy the refreshing coolness of green spaces.