Compare Antalya Holidays

Overview

Antalya is the main city on the Mediterranean coast and one ofthe most popular vacation spots, with an attractive harbour settingand the picturesque old quarter of Kaleiçi enclosed withinancient Roman walls. Dominating the town is Antalya’s symbol,the Yivli Minaret (Grooved Minaret) dating back to the 3rd century.The superb Archaeological Museum, housing one of the topcollections in the country, is not to be missed. Known as theTurkish Riviera, the Antalya shoreline boasts secluded coves,ancient cities and harbours, seaside towns, sparkling seas andsoaring cliffs. The city provides an excellent base forexploring the small towns nearby, as well as caves, waterfallsand Roman ruins, including Perge and the mountain-top remainsof Termessos. A 30-minute drive east of Antalya is Aspendos,boasting the finest example of a Roman theatre in the world. Builtin the 2nd century AD, it is remarkably intact. In addition tothe vast number of archaeological wonders, the area also has awealth of outdoor activities. Antalya, lying at the foot of theTaurus Mountain range, is host to numerous sporting eventsthroughout the year, including international beach volleyball,triathlons and canoeing competitions.

Money

The official currency is the New Turkish Lira (TRY), which wasintroduced on 1 January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped fromthe TL and the sub-unit New Kurush was created. Currency can beexchanged at banks, exchange booths, post offices, airports andferry ports; banks have the worst rates and highest commissions,but will exchange lesser known foreign currencies. Banks openmainly Monday to Friday, but some are open daily in tourist areas.ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas, butTurkish ATM keypads usually do not have letters of the alphabet ontheir keys. Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus andPlus. Major credit cards are widely accepted; the most popular areVisa or MasterCard, but American Express is accepted in many of themore expensive places. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at somebanks and currency exchange offices, but are not as welcome as cashor credit cards. US dollars or Euros are preferred. Some pensionsand hotels in the most popular destinations accept US dollars aspayment.

Time

Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).

Language

Turkish is the official language, but English is widely understood in the main tourist areas.

Climate

The climate of the province is typical Medditerranean: hot and dry in summers and temperate and rainy in winters. Sunshine is guaranteed from April to October and the winters are pleasantly mild. The humidity is a little bit high, about 64%, and the average water temperature is 21.5 °C. Antalya is really a heavenly place where the summer season is about 8-9 months long

Shopping

Shopping in Antalya can be an exhausting, but exhilarating,experience, with everything up for grabs from the famous local jamsand jellies made from a variety of fruits and vegetables, toantique jewellery, kelims, prayer rugs, leather ware, cottonclothing, traditional pottery and wood carvings. Haggling isexpected and bargains can be had. The best shopping is in theKaleici district near the city walls, along winding side streets inthe old quarter and along the avenues of Ataturk, Cumhuriyet andIsiklar. Here shopping is not only entertaining, but offers plentyof picturesque photo opportunities too. There are also severallarge modern shopping malls around the old town.

Nightlife

Antalya pulses after dark with what is undeniably the Turkisheast coast's liveliest nightlife, centred on a wide variety ofclubs and bars. Most bars double as disco's, and most of the hotelsoffer floor shows, usually with belly-dancing, that are open tonon-guests. The hottest spots for all night dancing are Ally's andClub 29 in Kaleici, but those who just want a quiet, cool drinkgravitate to the waterfront bars to catch a sea breeze.

Activities

Antalya's lovely main beach, Konyaalti, is made for relaxing andfun in the sun, with a wide spectrum of watersports on offer. Bothup and down the coast there are other beautiful beaches to explore.Local operators offer all sorts of sports activities, from mountainbiking to bungee jumping. The area is full of possibilities forexcursions, from magnificent waterfalls and mysterious caves to aplethora of archaeological sites. The city has some interestingmuseums, and nature lovers will enjoy the Karaoglanoglu Park.

Restaurants

Although most tourists will head for one of the numerousrestaurants in the Kaleici (old town), the more adventurousgourmets would be better advised, for quality as well as price, tosteer off the beaten track and try one of the non-touristyrestaurants favoured by locals. The Kaleici restaurants, however,are certainly atmospheric, with some even built into the ancientRoman walls. A good bet for Turkish food here, offering adelightful courtyard planted with lemon trees, is Restaurant KirkMerdiven. Other recommendations are the Coco Bar, renowned for thetastiest lamb shish kebabs; Kismet Balikcisi, the local's choicefor top seafood dishes; and the Develi Restaurant, where you may beforgiven for thinking the starter is the main meal as you wadethrough copious delicious Turkish specialities.

Current Weather Conditions for Alanya, , TU

Now 18°C Windchill: 18°C Rain Shower

Location: Alanya, , TU Wind: 3 kph E Humidity: 74% Visibility: 0.1 km Pressure: 1,015 mb steady Sunrise: 5:40 am Sunset: 7:53 pm

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Sun High: 23°C Low: 14°C Showers

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