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Antalya Sights and Landmarks Guide, Turkey

Visitors to Antalya, Turkey do eventually tire of basking in the sun high above a splendid Mediterranean coastline. When this happens, there is the historic town and its many sites to explore.

In summer, the city is hot and humid but offers tree lined winding streets studded with houses with bits of Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman influences merged into the architecture. On such a street along the cliff of Konyaaltı is one of Antalya's best locations for posh shops. Another shopping street is Işıklar Caddesi, with exotica from both local and imported destinations on offer.

But for those who eschew sunning and shopping, the charm of the city of Antalya beckons. The historic nexus of Antalya is called Kaleiçi and it has many well preserved or restored examples of ancient architecture amid the plethora of shops, bars and restaurants. The Kaleiçi Museum was commissioned by the Mediterranean Civilizations Research Center, or Akdeniz Medeniyetleri Araştırma Merkezi, and it offers a comprehensive recapitulation of the fascinating history of this city and its surroundings.

The Antalya Museum is a state of the art archaeology museum, and the ancient outdoor monuments of the City Walls and the Clock Tower hold testament to the fact that Antalya itself is a living museum. Further adding to this theory is the Hadrian's Gate which was constructed in the 2nd century BC by the Romans.

There are many churches and mosques from different eras in the city’s history around Antalya that offer fine examples of Byzantine and Seljuk architecture.

The Kesik Minare, or Minaret, now a mosque, began life as a Byzantine church. The Yivli Minare, or Fluted Minaret was erected by the Seljuks and serves as the city’s symbol. Other examples of Islamic architecture are the Iskele Mosque, Karatay Medresesi, Hidirlik Tower, Ahi Yusuf Mescidi, Musellim Mosque, and the Osman Efendi Mosque. If you have had enough exposure to mosques, there are other buildings that are of architectural importance. The 'Han's are Ottoman inns and the best architechtural examples in Antalya are the Evdir Han, Kırkoz Han, and the Sarapsu Han.

But do try to venture out of the city to explore the natural beauty of the surrounding area, such as the refreshing Duden Falls and Kursunlu Falls, lovely waterfalls of mineral waters cascading through the mountains.

The ruins of the ancient Perge are located 18 km northeast of Antalya and ramble over two hills which house a theatre on one and on the other is an ancient acropolis. Legend has it that this Perge was erected by two heroes when on hiatus from Troy.

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