Sights in Mediterranean Coast
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Fethiye Museum
Reopened after a two-year refit and focusing on Lycian finds from Telmessos as well as the ancient settlements of Tlos and Kaunos, the museum exhibits pottery, jewellery, small statuary and votive stones (including the important Grave Stelae and the Stelae of Promise). Its most prized significant possession, however, is the so-called Trilingual Stele from Letoön, dating from 358 BC, which was used partly to decipher the Lycian language with the help of ancient Greek and Aramaic. The garden surrounding the museum contains an excellent lapidary of mostly Lycian sarcophagi and Roman tombstones, some of them portraying early Christian symbols and angels.
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İç Kale
Before reaching the entrance to the fort, the road passes through the old inner citadel; this was the Turkish quarter during Ottoman and Seljuk times, and a number of old wooden houses are still standing. At the top is the Ehmedek Kapısı, the gateway to the fort. Enter the İç Kale, where you'll find poorly preserved ruins including cisterns and an 11th-century Byzantine church.
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Dripstone Cave
South of the tourist office and close to Cleopatra's Beach is the entrance to this cave with stalactites and a humidity of 95%. It is said to produce a certain kind of air that, if inhaled and exhaled for long enough periods, has the ability to relieve asthma sufferers.
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Ancient Theatre
A well-preserved ancient theatre is about all that's left of ancient Antiphellos, which was the Lycian town here. The ancient theatre, 500m west of the main square, is in very good condition and was restored some time ago.
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Dalyan Kooperatifi
Every day in summer, excursion boats leave the quayside at 10:00 to cruise to Köyceğiz Gölü and the Sultaniye hot springs and mud baths, the ruins of Kaunos and İztuzu beach on the Mediterranean coast. You can save yourself a lot of money by taking boats run by the local cooperative, Dalyan Kooperatifi ; various pirates charge considerably more.
If you can organise a small group, it may be more economical to hire an entire passenger boat that holds from eight to 12 people. Haggle to get the best price, particularly if it's early or late in the season and many boats are standing idle. There are tours to Kaunos (two-hours), or to Kaunos and the Sultaniye hot springs (t…
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Antalya Museum
On no account should you miss this comprehensive museum about 2km west of the centre and accessible on the tramvay (tram). The museum is large, with exhibitions in a dozen large halls that cover everything from the Stone and Bronze Ages to Byzantium, so allow sufficient time. Unmissable are the Hall of Regional Excavations, which exhibit finds from Lycian (eg Patara and Xanthos) and Pamphylian cities; the Marble Portraits Hall, with evocative busts bearing incredibly realistic expressions and emotions; and the sublime Hall of Gods.
Even those not especially interested in Greek mythology will be moved by this collection, which includes representations of some 15 Olympian go…
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Kaunos
Founded in the 9th century BC, Kaunos (or Caunus) was an important Carian city by 400 BC. Right on the border with Lycia, its culture reflected aspects of both empires. The famous Kings' Tombs in the cliffs, for instance, are largely Lycian style. If you don't take a boat excursion to the site, walk south from town along Maraş Caddesi to Kaunos Sokak to view the tombs across the Dalyan River.
When Mausolus of Halicarnassus ruled Caria, his influence reached the Kaunians, who eagerly adopted that Hellenistic culture. Kaunos suffered from endemic malaria; according to Herodotus, its people were famous for their yellowish skin and eyes. The Kaunians' prosperity was also thre…
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Ottoman houses
Wander into Kaleiçi, now a historical zone protected from modern development. Many of the gracious old Ottoman houses have been restored, then converted to pensions, hotels, or, inevitably, carpet and souvenir shops. The northern part of Kaleiçi is the most touristy; persevere and explore the quieter backstreets abutting Karaalioğlu Parkı.
The Roman harbour at the base of the slope was restored during the 1980s and is now a marina for yachts and excursion boats. It was Antalya's lifeline from the 2nd century BC until late in the 20th century, when a new port was constructed about 12km west of the city, at the far end of Konyaaltı Plajı.
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Suna & İnan Kiraç Kaleiçi Museum
In the heart of Kaleiçi, just off Hesapçı Sokak, this small but well-formed ethnography museum is housed in a lovingly restored Antalya mansion. The 2nd floor contains a well-executed series of life-size dioramas depicting some of the most important rituals and customs of Ottoman Antalya. Much more impressive is the collection of Çanakkale and Kütahya ceramics found in the exhibition hall behind, the former Greek Orthodox church of Aya Yorgi (St George), which has been fully restored and is worth a look in itself.
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Astım Mağarası
Sufferers of asthma have good reason to vacation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Two caves in the area are said to produce a certain kind of air that, if inhaled and exhaled for long enough stretches of time, has the ability to relieve the afflicted of their ailment. North of Narlıkuyu, at the Caves of Heaven and Hell, is the site known as Astım Mağarası. This cave is much less touristy, although the jury remains out as to whether you get a better cure in heaven or in hell.
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Marmaris Castle
The small castle on the hill behind the tourist office was built during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent. In 1522 the sultan massed 200,000 troops here for the attack and siege of Rhodes, which was defended by the Knights of St John. The fortress is now the Marmaris Museum. Exhibits are predictably nautical, historical, ethnographic and fairly unexciting, though the building itself, draped in bougainvillea, and the views over the marina and out to sea are lovely.
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Konyaaltı Plajı
Neither of Antalya's two beaches have much to recommend them - at least not as far as silken sand nor paradise views are concerned. For a good dose of well-rounded beach culture amusement, head to Konyaaltı Plajı; it can be accessed by taking the tram to its final stop (Müze), and then walking further west and down the snaking road. Dolmuşes run from Fevzi Çakmak Caddesi to Lara Plajı, passing the aquapark.
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Kızılkule
This five-storey octagonal defence tower, measuring nearly 30m in diameter and more than 30m high with a central cistern within for water storage, looms over the harbour at the lower end of İskele Caddesi. Constructed in 1226 by Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I (who also built the fortress), it was the first structure erected after the Armenian-controlled town surrendered to the sultan. There's a small ethnographic museum here and some 85 steps lead to a roof terrace with views of the harbour. To the south is the only Seljuk-built tersane (shipyard) remaining in Turkey.
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Temples of Apollo & Athena
Although small, these are among the most romantic sites you'll encounter on this Mediterranean coast. Dating from the 2nd century BC, they are at the southwestern tip of Side harbour. A half-dozen columns from the Temple of Athena have been placed upright in their original spots, and after dark a spotlight dramatically outlines their form.
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Seljuk fortress
Alanya's most popular ancient site by far is its Seljuk fortress, which overlooks the city as well as the Pamphylian plain and the Cilician mountains. The winding road to the fortress is 3km long, so it's wise to take transport on the journey up. Catch a city bus from Hürriyet Meydanı or opposite the tourist office (10 minutes past the hour). Taxis wait at the bottom of the hill.
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Tomb of Amyntas
Behind the town is the Tomb of Amyntas, an Ionic temple façade carved in the sheer rock face in 350 BC. It gets crowded at sunset in summer, the most pleasant time to visit. It's a steep climb up steps to get there; on a hot day it's worth first considering how much Lycian funerary monuments really mean to you. Other smaller tombs lie about 500m to the east.
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Yivli Minare
Antalya's symbol is the Yivli Minare, a handsome and distinctive 'fluted' minaret erected by the Seljuk sultan Aladdin Keykubad I in the early 13th century. The adjacent mosque is still in use. Within the complex is a heavily restored Mevlevi tekke (whirling dervish monastery, which probably dates from the 13th century) It now houses Güzel Sanatlar Galerisiwith changing exhibits. Next door are two türbe (tombs) from the late 14th century. The broad plaza to the west with the bombastic equestrian statue of Atatürk is Cumhuriyet Meydanı.
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Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Camii
Go down Uzun Çarşi Sokak, the street opposite the clock tower. On the left is the Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Camii, built by the Beylerbey (Governor of Governors) Tekeli Mehmet Paşa. The building was repaired extensively in 1886 and 1926. Note the beautiful Arabic inscriptions in the coloured tiles above the windows.
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Sarcophagi
Throughout the town you will notice curious Lycian stone sarcophagi dating from around 450 BC. There's one north of the belediye and others in the middle of streets or in private gardens - the town was built around them. All were broken into by tomb robbers centuries ago.
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Büyük Çakıl Beach
For swimming, head for pretty Büyük Çakıl beach. It's clean and just 1.3km from the town centre. Although it's largely pebble-based, there's a few metres of sand at one end and offers free use of parasols and sun beds, as well as a shaded café.
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Monument Tomb
Walk up the hill on the street behind (to the east of) the tourist office to reach the Monument Tomb, a Lycian sarcophagus mounted on a high base. Kaş was once littered with such sarcophagi but over the years most were broken apart to provide building materials.
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Theatre
Built in the 2nd century AD, the spectacular theatre rivals nearby Aspendos for sheer drama. In fact it's one of the largest in the region and could seat up to 20,000 spectators. Look to the wall of the skene (stage building) for reliefs of figures and faces, including those of Comedy and Tragedy.
East of the theatre and across the road from the museum are the remains of an agora, which once held a slave market. Nearby is the ruined circular-shaped Temple of Tyche dedicated to the goddess of fortune, and an arresting latrine with two-dozen marble seats.
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Agora Museum
Within the remains of an agora you'll find a good number of columns, although a chain-link fence restricts access.The museum is a ruin itself; its rather impressive, if small, collection of statues and sarcophagi resides inside the old Roman baths.
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Atatürk's House Museum
When Atatürk visited Alanya on 18 February 1935, he slept in a house on Azaklar Sokak, off Fatih Sultan Mehmet Caddesi. The owner of the house left it to the Ministry of Culture, which has turned it into a small museum.
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Lara Plajı
Neither of Antalya's two beaches have much to recommend them - at least not as far as silken sand nor paradise views are concerned. Lara Plajı is your best bet for swimming; it's about 12km southeast of the centre.
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