Welcome to Antalya & the Turquoise Coast
The ancient Lycians were on to something when they based their empire on the stunning Teke Peninsula, the chunk of Mediterranean paradise between Antalya and Fethiye. This is Turkey at its most staggeringly beautiful: sandy sweeps of shore hug a coastline lapped by jade waters and backed by forest-blanketed slopes. The Turquoise Coast is prime sun-and-sea territory, but step off the beach and you'll find ancient cities such as Xanthos, Tlos and Arykanda perched precariously atop hills, and ornate tombs carved into cliffs at Pınara and Myra. Hike between ruins on a section of the 500km-long Lycian Way and you'll be richly rewarded with scenery worth the sweat.
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Antalya & the Turquoise Coast activities
Perge, Aspendos and Manavgat Waterfalls Day Tour from Antalya
Next proceed to Aspendos, which bears one of the best preserved Roman theaters in Anatolia. After lunch by the river, visit the beautiful Manavgat Waterfalls.Side is one of the best-known classical sites in Turkey. It was an ancient harbor whose name meant pomegranate. Today a pretty resort town, its ancient ruins, two sandy beaches, numerous shops and extensive tourist accommodation attract hundreds of visitors. The magnificent theater of the ancient city, built on colonnaded arches, is the largest in the whole area. Other monuments include the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, which is situated near the sea, a fountain and Necropolis. The extensive Roman baths, now a museum, houses one of Turkey's finest archaeological collections.After some free time on your own in Side, you will return to Antalya.
Antalya Electric Bike Tour
Begin your experience with a pickup from your centrally located Antalya hotel or a transfer (own expense) from your hotel in Belek or Kemer. Then, settle into your air-conditioned minivan and travel to the start point in central Antalya. Listen to a safety briefing, put on your provided helmet and vest, and get an introduction to your electric bike: a regular two-wheeled bicycle with an electric motor that takes the hard work out of pedaling. Enjoy a practice ride and then plug into your audio guide and set off behind your guide to explore Antalya's sights.Cycle around leafy Düden Park and check out the Lower Düden Waterfalls, where the Düden River crashes down sea cliffs into the Mediterranean Sea below. Take photos and then pedal through the lush parks and flower gardens that top Antalya’s cliffs and shores, enjoying stirring views over the sea as you go.Arrive in Antalya Old Town (Kaleiçi) and hear from your audio guide how this picturesque walled quarter dates to the Roman period. Explore the narrow streets lined with stone and wooden town houses, tea shops and bazaars, and pause at monuments such as the 2nd-century Roman Hadrian’s Gate, Clock Tower, Hıdırlık Tower and Fluted Minaret.Spin past stone bathhouses, mosques and minarets, and see landmarks such the Atatürk's House Museum, the pink-painted home where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Turkey’s first president, stayed in 1935.Cycle around the postcard-worthy yacht marina, stop to refuel with a tasty simit and refreshing Turkish tea, and ride along the clifftop paths of scenic Atatürk Park, one of Antalya’s most popular beauty spots.Cruise past Konyaaltı Beach, enjoying the views over the pebble stones, sea and mountains, and cruise by Minicity, a cultural park with displays of miniaturized monuments from Anatolia.After around four hours, hop off your bike and end your tour with a drop-off at your central hotel. Alternatively, make your own way back to your hotel in Belek or Kemer from the original start point of the tour. Please note: A minimum of two people per booking is required.
Full-Day Pamukkale Hot springs and Hierapolis Ancient City from Side
After picking you up from the hotel at early morning hours we will head to the city of Denizli along the Taurus mountain chain. On our way, we will stop for breakfast in a local restaurant led by a Turkish family.After arriving at our final destination you will begin sightseeing of remainders of ancient city of Hierapolis. Hierapolis was a health resort during Roman times, from which Roman baths, basilica, gymnasium, “column” street are preserved and beautifully renovated theatre on the hill. In a free time given by the guide worth visiting is also the ancient necropolis, where you will find over 1000 ancient sarcophaguses.However, Pamukkale is mainly a white travertines listed by the UNESCO. You will be able to penetrate them wading in thermal water of 35 degrees flooding down the travertines. It will surely be a great massage and relief for tired feet. If you want to try the exact treatment of Pamukkale waters – use a bubble (champagne) bath in Cleopatra pool (with additional fee). Health-bringing water cures among others: obesity, rheumatism, asthma and skin diseases, and most important brings back the fresh, young look. They say that, that Pamukkale was the secret of the beauty of the great seductress – Cleopatra…After sightseeing and bathes, it will be time to recharge your batteries with delicious lunch (buffet) and time for a visit and shopping in the real center of leather goods in which many Turks are specialized since centuries. Don’t forget about the tradition of bargaining over the price! The way back will again lead you through the Taurus mountains to be back at the hotel around 8pm.
Demre, Myra and Kekova
After lunch, sail over turquoise waters to the picturesque Kekova Island. Discover the extraordinary underwater ruins of the sunken city of Simena and visit the noteworthy Lycian necropolis at Teimiussa. There are opportunities to swim and snorkel if desired, so don't forget your bathing suit and towel. Return in the late evening to Antalya where tour concludes with a hotel drop-off to your Antalya city center hotel.
Rafting and Canyoning Adventure 2 in 1
Want to add a touch of extreme adventure to your trip? Go for rafting during your vacation to Turkey. You will be taken from Belek to the Koprulu Canyon by road. After reaching the Koprucay Canyon National Park, you need to get your rafting gear all set for an adventurous experience. It’s a scenic journey during which, you pass through the breathtaking Taurus Mountains of the Antalya region. It’s a nice and happening place during summers, where thousands can do rafting at the same time.You can go rafting with your friends or family, as one raft can be used by 12 people at most at one time. While rafting you will see the glorious Oluk Bridge, which is quite old and still stands tall. Once the rafting adventure comes to an end, you can relax and have lunch by the scenic river and smell the fresh Cyprus trees. Later, you can explore the park and get mesmerized with the gracefulness of nature. Experience and professional rafting guides will help you out. It’s a dramatic journey, as you raft through the rapids for a distance of 8.5 miles and experience stimulating adrenaline rush. You don’t need any previous experience to go rafting.
Sunken City Kekova, Demre, and Myra Day Tour from Antalya
Your tour sets out in the early morning with hotel pick-up. Your first stop will be for breakfast at a restaurant with a panoramic view of Kumluca. From here the road to Kekova Harbor — coined the Turquoise Coast — is picturesque, as it is bordered on one side by the Mediterranean Sea and on the other side by small towns set against the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey. On arrival in Kekova, embark on a 1-hour boat trip to discover the ruins of the sunken city. The glass-bottom boat sails slowly so you can clearly see the remains of many buildings under the sea, some with stairs descending under the water. Your guide will explain the history of this ancient Lycian city so that you can imagine how it once looked. On Kekova Island search for remaining walls and doors of the monumental foundations, one of them considered to be a Byzantine church. Plenty of Lycian sarcophagi can be seen either on the island or in the sea. Don't miss the opportunity to swim in the clear waters during a break. After the cruise, you're driven to the ancient city of Myra, famous for its rock-cut tombs and large amphitheater. You will have enough time to discover many aspects with your guide, including the Lycian necropolis. Your final visit is to the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre. Each year thousands of people from all around the world come here to see, touch, and pray at the marble sarcophagus considered to be the original tomb of St. Nicholas. The church was restored some years ago and now serves as a museum. Admire its interior covered by relatively well-preserved frescos. Near the church stands a local restaurant where you're served an included buffet lunch before the drive back to Antalya for hotel drop-off.