Turkey Tours by Magnificent Travel : Antalya Touristic Information

Antalya Touristic Information

Antalya Capital of the Province of the same name ;
Approx. 550 000 inhabitants ;
International airport Exhibition and congress centre ;
Touristic and economic centre on the Turkish south coast ; Historical old town

THE TOWN
At the point where, in the opinion of many Franconians,
the Mediterranean is its most beautiful, the Pergamen King Attalos II established a settlement in the 2nd Century BC
in a bay in the Turkish Riviera and gave it its name (Attaleia). One after the other, the Romans, Byzantine and Seldschuken came on their campaigns of conquest to Antalya until the town came under Ottoman control in the 14th Century. Antalya has the Seldschuken to thank for her most famous landmark, the minaret of the Yivli Minareli Mosque. Today the tourists have taken over the attractive Mediterranean location and have allowed Antalya and her around 550,000 inhabitants to grow into one of the largest cities in Turkey. Symbolised by her "300 days of sunshine", an extensive tourist infrastructure with numerous entertainment and shopping opportunities, a picturesque old town as well as interesting sights in the town centre and in the immediate area, tourists, above all Germans, seeking rest and relaxation have made Antalya a touristic stronghold in the Mediterranean. Easily accessible via an international airport, the town is also the economic centre of a rich, agricultural Region. The most significant cinematic event in Turkey, the "Golden Orange Film Festival", has established itself in Antalya.

THE PARTNERSHIP
The town is strongly in the hands of the tourists in the summer months and the seasonal contact blossoms between the native Turks and the sun-hungry Franconians. However, apart from that there is an animated interest that the two cities share: traffic and transport technology, environmental protection and environmental technology make up the foundation for technical exchanges and economic cooperation between the two partners. The University Erlangen-Nuremberg, the Georg-Simon-Ohm Technical College and the Akdeniz University (Mediterranean University) are interested in mutual co-operation: spending a semester lying under palm trees is surely a tempting prospect for students in Franconia.

At the pre-Christmas Twin City market before the Christkindlesmarkt, the Antalya stand, offering everything from Turkish sweets, through board games and colourful, woven towels to silk caps, shows off the many facets of an oriental bazaar.

TRAVELLING TO ANTALYA
Those not in the lucky position to be able to travel with their own boat from the Gebersdorf yacht port down the Main canal, Danube and Black Sea and across the Mediterranean, are better off taking the plane: a variety of airlines offer various direct flight connections to Antalya in the summer months, allowing the holiday paradise on the southern Turkish coast to be accessible within three hours. If your own Turkish knowledge is limited to "Doner Kebab" and "Raki", then you can often get by with German. You can also often get by in English with younger people.

WHEN TO TRAVEL
The Mediterranean climate with its mild, damp winters and long, hot summers is pleasant in the spring or early summer and also in autumn. At the beginning of October every year, the "Golden Orange Film Festival" takes place, the most significant of its kind in Turkey.

LITERATURE
Travel literature to put in the luggage for a trip to Antalya and the Turkish south coast: Jochen Grashäuser: Jochen "Turkey - Mediterranean Coast" (Michael Müller Publishing, 4th Edition 1997) .

When King Attalos first set eyes on Antalya he dubbed it "Paradise on Earth". It's fertile soil and natural harbour made it ideal for settlers throughout the ages. Antalya has had an extremely chequered history. The Persians, Alexander the Great, The Romans the Arabs and many more have all left their mark on the area over the centuries but no one more so than King Attalos of Pergamon who in 159 B.C.gave the region its name Attalia, from which we derive the modern name Antalya.

Antalya and its environs enjoyed a golden era in the first and second centuries A.D., reflected in the magnificence and multitude of cities to be found at that time of which Side and Aspendos in the east and Phaselis, Olympos and Xanthos in the west are just a few.Those days of glory began to fade however during the Byzantium period at the turn of the 3rd century A.D. with the fall of Constantinople as the capital of East Rome. Later the Arab invasions with their plundering and pillaging signalled the final demise of these great cities. And in 1207 the regions of Antalya and Alanya came to be associated with the Selchuks.

Today the city of Antalya is again reliving a golden age. It has been transformed into a cultural and touristic hub with much on offer to satisfy the discerning visitor - whether it's a guided tour through ancient ruins, a fun packed family holiday or just a romantic boat trip on the sea. Whatever it is you are looking for Antalya has it all.