Antalya is affectionately known as Turkey’s equivalent to the France’s riviera. This is a comparison that any destination would be proud to hear. Here are some reasons that make Antalya comparable to such a place of beauty:
• The coast truly is incredible. It sometimes feels as though all coasts are amazing, and that is because, when one thinks about it, not much is required for a beach holiday to be a good one. There only needs to be a clear enough sea, some sunshine, and a decent beach. Some coastlines offer more than these three important fundamental qualities, and the Antalya coastline is one of them. The mountains are close to the coastline, which offers a backdrop of incomparable beauty when one is resting on the beach or floating in the sea. A quick venture into the mountains will uncover natural springs and Byzantine ruins, which both contribute to offering this destination unimaginable depth.
• Another point about the coast, but one that deserves to be written about separately, concerns the coast of Cirali. The best time to go there is the first week of September. It is possible to watch the loggerhead turtles laying their eggs in the sand. This is a truly remarkable experience, and protected by the WWF.
• Footpaths and walkways have been one of the biggest improvements of this area in recent years. It wasn’t so long ago that this area offered nothing in the way of signposts. The most famous walking route of Antalya is the Lycian Way, which joins the town with Fethiye. One passes through the expected coastal scenery, but also a lot of surprising ruins along the way. It can also be used as a route by which to cycle, but this isn’t a forgiving ride and should only be entertained by those at least semi serious about the sport. The difficulty of the cycle coupled with the summer temperatures makes it a serious activity, but stunningly beautiful.
• This is a feature that isn’t going to appeal to everyone, but Lara beach, throughout almost all of the summer, is home to an unimaginably large sandcastle competition. The competition is often held together by a theme, and is taken very seriously by some sculptures. Yes, that’s right, sculptures. If one is in the area then this is at least having a quick look at.
• Unlike some Eastern European countries, in which it can be very difficult to recycle, Turkey has taken real steps to ensure the tourism is green. This is something that contributes to the overall reputation of the country and is therefore an important feature of it. Without steps such as these, far fewer people would be willing to praise it, let alone visit.
• The city might not be everyone’s first thoughts when they think of this destination, but the wonderfully preserved city – and how thankful we are that it has been preserved – offers the tourist a great contrast (as I learned from my trip to Antalya with Startour). It’s best to keep things simple in this city. Some local food and a nice long walk. Perfect.
