Turkey Mediterranean

Antalya is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and the capital of its eponymous province. Located on Anatolia's flourishing southwest coast bordered by the Taurus Mountains, Antalya is the largest Turkish city on the Mediterranean coast. Roman rule saw Antalya thrive, including the construction of new monuments, such as Hadrian's Gate. Kaleici, with its narrow cobbled streets of historic Ottoman era houses, is the old center of Antalya. With its hotels, bars, clubs, restaurants, and shopping, it has been restored to retain much of its historical character. There are also archaeological sites with traces of Lycian, Pamphylian, Roman, and Byzantine architecture and cultures.

Kemer is a seaside resort located in the Gulf of Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast and the Turkish Riviera, with the skirts of the western Taurus Mountains behind. The coast has the typical Mediterranean hot, dry weather and warm sea. Until the early 1980s this was a quiet rural district but today the town of Kemer and coastal villages in the district play a very important part in tourism in Turkey. One of the major attractions of Kemer is its natural beauty; sea, mountains and pine forest combine in harmony. The shore consists of unspoilt beaches in bays of various sizes, mostly stoney rather than sand. Kemer is a comfortable holiday coast with internationally accepted reputation.

Fethiye is a city and district of Mugla Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is one of Turkey's well-known tourist centers and is especially popular during the summer. In the last ten years Fethiye has become a magnet for British citizens. Apart from its climate and natural beauty, the Britons are attracted by its less expensive lifestyle and the hospitality of the local people. The Fethiye Museum, which is very rich in ancient and more recent artifacts, displays and testifies to the successive chain of civilizations that existed in the area, starting with the ancient Lycians. Fethiye is also home to the Tomb of Amyntas, a large and beautiful tomb built in 350 BC by the Lycians. What makes this tomb unique is its massive size and beautiful carvings.

Alanya is a beach resort city and a component district of Antalya Province on the southern coast of Turkey, in the country's Mediterranean Region. Because of its natural strategic position on a small peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea below the Taurus Mountains, Alanya has been a local stronghold for many Mediterranean-based empires. Alanya's greatest political importance came in the Middle Ages, with the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum under the rule of Alaeddin Kayqubad I, whose building campaign resulted in many of the city's landmarks, such as the Red Tower, Shipyard, and Alanya Castle. Other landmarks are Alanya Gardens, Aquapark, Archeology Museum, and the Damlatas Caves.

Side is an ancient Greek city on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey, a resort town and one of the best-known classical sites in the country. It is located on the eastern part of the Pamphylian coast, which lies about 20 km east of the mouth of the Eurymedon River. Today, as in antiquity, the ancient city is situated on a small north-south peninsula about 1km long and 400m across. Attractions include the Side Museum, the Nymphaeum, Greek Amphitheater, Temple of Apollo, as well as the ancient city walls.

Adana is a city in southern Turkey. The city is situated on the Seyhan river in south-central Anatolia. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province and is the fifth most populous city in Turkey. Adana boasts wide architectural diversity, encompassing Mamluk and Seljuqid architecture, as well as historical landmarks from the Roman-Byzantine era. Other landmarks of the city include parks and gardens, mosques and churches, theaters and museums. Most prominent among these are Adana Archaeology Museum, Grand Mosque, Merkez Park, and Sabanci Merkez Mosque.

Kas is a small fishing, diving, yachting and tourist town. As a tourist resort, it is relatively unspoilt. Kas itself is a quiet pleasant town with its blue sea and narrow streets scented with jasmine flowers. There are plenty of little guest houses, quiet cafes serving home cooking, or small bars to relax after a day's scuba diving. Kas has an annual arts festival, jazz concerts in the Hellenistic theater and the Kiln Under the Sea arts collective have held underwater ceramics exhibitions here. Kas is one of the leading spots for scuba diving in Turkey, and offers other exciting sporting opportunities, such as mountain-biking, kayaking, and trekking.

Kalkan is a town on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, and an important tourist destination. The area includes many historical sites (such as Tlos and Kekova) and many fine beaches (including Patara Beach & Kaputas Beach). Kalkan is an old fishing town, and the only safe harbor between Kas and Fethiye; it is famous for its white-washed houses, descending to the sea, and its brightly colored bougainvilleas. It averages 300 days of sunshine a year. British newspaper The Independent listed Kalkan among the best tourist destinations for 2007. The paper recommended Kalkan especially for those seeking a romantic vacation and who do not want to travel far from their home country in Europe.

Mersin is a large city and a port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey, and lies on the western part of Cukurova, a geographical, economical, and cultural region. Mersin is an important hub of Turkey's economy, and Turkey's largest seaport is located in the city. Mersin's nickname within Turkey is "Pearl of the Mediterranean". Main attractions include the Mersin Museum, Mersin Ataturk Museum, Mugdat Mosque, Mersin Marina, State Opera And Ballet, Grand Mosque, and Mersin Naval Museum.

Demre is a town and its surrounding district in the Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, named after the river Demre. It is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the historical man later developed into the figure of Santa Claus. The region is popular with tourists today particularly Christian pilgrims who visit the tomb of Saint Nicholas. Other points of interest are the Roman theater and ruins of Roman Myra, tombs carved into the rocks, the church of St Nicholas of Myra,as well as the antique cities of Andriake and Simena.

Antakya is the seat of the Hatay Province in southern Turkey. In ancient times, Antakya was known as Antioch, was for centuries one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire, and was an influential early center of Christianity.The long and varied history has created many architectural sites of interest. There is much for visitors to see in Antakya, although many buildings have been lost in the rapid growth and redevelopment of the city in recent decades. Some of the city's gems are the Hatay Archaeology Museum, the rock-carved Church of St Peter, the old market district, and the Ottoman Habib-i Neccar Mosque.

Belek is a township with own municipality in Serik district in Turkey's Antalya Province. Belek is one of the centers of Turkey's tourism industry, as the town and the surrounding area are famous for their spas and mineral waters received from seven springs. The Troy Aqua and Dolphinarium comes highly recommended, while the main attraction of the town remains its beach. Nearby attractions include Kursunlu Waterfall, the Hellenistic city of Perge, and the ancient Aspendos.