My visit to Antalya was refreshing after being in Istanbul. It’s a nice size city with beautiful senary of the Mediterranean sea.
I stayed at the DoubleTree hotel, which is a really nice hotel with a rooftop restaurant, lounge area and pool. Not the best location for getting around the city. I had to use Uber taxi.
A visit to the marina area led to a boat tour that was 2 hours of relaxing bliss. I also booked an all day tour to Perge (pronounced ‘pair-gay’), Aspendos, and Side (pronounced ‘see-day’). The first stop was to the ancient city of Perge, which is known for its Roman and Greek ruins. Our guide gave us a little history of the city and helped us to visualize some of the buildings and its use. There was a small arena that was used for killings or fights. He mentioned that perhaps someone was arrested for stealing. They would be given the necessary tools to fight a lion. However, if the crime was considered more severe, the person would have to defend against a lion without any tools. People would come from the surrounding cities and pay to witness the torture of person or animal.
The next stop was to Aspendos to visit the Roman theatre that was built in the 2nd century. They still host events there, like the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival. Next, was a stop to the city of Side, which is a resort town on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast. Known for long beaches and Greco-Roman ruins and the Temples of Athena and Apollo. The Old Town had a lot of shops and restaurants. We stopped at a predetermined spot outside of the city for lunch, where we had a chance to learn a little more about each other. There was a couple from Belgium, a young woman from China, a mother and daughter coming from different countries to meet up in Turkey, and a couple from India. Interesting people and good conversations. The food was surprisingly good. I say this because most of the times the spots selected on tours haven’t always been the best.
I spent a couple days exploring Old Town and the historical sites. I even came across a park along the sea wall. The park had beautiful palm trees lining the streets, benches all over for people to sit and enjoy the senary. I sat for a while taking it all in.
Although Antalya has areas of the city that resemble Istanbul (busy hustle & bustle), it’s quickly forgotten by the beauty of other areas, especially when you can sit and enjoy the waves of the sea. And the weather is much nicer.
Add this city to your vacation list.
