Antalya is one of the best resort cities in Turkey, and now we have expressed not our opinion, but the opinion of millions of tourists who have already fallen in love with this southern city. Unlike the usual resort cities, where the population is 50-100 thousand people, Antalya is a large city with more than a million inhabitants. Modern technologies and infrastructure here coexist perfectly with the rich history of Antalya, expressed in numerous architectural monuments.
The local beaches will delight even the most sophisticated holiday lovers, and a huge selection of hotels will allow you to choose a holiday to suit your taste and budget. There’s something for everyone in Antalya, whether you’re into exploring the old days, sticking exclusively to the popular attractions, or exploring the city far beyond the tourist areas. By the way, if you want to quickly get from the airport to the hotel or vice versa, we recommend using the service such as Antalya airport transfer with Kiwitaxi.
1. Retro tram “Nostalgie”
If your youth was not spent in Antalya of the last century, then the Nostalgie retro tram is unlikely to give you a surge of nostalgia, but positive impressions are almost certain. The tram route runs along the embankment, and from the window there are views of the most iconic sights of the city.
During the trip, you will be able to admire the Old Town of Kaleici, see the majestic Yivli Minaret and Hadrian’s Gate, which are much older than some existing states. A special atmosphere of the trip is given by the fact that all the trams on the line are truly from the last century, and not dilapidated and rusty, but quite nice and comfortable. After taking a ride on a retro tram and seeing the sights of Antalya, we recommend not stopping there and getting to know the architectural monuments more closely – we will talk about many of them separately.
2. Old town Kaleici
Once upon a time, it was on the territory of the Kaleici region that Antalya arose, founded by Roman settlers. There are quite a few reminders of those times left here, but the houses of the 19th century are perfectly preserved.
As you know, the territory of modern Turkey, and especially Antalya, has always been a tasty morsel for a variety of states, including not only the Romans, but also the Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuks and Ottomans.
The regularly changing government and social system left their mark on the body of Turkey in the form of an interweaving of a variety of cultures, this was especially reflected in the architecture. The old town of Kaleici is the quintessence of everything that we love Turkey for: a fortress, a harbor with yachts and boats, old small houses, narrow streets with dozens of cozy establishments and an indescribable flavor.
3. Umbrella Street
One of the interesting sights of Kaleici, although not historical, is the street of umbrellas. The installation appeared in 2013 and even then was not something new, but this did not in the least prevent the street from becoming one of the most visited places by tourists. In total, 600 colorful umbrellas hang between the buildings, which not only serve a decorative function, but also provide excellent protection from the heat.
What makes Umbrella Street so popular is the fact that there is a large concentration of cafes, bars, restaurants and a wide variety of shops. Therefore, in addition to a walk, you can have a tasty snack and buy souvenirs for all your friends and relatives.
Photos against the backdrop of umbrellas turn out great, however, you need to be able to capture the moment when there are no ubiquitous tourists in the background.
4. Hadrian’s Gate
In those days, when Antalya was still called Attalia, the city and harbor were surrounded by high walls. Partially these walls have survived to this day, but among all the entrance gates, only Hadrian’s Gate has survived. They were built after 130, when the Roman Emperor Hadrian visited Attalia.
For several centuries the gate was not used, as it was walled up in the city wall, thanks to which it was perfectly preserved. They were first described by the Irish-British cartographer Francis Beaufort in 1817, and after that other historians began studying the architectural monument. Large-scale reconstruction that followed the destruction of the walls in the 1950s revealed a number of interesting archaeological finds.
After removing the road surface, an old Roman road was found, with furrows from numerous carts preserved on it. Bronze letters were also found, broken off from a tablet dedicated to Emperor Hadrian. They did not restore it, but the letters were sent as exhibits to the best archaeological museums in England, Germany, Austria and other countries. You can always book such tours with Kiwitaxi. You can even hire a personal guide and driver to ensure you have time to visit all the interesting places.
5. Saat Kulesi Clock Tower
At the beginning of the 20th century, Turkey was on good terms with Germany, and as a sign of friendship, German Emperor Wilhelm II made a gift – a batch of clocks for the facades. There were not many suitable facades, so the construction of clock towers began throughout Turkey. F
or the construction of the tower in Antalya, stone was delivered from the small town of Sarayköy, and marble for the nearby fountains was brought from Milan. Since the clock was installed in 1901, it worked uninterruptedly until 1974, when it was damaged due to an earthquake. After 2 years, they started working again and have been regularly telling the time for over forty years. The Saat Kulesi Tower is not only a popular attraction, but also a favorite place for young people, where dates and friendly meetings are regularly held.
6. Park Karaalioglu and Khidirlyk tower
To the south of the Kaleici district is the Karaalioglu Park, which is not only beautiful in itself, but also located on a hill, thanks to which it offers an incredibly picturesque panorama of the city and its surroundings. Dense vegetation and tall trees make Karaalioglu an excellent place to escape the heat and relax in the shade.
The park has a cozy atmosphere, and you can stroll here not only on foot, but also on a bicycle, scooter or rollerblades. Karaalioglu has monuments and several architectural attractions, among which the Hidirlik Tower deserves special attention. Its history is shrouded in darkness: it is known that it was built around the 2nd century AD. e., but subsequently it was repeatedly rebuilt and changed, which is why the original appearance was lost.
There has never been a clear answer to the question of why the tower was built. There is a theory that it was used as a lighthouse, but there is no definitive evidence. Perhaps it served as a cannon platform and was supposed to guarantee the safety of the harbor or was intended as a mausoleum.
7. Yivli Minaret
Usually, in mosques, what is most interesting is the mosques themselves, but in the case of the Great Mosque in Antalya, the Yivli Minaret drew all the attention. Thanks to the special brickwork, it seems that the minaret consists of several cylinders, for which it was nicknamed “Yivli”, which means “corrugated” in Turkish.
Our partners from Kiwitaxi say that the height of the Yivli minaret is 38 meters, and there are 90 steps leading up. It is likely that there used to be 99 of them, because that is how many names Allah has, and each of the steps served as a kind of cheat sheet for muezzins – mosque ministers who climbed to the top of the minaret and called people to prayer. And although no one officially recognized the Yivli minaret as a symbol of the city, citizens and tourists have long made it such.
8. Antalya Archaeological Museum
It is difficult to calculate even the approximate number of those artifacts that archaeologists managed to find on the territory of Turkey, and it is even more impossible to count how many more the Turkish land contains. We invite you to look at what has already been found, described and stored in the Antalya Archaeological Museum.
The exhibition presents not only cultural and everyday objects from the era of the Ottoman Empire and Antiquity, but also much earlier exhibits belonging to prehistoric times. The collection of the Antalya Archaeological Museum will be interesting both for people who are completely ignorant of history, and for those who have visited many similar museums in their lives.
9. Antalya Panoramic Elevator
In Antalya, you will often have to either go down or overcome a difficult road up. In addition to the usual methods of transportation, you can also use… the elevator. It allows you to easily and quickly get from Republic Square to the Old Town, and as a bonus you can enjoy the beauty of the seaside city.
At the top of the lift there is an observation deck, which offers beautiful views of the port and the sea, and photographs from this angle are especially good. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that at the height of the season you will have to stand in line, and sometimes quite a long one, but the impressions gained will more than repay the time spent.
10. Mount Tunektepe and cable car
After the sultry heat that reigns in mid-summer in Antalya, climbing Mount Tünektepe will be a real pleasure. Of course, we are not talking about the exhausting process of climbing on foot, but about the pleasant cool and humid air at the top.
If you are not ready to climb 605 meters above sea level on foot for this, then you can do this using a cable car: the traffic is regular, you get to the top quickly, and the price is quite affordable. During the trip you will be able to admire the surroundings, but nothing compares to the views that open from the top of Tünektepe. However, take into account the weather conditions, because foggy and cloudy weather can disrupt all your plans and deprive you of a beautiful panorama.
