| MEDITERRANEAN TURKEY | ||
Also known as the Mediterranean shore (because of the Mediterranean Sea), the Southern side of Turkey is holding ancient cultures and beautiful shores. This part of Turkey offers both; a cultural travel with ancient Greek structures, theatres and a relaxing vacation with magnificent beaches & sea. |
||
|
As most of Turkey, the Mediterranean coast also has local buses operating throughout the country. Railways is not very common in this part but there is one big airport which will allow you to fly from big cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya…etc. Dalaman airport is in the middle for Western Turkey and Mediterranean shore so can be used to travel to the Southwest part of Turkey. Antalya Aiport is the biggest and most busiest Airport in Mediterranean. There are many different airlines flying in and out of this airport. Stonepark Travel Agency would gladly arrange your flights suitable with your travel needs. Mediterranean coast of Turkey usually has a very humid climate which makes it usually warm. The summers are hot and humid which makes seaside vacations available much longer than other regions. For example it’s possible to swim in November as the sea temperature will be quite warm. It will be very rainy in winter months so it won’t be the best times to travel this part of Turkey. Spring and Fall are the best times for cultural tours and of course summer time is ideal for sunbathing and seaside vacation purposes. Mediterranean usually has a hot and humid weather. As it’s surrounded by seas so it has a very humid climate. The summers will be hot & humid and the winters will be very rainy. Antalya: As one of the most lively cities in summer times, Antalya is both good fro sightseeing and seaside vacations. Kaleiçi neigbourhood is full of perfectly restored Ottoman Mansions, boutique hotels, souvenir shops, art galleries and restaurants. Temple of Apollo: The temple of Apollo is actually located in Side province, next to the ancient harbor. As bearing Peripteros Style, this temple is from 2nd century AD. Termessos: Located 30km nortwest of Antalya, this antique city is one of the best preserved antique cities in Turkey. Termessos was a Pisidian city built at an altitude of more than 1000 metres at the south-west side of the mountain Solymos Mountain. Perge: Located between the Catarrhactes (Duden River) and Cestrus (Aksu River) rivers, Perge was an ancient and important city of Pamphylia. The ruins include a theatre, a palaestra, a temple of Artemis and two churches. The temple of Artemis was located outside the town. Aspendos: Aspendos was anoter ancient city of Pamphylia. The “theatre” in Aspendos is one of the largest ever built by the Romans in Asia Minor area. And it’s also one of the best preserved example of Roman theatre architecture. Manavgat & Duden Waterfalls: Antalya part is also rich with waterfalls. You can relax and cool a little by the Manavgat and Duden waterfalls if you would like to pass a lovely afternoon. Duden Waterfalls are a group of waterfalls which are located 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) north-east of Antalya. Manavgat Waterfall on the other hand is a waterfall on the Manavgat River which is near to the city of Side, 3 km (2 miles) north of Manavgat. Kemer: This is another city mostly known with beautiful beaches and seaside vacation Hotels. It is also close by to most sightseeing places like Phaselis, Yanartas…etc. Olympos – Ciralı: Cirali and Olympos is mostly favorite part of the backpacker travellers and young people as the hotels are offering more of a Bungolow type of accommodation. Cirali especially is famous with its 3,2km of unspoilt beach and a hatching ground for endangered Caretta Caretta (Loggerhead) sea turtles. Yanartas (Chimaera): Along the Cirali village this place is famous with its flames on the rocks without any apparent fuel or heat source. Phaselis: Located approximately 15km West of Kemer, Phaselis, was an important port and an ancient city for Greeks and Romans. Kaş - Kalkan: As one of the most favorite seaside vacation spots, these small towns are 25km apart from eachother. Both towns are quite close to sightseeing places around. And you can also enjoy the daily Mediterranean boat trips from Kas. Demre – Kekova: Demre is famous with the church of St. Nicholas and Kekova is a sunken city. You can visit these in a Daily tour usually offered as Demre, Myra & Kekova Tour. Also known as the Santa Claus it’s said that Demre was choosen by St. Nicholas as his home and last resting place. And in Kekova you have a chance to swim in the ruins of this amazing sunken city! Patara: Patara is one of the beautiful spots in Turkey as it’s rich with a beautiful long beach and sightseeing places nearby. It’s famous with its 14km (9 miles) of sandy beach. The beach is also rich by the Lycian and Roman ruins. There are many centers and seasides you can stay in Mediterranean Coast according to your travel type. For example if you prefer to do an cultural tour it’s best to stay in Antalya, Lara, Kemer…etc. as these places are the central point to many sightseeing places like Perge, Aspendos, Demre, Kekova…etc. Kas and Kalkan is best to relax at the beach and have fun. There are many different accommodation options in Mediterranean coast from silent relaxing hotels to all inclusive fun and family hotels. Antalya is also good for Rafting and Scuba diving activities. It’s possible to find small souvenir shops in every part of Mediterranean Turkey. If you would like to take a small present for your loved ones back home these are the best places. Turkey is also one of the best places to buy high quality leather. Even though the quality is high the prices are much lower comparing to other countries. The best places to buy leather products will be in Istanbul, Kusadasi and Mediterranean parts. You can buy many leather products such as; jackets, coats, bags, wallets, shoes, gloves…etc. But while buying it’s best to trust your travel agency’s safe shops or avoid very touristic places. If you’re shopping alone make sure to check different shops to compare prices and products. As hosted many different cultures through out the history Turkey has a very rich culture and cuisine. Turkish people enjoy meat very much and it’s a large part of our cuisine with famous kebabs but our cuisine is also very rich in vegetables and different kind of snacks so Vegetarians will also find a chance to benefit from our rich cuisine. Mediterranean Turkey part is mostly rich with seafood. As Western Turkey, Mediterranean will also offer the most fresh and delicious seafood and fish dish options so make sure you taste some calamari, mussel, octopus salad, midye dolma, season fish… etc. You can also find fish sandwiches known as “balık-ekmek” in every corner. As one part of Mediterranean is in east, it is also rich with meat and kebabs. You can find many different tastes from all over Turkey. Currency If you will also visit non touristic places it will be best to carry some Turkish Liras with you as you may not always find an exchange center. You can always use the banks or exchange offices to Exchange currencies but its best to use exchange offices as usually the banks give lower exchange rates. If you can’t find any exchange offices or banks around, you can always try goldsmiths. Try to exchange your currency in the week days or on Saturday as the goldsmiths and exchange offices may be closed on Sundays. Local time People & Language A Turkish Phrase book or Google tranlate will help you communicate with the people at non-touristic parts of Turkey but even though they don’t speak or understand English you will find a person eagerly ready to help you at every corner. Tipping Electricity Measurements
Things to be Careful About Some of the museums you’re not allowed to take photos as the mosaics are very fragile. But mostly, it is allowed to take photos without flash. It is definetely forbidden to take photos of the military bases. Taking photos of the local people is generally fine but in some countryside some people can be conservative. If you are in an area like that, it’s better to ask their permission before taking the photo. Even if they don’t understand your language they will understand your gestures. As most of the local people are very friendly, they also may come to you to take a photo with you. As much as Turkish people are friendly and good willed, like in many countries we may have ill-minded people also. Don’t believe everybody or go places with them without searching or asking someone you would trust (your hotel or your travel agency for instance) 
|