ANTALYA

The city of Antalya stretches along the bay bearing its name, and is built at 39 meters altitude on a rocky coastline. One is immediately struck by the Taurus mountains rising to 3086 meters above this coastline, interspersed with valleys of varying sizes. Land and sea everywhere meet the beaches stretching for miles or the steep cliffs. The Taurus mountains against the blue backdrop of the sky, the precipices and especially the caves close to the sea add another dimension to the beauty of the region.

Small and large streams emerging from the west side of the Taurus water the plains on their journey to the Mediterranean. This translucent running water, cascading into the
sea at points along the coast, is another attractive sight
The summers are hot and rainless while the other months are warm and often rainy,
with a mean annual temperature of 18.7 °C . In Antalya the average humidty rate is 64%, whereas the seat temperatures are 17.6 °C in January, 18.0 °C in April, 27.7 °C
in August and 24.5 °C in September.
HISTORICAL SITES

TERMESSOS Termessos is perhaps the most interesting ancient city in Antalya region. It is a Psidian city built at a height of 1050 meters in the Taurus Mountains. Termessos constitutes an unusual synthesis of a large number of rare plants and animal species, which are under protection in the Termessos National Park when turning off the Antalya-Burdur highway ( 11 km ) in the direction of Korkuteli, the Termessos signpost will be seen 14 km further on, and Termessos itself is a further 9 km. A visit to this site requires time and the stamina to walk uphill, because Termessos is built entirely on a mountainous area difficult to access.

The inhabitants of Termessos were known as the Solyms but unlike those of other cities of the time they did not come from the sea and were entirely of Anatolian origin. What
is known of their history commences principally at the time that Alexander the Great surrounded the city in 333 B.C., which he likened to an eagle's nest and failed to
conquer. Termessos, after a gradual decline, was finally abandoned in the 5th century A.D. Some of the remains found there are the walls, the Hadrian's triumphal arch, the cisterns, the theater, the gymnasium, the agora, the odeon and the heroon. Among the tombs which are scattered far and wide can be seen those of Alcates, Agatemeros and the Lion decorated sarcophagi, which are extraordinary.

PERGE Perge is 18 km . east of Antalya between the Duden and Aksu streams. This is reached along the Antalya-Alanya highway, turning north at Aksu, going 2 km . further on. As it was not located on the coast, it was not subjected to raids by pirates and therefore continued its progress without interruption. It was settled in 1200 B.C. In 223 B.C. Perge, like Side, reached an agreement with Alexander and thus did not go to war or suffer the usual ravages.

It lived through the Hellenistic, the Roman and the Byzantine epochs. Its 15,000
spectator theater was built in the 2nd century A.D., and the nearby stadium could hold 12,000 people. With the exception of the Aphrodisias stadium, it is the best preserved
in Anatolia. There are 30 rooms, believed to have been used as shops, underneath the stadium seats. A great many statues and other valuable items have been unearthed in recent digs, many of which are in the Antalya Museum. Some of the things worth seeing in Perge are the Hellenistic gate, the agora, the nymphaeum, the colonnaded streets,
the sarcophagi, the basilica and the acropolis.

ASPENDOS After passing Serik on the Antalya-Alanya highway, you turn north and continue for 4 km . It dates back to the 5th century B.C. The theater which was built in the 2nd century A.D. was periodically repaired by the Seljuks who used it as a caravansaray. It is one of the best preserved theaters to be found today. Allowing 0.50 m . per seat, the theater holds 7000 spectators, with an additional 500 in the orchestra. Today it is used for concerts, festivals and grease wrestling events. In addition to the theater the agora, basilica, nymphaeum and 15 km . of aqueducts are to be seen.
	XANTHOS This is the oldest and the largest city of the mountain province of Lycia, settled in the valley of the Xanthos river. Until the Persian invasion it was an independent state. When the people of Xanthos,who had bravely tried to defend their city, realized that they could not repulse the invasion, they first killed their women committed mass suicide by throwing themselves into the flames. About 80 surviving families and people who immigrated there rebuilt the city, but a fire which broke out about 100 years later razed it to the ground. In spite of this, the city was again rebuilt and, as a result of establishing good relations with the west, was considered as an important centre.

However, Xanthos again met with an unfortunate end. As a result of resisting the taxes the Athenians wanted to impose on them in 429 B.C., the city was largely destroyed and the inhabitants were drawn into a war. And thus Xanthos became "a city of disasters". The city itself consists of the Lycian acropolis and the parts remaining outside it, as well as the Roman acropolis. The most interesting building is the Roman theatre and the edifices of the theatre's western shoreline. Of these the most famous is the Harpy Monument, which is a family sarcophagus situated on a rock. The original of this relief-decorated sarcophagus is in the British Museum, and a very good copy of this is in its place. Close by can be seen very interesting Lycian sarcophagi from the 6th and 1st centuries B.C.

MYRA Situated between Finike and Kas, Myra is 25 kms. from Finike and 48 kms. from Kas. It was one of the most important cities among the other six Lycian cities. It was settled in the 5th century B.C. Although it was originally a coastal town, it has retreated from the sea because of the alluvium from the Demre stream. It was abandoned in the 9th century A.D. after the Arab invasion. The rock tombs, the theatre and St. Nicholas Church have survived to make it a place worth visiting. St. Nicholas, born in 245 A .D. in Patara near Fethiye (known variously as St.Nicholas, Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Heilige Nikolaus and Pere Noel) died in 326 A .D., having spent his life in Anatolia.It was in the years 1951-55 that it was realized St. Nicholas was Santa Claus (or Father Christmas).

The first Father Christmas symposium ever held in Antalya was between 5-7 December 1983. This is now held annually and is attended by religious and scientific people from
all over the world. In these symposiums, in keeping with Anatolia's St. Nicholas' love for humanity, a call is made to people of different religions and beliefs for peace, friendship and brotherhood.
NATIONAL PARKS

Koprulu Canyon National Park The Koprulu Canyon National Park is within the boundaries of Manavgat. It is a 14 Km . long and 100 m . wide valley between Balasan village and Beskonak. It is thickly covered in cedar trees and its resemblance to the "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia, albeit in the from of nature, is striking. The ancient stone bridge straddling the Kopru stream is still in use today.

Termessos National Park The Termessos National Park is 30 Km . along the Antalya Korkuteli highway. This was the site of the ancient city of Termessos. Animal species in danger of being decimated can readily find a breeding ground here. The park, which is covered by wild flora, is of unusual beauty.

Olympos National Park
To the west of Antalya rise the snowcapped peaks of the Olympos range, where many antique cities, caves bearing the mark of early man, innumerable plantsand animals are under protection in the Olympos National Park.

WATERFALL All the streams of the region aim at finding their way into the Mediterranean and they pour down the slopes of the Tauros, sometimes overland sometimes underground and, reaching their destination, result in lovely waterfalls, of which there are more than twenty.The loveliest of these are the Duden Falls, 15 km. north of Antalya, the Kursunlu Falls 18 km along the Antalya-Alanya highway and those of Manavgat 3 km north of the town.

TURKEY Turkey is a paradise of sun, sea, mountains and lakes that offers the vacationer a complete change from the stress and routine of everyday life. From April to October, most places in Turkey have an ideal climate that is perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying the tranquility of mountains and lakes.

Turkey also has a magnificent past, and is a land full of historic treasures from 13 successive civilizations spanning 10,000 years. Even if you spend only a short time in Turkey, you can see a lot of this great past.
There is no doubt that one visit will not be enough, and you will want to come back again and again as you discover one extraordinary place after another. All of them, no matter how different, have one thing in common: the friendly and hospitable people of this unique country.
Language: Turkish is the official language, but English is widely understood in the main tourist areas.
Getting around: The best way to travel in and around the Turkish coastal resorts is by the local minibus services which can be hailed from the roadside. There are good bus services between the major towns and organised tours to many attractions, though more independent travellers often prefer to rent a car.
Communications: The international country dialing code for Turkey is +90. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Mobile phones work in most of the country; the network operators use GSM networks, which will not be compatible with many US cell phones. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.