antalya thomas cook guide

31Thomas Cook Travel

INSIDER GUIDEThe best places to eat, sleep and play in Thomas Cook

destinations. This issue, Antalya, Turkey

ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN HAAKE

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32 Thomas Cook Travel

UCKED BETWEEN THE TAURUS Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, Antalya is southern Turkey’s cosmopolitan capital, making it a perfect city break

destination, as well as a staging post for those making longer trips in the south. Kaleiçi, its enchanting Ottoman Old Town, is a leap back in time. The city’s chic, modern streets are dotted with picturesque teahouses, courtyard eateries and sun-dappled nargile (shisha pipe) cafés. Year-round temperatures range from mild to sultry – but rarely does relaxed Antalya break a metaphorical sweat.

Spiralling outwards from the city, visitors will stumble across sleepy fishing villages, family-friendly resorts, deserted coves, teetering cliffs and many a Roman ruin. These fertile lands are a veritable patchwork of produce, thick with veggie gardens, citrus trees and pomegranate orchards. Antalya’s proximity to the Mediterranean’s open waters means sea bass, bream and mussels hit diners’ plates ultra-fresh – although heartier eaters can of course tuck into traditional Turkish dishes – think herb-laden skewers of lamb or doner kebabs.

Staggeringly, Antalya is the fourth most-visited city in the world. And with four-hour flights from the UK to this sunny Shangri-la, it’s a safe bet you’ll be tempted, too.

Turkish delight

With its turquoise coves, honey-hued beaches and sublime seafood, this strip of coastline is nicknamed the “Turkish Riviera” with good reason, says Kathryn Tomasetti

T

W H E R E TO STAY

From fancy to child-friendly accommodation, Antalya boasts it all. Some 50km east of the airport is the LykiaWorld Antalya, where you can go royal in a Sultan Suite kitted out with three bedrooms, a private jacuzzi and sea views. There’s beach volleyball, windsurfing, spa treatments and yoga to keep you in shape.

Outside of the picturesque town of Side (70km east of Antalya), Paloma Oceana reopens its doors in June after a major refurbishment. The hotel’s new concept blends sleek bungalow buildings with an Ottoman-style pool bar nestled in lush Mediterranean gardens.

Travelling with water babies? The Royal Wings Hotel, just 17km from the airport on the endless sands of Lara Beach, will fit the bill. Its awesome on-site aqua park hosts



Antalya, Turkey Insider guide

a colourful knot of jumbo water slides, its own wave pool and an all-summer-long funfair.

For those after a taste of the city proper, it’s hard to beat the Hillside Su Hotel, a short walk from the city centre. This five-star beauty boasts a blue-flagged beach, a magnificent pool (with an underwater sound system), several restaurants including a sushi bar, a sports centre for the active and the fabulous Sanda Spa for the less so.

BY T H E SE A SI DE

With Antalya’s postcard-perfect position on the Mediterranean, you’ll spend most of your holiday near – or actually submerged in – the sparkling sea. For a day on the waves, make a beeline for Antalya’s harbour. Dozens of traditional wooden gulet boats organise outings along the coast: day trips take in the magnificent Düden

Waterfalls near Belek, about 14km northeast of Antalya. Prices start at around £25 per person, including a tasty barbeque lunch.

Landlubbers will have just as much fun on Antalya’s city beaches. The 8km-long, shingle beach of Konyaaltı sits just west of the city centre, backed by the dramatic Beydagları Mountains. Lara Beach, about 12km to Antalya’s east, is fringed by deep golden sands that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Left: locals take in Antalya’s distinctive architecture. Above: Konyaalti beach, with the dramatic backdrop of the Beydaglari Mountains

PHOTOGRAPHY: TIM WHITE



Insider guide Antalya, Turkey

MUST!SEE

The city’s walled Old Town, Kaleiçi, is Antalya’s historic heart. Enter through Hadrian Kapısı (Hadrian’s Gate), an ornate triple archway built when Emperor Hadrian visited in 130AD. Cobbled roads criss-cross the quarter, edged by petite boutiques purveying local souvenirs. Expect everything from crocheted cotton frocks to sword-shaped kebab spears. Sprawling over two restored Ottoman homes, courtyard gardens and a former church, the

Suna-Inan Kıraç Kaleiçi Museum (25 Barbaros Mahallesi Kocatepe Sokak, kaleicimuzesi.com) offers a peek into Turkey’s past. Exhibits range from Kütahya ceramics to mid-19th century photos. Continue on towards the sea, where Antalya’s old Roman harbour teems with fishing boats, traditional Turkish wooden gulets and pleasure craft. To the west of Kaleiçi, the superb Antalya Archaeological Museum (antalyamuzesi.gov.tr) is a must for history buffs. It houses ancient pottery, precious jewels, sarcophagi and sculptures discovered across the region.

Clockwise from top left: traditional music will soundtrack your exploration of Antalya; the Old Town, Kaleiçi, is a shopper’s paradise; the mighty Hadrian’s Gate; colourful examples of local craftsmanship



“Antalya’s position on the Mediterranean coast is postcard picture perfect”



CORB

IS,

GETT

Y



Clockwise from here: by boat is the best way to

soak up the view; the harbour teems with pleasure craft and fishing boats;

Turkish Nazar pendants on sale




Clockwise from top left: Chimaera’s bizarre natural flames; the bucolic Phaselis peninsula; international food and drink at Seraser (right) and in Ulupinar (left)

L O C A L DI N I NG

To sample serious local flavours, head to Özdoyum Restaurant (Sanayi Sitesi, 668 Sokak, +90 (0)242 346 19 33, ozdoyum.com.tr). This laid-back eatery offers a medley of delicious Antalyan dishes, including bean salad (piyaz) and meatballs on skewers (sis köfte).

The delectable 7 Mehmet (201 Atatürk Kültür Parkı, +90 (0)242

238 5200, 7mehmet.com) has been a place of foodie pilgrimage for decades, even serving Turkey’s first president Atatürk in 1935.

For innovative dining, Seraser (18 Karanlık Sokak, Kaleiçi, +90 (0)242 247 6015, seraserrestaurant.com) serves up an elegant mix of international dishes – like salmon gravadlax – and contemporary Turkish creations, such as vine leaves stuffed with sea bass and coffee-infused crème brûlée.

G E T OU T D O OR S

For a peek at the golden sands, crystal-clear inlets and wildflower-filled valleys that spill westwards from Antalya, consider a day hiking the Lycian Way. This ancient footpath skirts 500km of pristine coastline from Antalya to Fethiye. Near Ulupınar (approximately 60km west of Antalya), the rocky terrain at Chimaera is known for its bizarre natural flames, and makes for a unique afternoon’s trek.

Gentler thrills can be had at the nearby Roman ruins of Phaselis, around an hour’s drive from Antalya. A bucolic peninsula surrounded by three natural harbours, Phaselis possesses a wildly beautiful charm. Take a dip in the sea mid-sightseeing – and make sure to keep an eye out for the shards of centuries-old pottery that litter the beach.



Clockwise from left: the amphitheatre of Aspendos now plays host to classical music concerts; Hillside Su Beach Bar’s signature pomegranate cocktail; the A-list bar’s amazing décor

GETTING THEREFor more information about Antalya, visit your local

Thomas Cook or Going Places store, call +44 (0)844 412

5966 or visit thomascook.com.

MORE INFORMATIONThomas Cook Pocket Guides to Turkey, Mediterranean Coast £4.99, provides further inspiration for travels to

Antalya. See thomascookpublishing.com for more details.

Insider guide Antalya, Turkey

W H AT TO K NOW

Why battle the stressful traffic in a hire car when you can hop aboard a dolmus instead? These shared taxis – which look like minibuses – are an Antalyan institution that travel everywhere, both within the city limits and along the coastal resorts. And, best of all, unlike hiring a taxi in the majority of major cities, dolmus journeys are also dirt-cheap! TC

A F T E R DA R K

Adrien Brody, Shakira and Charlize Theron have all been known to kick back with a sundowner at Hillside Su Beach Bar (Dumlupınar Bulvarı, Konyaaltı, hillsidesu.com). Order one of the bar’s 2012 signature pomegranate cocktails. This blue flag beach is also the site of Turkey’s “Biggest Little Music Festival”, SunSplash (27 May-3 June, sunsplash-antalya.com), a

week-long, non-stop dance party. DJ royalty including Norman Jay and Giles Peterson regularly grace the decks.

For classical music lovers, the perfectly-preserved amphitheatre of Aspendos (an hour’s drive east of Antalya) holds an annual International Opera and Ballet Festival (14 June-4 July, aspendosfestival.gov.tr). This season’s evening performances include the Estonian National Opera’s production of Rigoletto.


antalya thomas cook guide

Documents

relaxed antalya

lykiaworld antalya

mediterranean sea

perfect city

city centre

city proper

sea bass

sea views