Antalya Province — interesting places and attractions

Antalya is a province in southern Turkey and a popular resort town of the same name on the Mediterranean coast. Antalya is full of great places that any traveler should visit. This post is dedicated to the unusual places and popular attractions of the area.

Manavgat Waterfall

The city of Manavgat is located 75 kilometers from Antalya, and not far from it there is a very beautiful waterfall on the river of the same name. One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Turkey is located on the river of the same name. The waterfall is only 2 meters high and 40 meters wide! An incredibly popular and cozy place where you can relax, unwind and even swim in specially designated areas. And here you can book an exciting excursion along the Manavgat River. There are many small cafes, seafood restaurants and souvenir shops near the waterfall.

The Manavgat River flows from the very beginning of the Taurus Mountains and reaches the Mediterranean Sea, and the most picturesque place of the river is undoubtedly a small waterfall.

Despite its relatively small size, the waterfall and its immediate surroundings are quite picturesque — by the way, it was the image of Manavgat that was used on old banknotes with a face value of 5 Turkish lira.

Manavgat is a very popular place among tourists and locals, here you can have a good time alone or in company. After all, it is not every day that you may have the opportunity to swim in a waterfall. Or spend the morning near the noisy water with an armful of real Turkish tea. What could be better?

Kepryulu Canyon

Koprulu (Turkish: Köprülü Kanyon) is a national park on the southern coast of Turkey, covered with dense forests, with an area of 366 square kilometers. Its most notable feature is a deep gorge — a turquoise canyon formed by the course of the Kopru River. The length of the gorge is 22.5 kilometers, and the depth in places reaches 400 meters. Köprülü is one of the most popular rafting spots in Turkey.

The Köprülü National Park was opened in 1973. Many guidebooks state that Korpulu Park is "famous for the wild beauty of its flora and fauna." The fauna is represented by numerous unusual species of birds, and the flora of the park is really rich, as it contains more than 600 species of plants, among which about 30 are endemic, that is, plants that grow exclusively in these places.

The Kepryulyu River, like any other mountain river, is not very suitable for swimming. Fresh river water is quite cold, despite the season – in summer the water warms up to only 8°C - 10°C. But rafting in deep canyons is great. There are several routes – for beginners and for experienced extreme athletes, the difficulty of local rafting is estimated at 3 points — the average level, so absolutely everyone can try their hand.

Ruins of the World

The City of Peace, once the capital of ancient Lycia, is located on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey in the city of Demre, Antalya province. The ruins of Mira are located along the Lycian Way, a famous hiking trail.

The earliest records mentioning the ancient city date back to the first century BC. The Greco-Roman amphitheater of Mira was the largest in the Lycia region. The amphitheater is quite well preserved, the stage and part of the spectator seats-steps are carved right into the rock. The Mira Amphitheater was also the public center of the ancient Lycian city.

The amphitheater consists of 35 rows of seats - 29 lower and 6 upper rows, and in some places you can see images of theatrical masks. The diameter of the amphitheater is about 110 meters and at one time it could accommodate up to 10 thousand people.

Olympos is the ancient city of Lycia

The ruins of ancient Olympos are located in a valley southwest of Antalya city. The ancient ancient city was built in the valley of the Ulupinar River, at the foot of Takhtali Mountain, next to modern Kemer. The city was founded in Hellenistic times, and later became part of the Roman Empire in 78 BC. The ruins got their name thanks to Mount Olympos, one of the many mountains named by locals in honor of the abode of the ancient gods.

The ancient city of Termessos

Termessos is an ancient ruined city, a historical and archaeological site that is not easily accessible. Perhaps it was its location in a remote mountainous area that was the reason why Alexander the Great decided not to conquer Termessos during his campaign in 333 BC.

Nowadays, you can get to the lower reaches of the ancient city through the Gulluk Dagi National Park. Sturdy shoes and some mountain hiking skills will help you get to the highest ruins.

Like all ancient cities in Turkey, Termessos has been severely affected by frequent earthquakes. It is definitely worth getting to the amphitheater — this is the most important place in Termessos. Located on a hillside, this theater has incredible views of the surrounding mountain peaks. In 2000, the ancient city was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its uniqueness.

Kurshunlu Waterfall

According to the assumption of geologists, the waterfall appeared as a result of a long process of formation of karst deposits in local rocks. As a result, the tributary of the Aksu, a small mountain river, was divided into several branches, which, falling from low hills, turned into a transparent waterfall.

This is perhaps the most picturesque and amazing place in the vicinity of Antalya. The tourist infrastructure is organized here, you can take a pleasant walk or tour of the very beautiful natural surroundings.