History
During the Hellenistic period, King Attalos II of Pergamon (159–138 BC) told his soldiers, “Go and find me paradise on earth.” Pleased with the place they showed him and considering the region’s strategic importance, Attalos II had a port city built here, and the city was named “Ataleia” after its founder Attalos. Ataleia means “Land of Attalos.”

There are traces of two lifestyles that have flowed for centuries in and around Antalya. When the Turks first arrived, they immediately adapted to a settled life; they founded villages, towns, and cities. A portion of the population, however, continued the nomadic lifestyle as it had been before the Turks came to Anatolia.

They raised animals such as camels and sheep and made a living by bartering or selling the products obtained from them with the products of settled people. They produced meat, milk, butter, goat-hair tents, and naturally plant-dyed kilims. Some even planted grain and vegetables in narrow areas in the wintering grounds. There were even large nomadic groups (tribes, clans) that bred horses for the Ottoman army.

Natural Beauties

Manavgat Waterfall
Located in Antalya’s Manavgat district. At the waterfall, which has a magnificent natural view, various outdoor sports such as rafting and canoeing can be done in certain stages of the river that allow adventure within nature views.

Side Ancient City
Side, the most important port city of Pamphylia in antiquity, is located in Antalya’s Manavgat district. Side became a settlement in the 7th century BC. Side Ancient City was inhabited by many communities such as the Lydians, Seleucids, Pergamon Kingdom, Roman Empire, and Cretans, and was known as a city of trade and a port. Many historical structures can be visited within the city, which was built in the 8th century BC. Among the structures that can be seen around the ancient city are the walls, city gate, agora, ancient theatre, bath, houses, temples, basilica, Temple of Apollo, and Temple of Athena.

Side Museum
Side Museum, where many artifacts related to the history of Side are exhibited, was opened to visitors by converting the Ancient Agora Bath built by the Romans in the region into a museum after restoration. In the museum, which started accepting visitors in 1960, reliefs, inscriptions, sarcophagi, column capitals, and altars from the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods can be seen. A large part of the finds unearthed as a result of extensive archaeological work carried out in the region between 1947 and 1967 are also exhibited in this museum.

Temple of Apollo
The temple built in the name of Apollo, known in Greek mythology as the god of beauty, art, and poetry, holds a special place among the historical sites to visit in Side today. The Corinthian-capital columns on the structure have motifs that require very fine craftsmanship and inspire admiration. Built around 150 AD, the structure underwent a small restoration in 1990 and took its present form. The temple, surrounded by many historical remains, is visited by tourists in every season of the year because it has a unique Mediterranean view. Around the Temple of Apollo, where visitors immortalize the sea view with their cameras, there are also areas where you can take walks.

Köprülü Canyon National Park
Located in the Bozyaka neighborhood of Manavgat district, Köprülü Canyon National Park is 25 km long. With its natural beauty, Köprülü Canyon is Türkiye’s most popular rafting area. Rafting is a fun and exciting river sport done with boats called rafts on rivers with high flow.

Oymapınar Dam
A dam built on the Manavgat River in Antalya between 1977 and 1984 for the purpose of generating electrical energy. With its height of 185 meters, Oymapınar Dam has an imposing and impressive appearance. Its lush nature and lake with a color close to turquoise will welcome you with a very beautiful view. The part behind the rocky islets you will see when you look from here is the “Green Canyon,” which is toured by boats. This section is the part of the Manavgat Stream coming from in front of Altınbeşik Cave. If you would like to take the Green Canyon tour with boat tours during your Oymapınar visit, after passing through the tunnel continue on the road and you can reach the businesses on the lakeside that provide this service.

Tazı Canyon
A canyon valley located in the Manavgat district of Antalya province. Tazı Canyon, located within the borders of Köprülü Canyon National Park, was formed by the Köprüçay River eroding the valley. It is thought that the formation of the canyon dates back to the Ice Age. As ice masses separated from each other and melted, they created erosion with great energy and poured themselves into the valleys, hollowing out the insides of limestone rocks in non-calcareous areas. The canyon is 4 km long.

Alanya Castle
One of the symbols of Alanya, a district of Antalya, the castle is located on a peninsula rising about 250 meters from the sea. The total length of its walls is 6.5 kilometers. The settlement of Alanya, which was called Kandeleri in ancient times, had its castle built during the Hellenistic period.

Red Tower (Kızıl Kule)
In Alanya Harbor. The octagonal structure, a symbol of the city, is a 13th-century Seljuk work. Since it was difficult to lift stone blocks after a certain height during construction, the upper part was built with baked red bricks, hence the name Red Tower. The sunlight received from the top reaches the first floor. There is a cistern in the middle of the tower. The tower was built to protect the harbor and shipyard against attacks from the sea and was used for military purposes for centuries. The tower, which was repaired in the 1950s, was opened to visitors in 1979, and its first floor was turned into the Alanya Ethnography Museum.

İncekum Nature Park
Located in Antalya’s Alanya district. It stands out among Antalya’s important natural beauties. Situated at a unique point where the greenery of the forests meets the blue of the Mediterranean, the park is one of the ideal places to spend time away from city life in a calm way.

Aspendos Ancient City
Aspendos, or Belkıs, is an ancient city famous for its ancient theatre, located in Belkıs village of Serik district of Antalya. It is one of the richest cities of Pamphylia. Since it was on an important trade route and connected to the port via the Köprüçay River, Aspendos was among the cities desired to be captured in every era. The most important structure of Aspendos is its theatre. It is an open-air theatre that has survived among ancient theatres in the best-preserved state. This theatre is one of the oldest and most solid examples of Roman theatres in Anatolia that have reached the present day with their stage.

Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park
Located within the borders of Antalya’s Aksu district. Kurşunlu Waterfall, formed by seven ponds combining and pouring down, falls from a height of about 20 meters. With its refreshing effect and the view it presents, the waterfall is one of the indispensables of an Antalya holiday and was opened as a nature park in 1991.

Göynük Canyon
Located in Antalya’s Kemer district. It is on the Lycian Way, which is cited by various sources as one of the world’s 10 best long-distance hiking routes. The pond creates an impressive view with its lush green waters.

Kekova Island
Located in Antalya’s Demre district. On Kekova Island, where you can both enjoy the sea on a Mediterranean holiday and organize historical trips, there is no construction. In addition to its turquoise sea offering a highly impressive visual feast, there are also sunken ancient cities around the island where entry is prohibited.

Çıralı Yanartaş
Located in Antalya’s Kemer district. Çıralı Yanartaş, situated on the slopes of Mount Çatal, one of Kemer’s natural beauties, has highly impressive features. In the area where the methane gas burning continuously among the rocks at the top can be seen, fire burns 24 hours a day.

Düden Waterfall
Due to its fascinating natural beauty, Düden Waterfall is one of Antalya’s most visited tourist centers. According to a legend from 334 BC, Commander Alexander the Great watered his horses here while going to conquer the Pamphylia region. There are two waterfalls, Lower and Upper Düden.

Saklıkent Canyon
Located between Antalya and Fethiye, Saklıkent Canyon has a total length of 18 kilometers. If you want to plan a trip intertwined with nature, you can have a very enjoyable time in Saklıkent Canyon, where forested areas formed by red pine, cedar, and black pine trees can be seen.

Please choose eco-friendly products such as sunscreen, perfume, skin care products, and similar items to protect our nature. Do not forget that sunscreen chemicals spreading into our oceans can harm marine life.

Historical Places
It has many cultural heritages such as Kaleiçi, Old Antalya Houses, Yivli Minaret, Şehzade Korkut Mosque, Karatay Madrasa, Perge Ancient City, Karain Cave, Hadrian’s Gate, Phaselis Ancient City, Phaselis, Aspendos Theatre, Xanthos Ancient City, Alanya Castle, Myra Ancient City, Temple of Apollo, and Olympos Ancient City.

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
Various agricultural products are grown in the fertile lands of the Antalya region. Among agricultural products, wheat, barley, and oat are grown the most. In addition, cotton, sesame, onion, peanuts, chickpeas, and vegetables are grown on over 35 thousand hectares. It is our most advanced province in greenhouse cultivation. In 32 thousand hectares of greenhouses, tomatoes, peppers, beans, eggplants, cucumbers, melons, and watermelons are grown. They are sold domestically and abroad. Antalya is very advanced in fruit growing. Antalya is the province where bananas and oranges are grown the most. In addition, apples, pears, plums, quinces, peaches, apricots, grapes, oleaster, carob, cornelian cherry, and other fruits are grown. Mandarin, lemon, and grapefruit are among Antalya’s main sources of income; besides citrus production, olive cultivation is also quite developed. The Antalya region, with its climatic features, also brings with it the richness of vegetation and wildlife. Deer, fox, marten, squirrel, fallow deer, wild goat, jackal, hyena, wolf, bear, partridge, quail, turtle dove, wild pigeon, woodcock, francolin, blackbird, golden oriole, and crane constitute the province’s main wildlife.

Protected Plant and Animal Species

• The Mediterranean monk seal, sea turtles, and Caretta carettas are protected in these areas.
• In addition, plant species such as Cyclamen, Iris Flower, Sand Lily, Narcissus, and Crocus are also among the protected species.
• It is not recommended to purchase souvenirs made from protected plants and animals. Hunting is prohibited outside the dates permitted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
• We kindly request that you do not participate in activities such as circuses or dolphin shows that remove animals from their natural habitat.

National and Religious Values

• April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
• May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day
• August 30 Victory Day
• October 29 Republic Day

These national holidays are celebrated with great enthusiasm and the National Anthem is performed with a moment of silence. Ramadan Feast and Sacrifice Feast are among the religious holidays.

How to Behave in Religious Places
In mosques where religious worship is performed, certain rules must be followed:

• Shoes/slippers etc. must not be worn inside the mosque.
• Women must cover their hair with a scarf and ensure their clothing covers the body.
• Speaking loudly is not allowed.
• Respect must be shown to others.

National Anthem (İstiklal Marşı)
Rules to follow when hearing or performing our National Anthem:

• If you are wearing a hat, remove it.
• Stand up and show respect.
• Do not leave until the anthem has ended.
• Do not engage in any other activity while listening or singing.
• Do not laugh or act disrespectfully while singing.

Rules to Follow in Ruins, Historical Sites, and Museums

• Do not touch or write on the artifacts or their bases (pedestals).
• Do not make noise.
• Listen carefully to the explanations; ask questions to your guide or museum educator (if available).
• Follow the instructions given in the museum/ruin area.
• Do not eat inside the museum/ruin area.
• Do not litter.
• Follow the rules of the museum regarding photography.
• Do not climb on or touch historical remains in open-air museums/ruins.

Traditional Handicrafts and Crafts in Antalya
Throughout its history, Antalya has been a cultural basin and continues to preserve this feature today, drawing attention to its variety of traditional handicrafts. Some identified handicrafts are:

• Wooden Boat Building
• Coppersmithing
• Knife Making
• Musical Instrument Making
• Bell Making
• Dowry Chest Making
• Sock Knitting
• Blacksmithing
• Glass Water Cup Crafting
• Gılamık Weaving
• Carpet Weaving
• Silk Weaving
• Tinning
• Spoon Making
• Kilim Weaving
• Belt (Card Weaving)
• Lace Knitting
• Gourd Processing
• Quilting

Local Folk Dances
Antalya’s folk dances have a regional feature called “Teke Folklore.” In dance, as in music, the influence of the Yörüks (nomadic Turkmens) is strong. The dances include Mengi, Samah, Teke, Spoon Dances (Kaşık Oyunları), and Zeybek, performed without holding onto each other. In the eastern districts, Konya Spoon Dance, Serenler Zeybeği, Anamur Roads, Silifke’s Yogurt, and Cezayir melodies are played. These dances can be performed individually or as a group.

Local Cuisine
The dietary habits of the Yörüks are based on livestock products and foods made from wheat. While some fresh vegetables are produced on the coast, wheat and dried vegetables become more dominant inland. In Antalya, it is possible to find world cuisines in tourist hotels and restaurants. Local dishes include:

Saç kavurma, Tandır kebab, Kölle (wheat, beans, chickpeas, and broad bean stew), Domates civesi, Hibeş, Arapaşı.

Sports
There are many registered sports clubs and approximately 200,000 licensed athletes in the province. These clubs engage in sports such as football, basketball, handball, volleyball, athletics, wrestling, judo, karate, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, water polo, and swimming. Antalyaspor, nicknamed “The Scorpions,” represents the city at the highest level in Turkish football and plays its matches in the 33,032-seat Antalya Stadium.

Festivals and Events
Various festivals and events are held at different times of the year in Antalya. These are generally summer festivals held on the highlands (such as Feslikan Plateau Festival, Söbüce Plateau Festival, Alanya Festivals). In Elmalı, where Alevi-Bektashi-Turkmen culture lives, Abdal Musa Festivals are organized. Antalya also hosts national and international festivals. The biggest national festival is the Antalya Television Awards, first held in 2010. Every October, the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival is held. The International Antalya Sand Sculpture Festival is Türkiye’s only and one of the world’s largest sand sculpture events.

While participating in all these activities, please do not neglect personal space, especially for women and children. We kindly request that you be tolerant towards children and avoid any behavior that may harm them.