Did you like it? How was it shopping-wise? Did you enjoy it overall? If you're in one of the big hotels you'll be OK, if not, you might not be allowed on the beach...
Not true..there is public beach open for all in Antalya..located on the Konyaalti beach front..only they do charge for umbrellas and sunbeds..also the area of Beach park is really nice too...car parking is available ( for a small entrance fee ) with nice little bars and restaurants
As for the tourism invasion ..it is true with more and more of thes huge hotels being built..but mostly on the Lara beach side of the city..
Also the name Antalya refers to many things..
1. the city of Antalya
2. the province of Antalya ( ranging from Alanya - Fethiye )
so you might want to be more specific...
Antalya is a huge city with lots to do ..plenty of shopping at the Migros shopping mall and Laura Mall..along with lots of smaller shops located throught Antalya and in the old city area.
Are you looking at package tours or DIY ?? As for sightseeing Antalya has the old city ( Kaleici), old ottoman fishing houses that are now restored into small boutique hotels, Aspendos, Perge, Termesoss, caves, waterfalls, the Antalya museum plus much more etc. just to only name a few..
As for the weather yes in the summer months of July and August it is very hot but the rest of the time is a great..sunny with lovely warm temps..
If you are looking for a more rural area then why not consider Cirali located 80kms southwest from Antalya which is about an hours drive. Here there are NO big 5 star all inclusive hotels, loud noisy bars or discos, just nice small family hotels and pansiyons.
The beach of Cirali is far better in quality even than Antalya's. Home of the ancient city of Olympos and the flames of the Chimeara. You can take a few trips to visit some of the other areas I mentioned plus many other Lycian historical sights on the coastline.
Cirali is protected by the WWF for the preservation of the caretta sea turtles and if you are lucky enough you may be able to see them hatching in mid to late August. It is also protected for the natural flora and fauna of the Olympos National Park. yes, and I didn`t like it there. It was August, and too warm that I felt overwhelmed(I`m Turkish). I would prefer the Aegean coast. It`s much nicer, and there are more to see there. Hello.
I've been there a couple of times - ten years ago and last summer. In the time between my two visits the area around Antalya has gone from being a charming mediterranean gem to being a huge, overdeveloped Russian playground. Nearly every last stretch of the seaside has been taken over by enormous hotels, which stretch for tens of miles either side of the city. It's hard to describe, but I suppose the phrase "mass tourism" sums it up. If you're in one of the big hotels you'll be OK, if not, you might not be allowed on the beach...
Having said that, it's still Turkey, the people are great and there are some superb sights in the area - Termessos, Phaselis, Olimpos and Yannartis/Chimera.
The shopping is what you'd expect in any Turkish town - loads of stuff to buy, now supplemented by Russian favourites (icons, lots of jewels). Arts and crafts, carpets, pottery etc. Take lots of money too, as the prices have skyrocketed and bargaining isn't what it used to be. Visit small towns in the interior - rent a car and get out of the main tourist places too and you'll find a lot of interetsting stuff.
One other thing I noticed was that you get better prices if you pay in Turkish Lira. Change your money! Otherwise they will quite happily take your Dollars, Roubles, Pounds or Euros and charge you a made up, rounded up price. This even happened at a fruit stall in Kemer - we paid a ceratin amount in TL for a bag of cherries, and then saw a Russian lady being charged the same number of Dollars for the same thing.
Sorry to be a bit gloomy but I was a bit shocked by the change. I thought Turkey hadn't gone the way of Greece but I was wrong. Yes I've been there many times, my aunt lives there.
I don't like crowded holiday resorts full of noisy foreigners, especially if those foreigners are Russians, so I prefer the Aegean coast too. In fact, I guess it wouldn't be wrong to say that most Turks like me choose to go to the Aegean coast instead of the Mediterranean.
But it all depends on your expectations, if you like partying and meeting new people you'll definitely enjoy Antalya. After all, having its disadvantages, Antalya is still one of the most popular holiday destinations in Turkey. Yes I have. i went there during summer 2006. it was so hot. not really enjoyed it cos i'm not a beach person.btw my love is there wif me so... Yes, in fact I live there :)
The best shopping is downtown. They have tons of little shops, restaurants, ice cream parlors, you name it!
If you're going in the spring, be sure to pack an umbrella, because around the winter and early spring...it rains a lot. If you're coming in the summer, be sure to wear very light clothes, because it gets to be VERY hot. It's especially hard when you're shopping around and walking outside in the heat.
Overall, I think you'd enjoy Antalya. There are beaches there and nightclubs, so you could never get bored. Also note that they have beaches that are open to anybody too. So, have a nice trip! No, I've never been there. Why isn't Ahanda who is so familiar with Antalya answering this question? Is it because his twin sister Trotsky already answered it? ;-) Motorbiked through Turkey, spent night and a day in Antalya with my g/friend ,
i loved the coast line , from Canakkale to Mersin
you will like Antalya. shops are awesome , and cheap ,
Hotel i stayed 3 star, was very cheap included breakfast, yep, it's really nice... |
