How to Have Some Memorable Experiences with Antalya Holidays

by Daisy Wilkinson Travel Guides

Located in the southwest coast of Anatolia, Antalya is the largest city of Turkey on the coastal part of the Mediterranean and attracts over 10 million tourists every year. It was first settled during the Hellenistic period by King Attalus II of Pergamon and was called Attalia in those times. When the city was ruled by the Romans, it witnessed some major construction works. Later, it came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and was largely peaceful during its reign. The city was under the partial control of Italy during the First World War but was recaptured by Turkey in the War of Independence.

The best time to enjoy your Antalya holidays is during the period between September and mid-December when it experiences a low tourist season and the hotels are willing to offer some excellent deals on accommodations. From January to March, the city gets moderate to heavy rainfall, which would make it difficult to go sightseeing or indulge in other outdoor activities. It is also advisable to avoid the summer months, as they are extremely hot with high levels of humidity. Despite the hot climate, a large number of tourists visit this city and the popular spots get crowded in this season.

Your cheap holidays to Antalya can be made memorable with a visit to the maze-like Old Town or 'Kaleici'. While taking a walk through its cobblestone streets, you'll feel as though this particular neighbourhood of the city was created just for strolling. Besides the classic Ottoman mansions bathed in shades of white with red roofs, you can also find several shops, restaurants, boutique hotels, and art galleries while exploring Kaleici. Among the major attractions in this part of the city are the main square, which has an impressive clock tower and a fortress gate.

While enjoying your cheap holidays to Antalya, you can also visit the Antalya Museum. Located in the Konyaalti district, it is one of the largest museums in Turkey and has an open-air gallery and 13 exhibition halls. This museum is spread across a vast area of 7,000 square metres and showcases about 5,000 works of art. It was first opened in Alaeddin Mosque in the year 1922 and was later shifted to the Yivli Minare Mosque in 1937 until finally moving to its present building in 1972. It had also won the European Council Special Prize in the year 1988.

During your time spent in this city, you can also savour its mouth-watering local delicacies. You can start your day with the traditional Turkish breakfast, which includes cheese, hard-boiled eggs, bread, salami, sausage, black olives, tomato, and black tea. While ordering your meal, don't forget to have the kebabs that are prepared using lamb, mutton, or beef. The Turkish pizza called 'Lahmacun' is also one of the delicious treats that you can have while holidaying in this city. It is a kind of round flatbread baked in an oven made of stone and uses onion, ground beef, garlic, black pepper, and parsley in its preparation.

You can find some interesting insights into cheap holidays to Agadir here.