Description

Antalya is a Turkish resort in the Mediterranean. It has a rich and diverse past and can offer a visitor ample scope for exploration. It is a beautiful city with streets lined with palm trees and marina. There is an irresistible charm about its narrow streets with old wooden houses. It was occupied by a number of rulers from the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottoman empires.

Shopping

There are many items which a visitor would want to buy in Antalya. Leather items, jackets, hand bags, wallets, tea glasses, carpets etc. Gold and leather are the best buys which can be bargained further. Turkey also has great fabrics and designers, who make very trendy and stylish clothes. The Migros shopping center is a mall which includes many fine shops like Zara, ToysRus, Perfumerie shops, electronics, and computers Local souvenirs and quality take-home products like spices, coffee, tea and little trinkets can be bought at Kazim Ozalp Caddesi which is a famous and cheap tourists’ street for shopping. One can even get a hand made chain and jewelry with your name inscribed on it.

Restaurants

Antalya has numerous restaurants and eateries along the streets which sell an array of kebabs and fish dishes. Kismet Balikcisi is a favorite Fish restaurant in Antalya. The fish are fresh and really delicious with tasty starters. At Develi Restaurant Kebab House the dishes which must be tasted are Adana Kebab and Ali Nazik. You can also try kebab with Aubergine and another with nuts. At Restaurant Kirk Merdiven, a Turkish restaurant a dish called Shepard’s Kebab which is a menu for two is served on a stove. At Olympus roadside cafe one can taste freshly made thin cheese filled pancakes with a plate of grapes. At Coco Bar, authentic Turkish Lamb shish kebabs, wonderful cheese-mushroom omelet and tasty Aubergine salad with lots of garlic can be tried. A big bowl of roasted peanuts are given for free to go with drinking. At Alara Self Grill open air restaurant you can enjoy to barbeque your own lamb and beef kebabs.

Night Life

Antalya has great nightlife options. To spend a rocking night; one can choose Ally for dancing. Club 29 Antalya with a capacity of 2000, is one of the big open-air disco in Antalya.You can find live entertainment there. Some of Turkey's most popular singers and bands often perform here. There is large pool frequently used late at night.

Activities

Antalya offers visitors a range of activities from skiing during winter, to sunbathing, wind surfing, diving and sailing in the bay in yachts. Antalya is full of wonderful natural beauty with waterfalls, mountain ranges with long Konyaalti Beach nearby, and camping grounds over Tunektepe Hill.

Communications

To call Turkey, the international country dialing code is +90. While calling from Turkey, the outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code. There are internal dialing codes that are in use to call within Turkey; for example to call Istanbul Asya (Asia side) within Turkey is (0)216 and Istanbul Avrupa (Europe side) is (0)212. GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover most of the country. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.

Contacts

Turkish Tourist Office: +90 (0)212 573 4136 (Istanbul) or www.tourismturkey.org
Turkish Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 612 6700
Turkish Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7393 0066
Turkish Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 789 4044
Turkish Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6295 0227
Turkish Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 6053-7
Turkish Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 668 5240
Turkish Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 472 1292
United States Consulate General, Istanbul: +90 (0)212 335 9000
British Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 455 3344
Canadian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9200
Australian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9500
South African Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 4056
Irish Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 6172
New Zealand Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 467 9054/6/8
Emergencies: 155 (Police); 112 (Ambulance)

Currency

TRY

Attractions

For an ethnographic exhibition a tourist must visit the Inan Kirac Kaleici Museum. Here a visitor can see some depictions like the serving of coffee, the bride’s henna night and shaving of the bridegroom. In a restored Orthodox church just across one can find an exhibition of ceramics. The museum also has a bookstore.
Antalya Archaeological Museum has a large variety of artifacts from different periods and different sites around Antalya. The Hadrian arch is one of the best preserved marble monuments in Antalya. Other important monuments are The City Walls and Clock Tower and The Yivli Minaret which is also called the Fluted Minaret. There are many magnificent waterfalls outside Antalya called the Duden waterfalls and the Kunsunlu waterfalls.

Language

Turkish

Language Description

The official language of Turkey is Turkish. However in almost all the main tourist areas, English is widely understood.

Tipping

Either a small change or a percentage of the bill is the customary tip given for most services in Turkey. Big hotels and restaurants generally add a service charge to the bill, but whenever that is not the case, 10 and 15% of the bill is expected as tips. While tipping taxi drivers, it is recommended to round up the bill. Attendants at Turkish baths expect 15% of the total bill as tips if the service offered has been good.