The Land of Light
Turkish Riviera
Magnificent natural beauty, majestic weather, and rich history! The Turkish Riviera’s wondrous skies and idyllic blue sea welcome you all year long. This citrus-scented coastal region offers ancient ruins, pristine beaches, charming cities, and lavish resorts where the art of Mediterranean living is elevated to new heights.
Imagine a 1000-kilometer-long coast, protected by soaring mountains on one side, with a yearround mild Mediterranean climate and 300 days of sunshine. The Turkish Riviera offers an amazing holiday escape for every type of traveler, from families or honeymooners to solo adventurers along sun-kissed shores dotted with picturesque towns and villages. The region promises surprising encounters with well-preserved ancient cities intertwined with turquoise coves and misty mountains, where classical art and democracy once flourished. The Turkish Riviera will immediately enchant you with the earthly pleasures of coastal living as well —delectable Mediterranean cuisine, a cultural calendar brimming with music festivals, yacht regattas, golf, swimming and cycling tournaments, as well as a diverse array of aquatic and mountain sports that will keep you busy for the duration of your stay. From stunning accommodation options and refined delicacies to extensive historical heritages, the Turkish Riviera promises a life well-lived!
A PAMPERING BREAK ALONG THE MEDITERRANEAN
Built to blend in perfectly with the nature surrounding them, elegant beachside luxury resorts are where summer is enjoyed in high style on the Turkish Riviera. Premium quality resorts provide a ritzy collection of rooms and villas with stunning sea views, catering to all tastes. Grand swimming pools, aquapark facilities, a la carte and rich buffet restaurants, sports and entertainment facilities, luxurious spas and golf courses comprise a full vacation package for visitors. In addition to a wide selection of luxury resorts, the coastal region stretching from the city of Fethiye to Alanya also offers several boutique hotels, rental houses and villas tucked away in the historical streets of old city centers and on private terraces carved into mountainsides, overlooking the azure sea from tranquil infinity pools. For those who would like to have a splendid back-to-nature holiday, there is also a wide selection of rural retreats and glamping spots, ranging from off-grid rustic cabins in forests and lakelands to beach huts that score top marks for their setting.
The soothing effects of the balmy Mediterranean climate make the Turkish Riviera the ideal spot for wellness breaks as well. Supported by the healthy Mediterranean diet based on local olive oil, fresh herbs, fish and produce, you can turn your visit into a truly rejuvenating experience. Many of the hotels in the region offer revitalizing spa complexes, blending the latest holistic treatments like seawater therapy, yoga and meditation with traditional hamam (Turkish bath) rituals. It is always a good idea to visit a hamam to unwind after a long day of sightseeing to relax your mind and body, and an essential part of Turkish culture, the hamam offers a mystical bathing experience not only to get yourself squeaky clean, but also to pause the stress of modern life.
HISTORY IMMERSED IN STUNNING NATURE
Once you choose your accommodation, you may turn your attention to activities galore. With shores, forests and mountains each peppered with millennia-old ruins, the Turkish Riviera is the perfect destination for history buffs. Three magnificent ancient regions, Lycia, Pamphylia and Pisidia, merge within the borders of Antalya and
are easily and delightfully accessible via day trips and sea excursions. The city of Patara charms visitors with its two-thousand-year-old theatre and the parliament building, where each city in the Lycian League was represented according to its size, as a precursor of the modern parliamentarian system. Nearby, Olympus adjacent to the village of Çıralı, recalls the heroic tale of Bellerophon, who rode his winged horse Pegasus to defeat the fire-breathing monster, Chimera. Side and Aspendos, on the other hand, link antiquity to modernity with their majestic Roman theatres restored to their former glory and hosting summer music festivals and dance performances today. Myra, where, St. Nicholas became the bishop, the visitors are welcomed with the magnificent view of the Lycian Rock Cut Tombs, located within citrus orchards and next to the great theatre from the Roman Period. You can learn more about the life of St. Nicholas by visiting his house, which has been converted into a museum in ancient Myra, today’s city of Demre.
The Turkish Riviera experience goes beyond such historical surveys and provides amazing adventures in nature as well. First and foremost, it is a great sailing destination. You may opt for a chartered yacht or a gulet —a traditional two or three-masted wooden sailing boat— to explore the pristine shoreline of Antalya, encircled by lush green forests. Beldibi, Kemer, Tekirova,
Adrasan, Kekova and Kaş are the highlights of any cruise itinerary with their coves, bays and marinas to berth. The Lycian Way, meandering between the mountains and the turquoise sea for 500 kilometers from Fethiye to Antalya, is the country’s first waymarked long-distance trekking route with awe-inspiring archaeological stops along the way. Known as the “Land of Light”, Lycia offers the modern-day traveler a natural scenery dotted with breathtaking temples dedicated to Apollo, the god of light, and monumental tombs towering from mountaintops or jutting from ancient harbors.
The region is also a paradise for adventurers looking to enjoy caving, camping and biking in and around stunning waterfalls and magical pine and cedar forests of Kemer, Mount Olympos and Tahtalı Mountain. Saklıkent, on the other hand, offers ski enthusiasts with the unique dual experience of an invigorating ski adventure coupled with a dip in the azure waters of the Mediterranean in springtime; and yes, on the same day!
Along the scenic route between Kalkan and Kaş, one can discover immaculate beaches with crystal-clear water, including Kaputaş Beach, Akçagerme Beach and Hidayet Cove. A little bit further, one of the best-kept secrets of the Turkish Riviera awaits at Kaleköy, a coastal village guarded by a medieval castle. Accessible only by boat, this cozy settlement has been built upon the ruins of the ancient city of Simena, the sunken parts of which can be explored by kayaking tours around Kekova Island, just off the shore. But the ultimate aquatic adventure is underwater! Crown your visit with diving explorations in Kaş to discover the exciting, ancient underwater terrain encompassed by an assortment of the rich, beautiful and colorful underwater fauna and flora that is the Mediterranean.
To the east of Antalya lies Alanya, yet another hidden gem along the Turkish Riviera. This appealing seaside haunt was founded as a fortified city by Seljuks in the 13th century. The citadel is still intact and open to visitors, jutting out from the rocky hilltops to overlook the Mediterranean. The streets winding from the citadel down to the sea have a timeless feel, enveloping traditional houses immersed in their lush terraced gardens. The hexagonal Kızıl Kule (Red Tower) was built to protect a historic shipyard on the waterfront and now houses an ethnographic museum. On the other side of the giant hill, the 2-km-long Kleopatra Beach greets sun worshippers as a golden stretch of sand.
CULTURAL AND GASTRONOMICAL DELIGHTS
For those who appreciate city life, Antalya is an urban playground with constant vibrancy. The city hosts the International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival as well as the Side International World Music, Culture and Art Festival, another well-known festival held in Antalya. As a member of the European Festivals Association, the festival hosts many outstanding soloists, symphony orchestras, ensembles, and performers from all around the world alongside the participation of the Antalya State Symphony Orchestra and the Antalya State Opera and Ballet.
Welcoming art lovers with the splendor of ancient times, Antalya also offers delightful stops at every corner for tasty breaks. Antalya’s pedestrian-friendly, cobblestone streets, cheerily full of laid-back cafés and bars, are impeccable places to have a Turkish coffee or a cocktail before heading to country-chic traditional diners or stylish fish and meze restaurants lined along the sea. Choose the fresh catch of the day from the display (red mullet, grouper, swordfish or anything in between), and make sure to start the meal with a choice from the notable selection of mezes such as hibeş (a spread of tahini, cumin, red pepper flakes and lemon juice) and Mediterranean delicacies like rock samphire and sea beans, followed by hot appetizers like grilled octopus, or shrimp baked in butter and garlic sauce. The hearty feast should end with pumpkin dessert served with tahini and walnuts. For those wishing to continue the night, Antalya never lacks good local bars or live music venues, where one can dance the night away. To venture deeper into the culinary universe of the region, you can treat yourself to popular local dishes like şiş köfte (meatballs on skewers), cooked to excellence in Antalya and served with a local version of piyaz (white bean salad with tahini sauce).
The Turkish Riviera’s microclimate produces some of the best fresh fruits of Türkiye —particularly citrus trees (especially the trademarked Finike oranges), Antalya avocados, pomegranates, kiwis and Anamur bananas. Elmalı is famous for its Acıkara grapes, a resurrected endemic variety that has been around since the times of Lycians and produced award-winning regional wines. While in Antalya, you may also consider sampling the vast array of local jams made of watermelon, orange or bergamot skins, before taking the winning choices back home as souvenirs.
As a true holiday paradise with its unique climate, picturesque nature, modern cities and sandy beaches, as well as the remains of countless ancient civilizations, the Turkish Riviera is a mustsee for any traveler coming to Türkiye. Take a moment to imagine what your dream holiday can look like, and then let us bring it to life here on the Turkish Riviera!
The Turkish Riviera will immediately enchant you with the pleasures of coastal living!