Top 10 best tourist places in Antalya, Turkey

By We Find You Go - 2017-01-5

Antalya is a province of Turkey located in the southwestern region of the country on Mediterranean Shore. Antalya city is the capital of this province and it is the 3rd most visited city in the world. This province is the hub of tourism in Turkey and attracts around 30% of the international tourists, who are visiting Turkey. It is the fastest growing region due to the fast rate of urbanisation driven by the tourist activities. The province of Antalya is home to the various tourist attractions, which includes different beaches, ports, national parks, resorts, world heritage sites and ancient ruins.

10) Antalya Zoo

Antalya Zoo is a zoo as well as a picnic spot for families. The zoo is situated in the area of Kepezalti in the district of Antalya, Turkey. About 800 animals of more than 80 local and exotic species are inhabited in this zoo. These animals include big cats, bears, kangaroos, various reptiles, African ostriches, different varieties of birds and many other animals. Cages of the animals are double fenced for the safety measures and to keep the children away from the animals. Waterfalls, fountains, animal shelters and picnic tables in the park are some other attractions of this place. There is also a playing area near the exit of the zoo, where children can enjoy a lot.

9) Antalya Toy Museum

Antalya Toy Museum was established by the Metropolitan Municipality of Antalya in the area of Kaleici Marina, Antalya Province. This museum is a major attraction for the local and foreign visitors from all age groups. The toy museum of Antalya exhibits more than 1,500 toys, which are purchased from different antique auctions. It also includes various handmade toys of Antalya and other regions of Turkey. The oldest toys in the museum belong to the early 19th century. Different workshops are arranged in the museum to enhance the imagination of the children with the book reading and rhyming sessions. Thousands of visitors come to this museum every year to entertain their children and refresh their childhood memory.

8) Yivli Minaret Mosque

The Yivli Minaret Mosque is an ancient mosque with a 38-meter high fluted minaret. The mosque was constructed by the Seljuk Sultan Alaadin Keykubad I in the area of Kaleicinear, the old city centre in Antalya Province. It is also known as the “Alaadin Mosque” and the “Ulu Mosque” of Antalya. This holy place was originally constructed in 1230 and was completely reconstructed in the 14th century with 6 domes and renovated unique minaret. This historical mosque is an ancient landmark and symbol of the city, which attracts many tourists from all over the world to see its unique architecture and prehistoric values.

7) Clock Tower

Antalya Clock Tower is the only surviving tower out of 80 towers, which were part of the stronghold of the old historical city of Antalya. The tower was constructed in the area of Kaleici in the late 19th century. The structure of this tower consists of two stories, the lower section is in a squared shape while the upper section is round. It is an ancient landmark and monument of the Ottoman Empire and is considered as a symbolic tower of the city. Visitors can experience a spectacular view of the city from its top. Surroundings of the tower have different restaurants, cafes and parks. They provide quality meals and entertainment to the visitors from different regions.

6) Sandland

Sandland is a festival of sand sculptures organised every year on the beautiful Lara Beach in Antalya Province. It is also known as the International Antalya Sand Sculpture Festival and considered as the largest sand sculpture festival in the world. Hundreds of sand artists from all over the world come here to showcase their magnificent art in 10,000 tonnes of sand within an area of 10,000 square meters. The festival is based on a different theme every year. Different cafes and playground for the children are available at the site to entertain the visitors. Thousands of foreign tourists and local people come here to see the uniqueness and artistic beauty of this festival every year.

5) Antalya Aquarium

Antalya Aquarium is one of the world’s famous aquariums. Situated about 70 km away from the Konyaalti Beach, it is considered as the centre of the Antalya City. This aquarium is home to the world’s largest tunnel aquarium, which is 131 meters long and 3 meters wide. Before arriving at this tunnel aquarium, visitors pass through 40 different aquariums that are displayed in a colourful manner, where people can seek dangerous, poisonous and unique species of fishes. Oceanride XD Cinema is an important attraction in this aquarium, where visitors can experience different seas of the world through multidimensional oceanic movie technology. Many famous restaurants and cafés are available at the entrance and terrace of the aquarium to provide a quality meal to the visitors. A specialised gift shop is also available in the aquarium, from where visitors can buy unique gifts for their dear ones.

4) Karralioglu Park

Karaalioglu Park is the most delightful Municipal Park in the Antalya state, which is situated at the southern edge of the Kaleici and south-east of the Yacht Harbor in the city centre. People come to the park to spend comfortable moments while enjoying different tremendous scenes in the park. The Karaalioglu Park includes Municipal Theatre of the city, an office of the Mayor, an ancient fortress known as Hidirlik Tower, jaw-dropping views of cliffs, The Great Beydaglari Mountains and spectacular scenes of the blue belt of the Gulf of Antalya. This park is one of the largest attractions for the tourists in Turkey.

3) Kaputas Beach

Kaputas Beach is a small but a beautiful beach located in the southwestern region of Turkey between the Kas and the Kalkan. The beach is surrounded by the various steep cliffs and forests, which are adjacent to the coast and full of natural beauty and pure wilderness. The Kaputas beach is 120 stairs down from the road and taken care by the Municipality of the Kalkan. Showers and changing hut are available on the beach for the visitors and a Café Bar is also available on the site to facilitate the people who are visiting the beach. It is a famous picnic spot especially for the people of the same region.

2) Hadrian’s Gate

The Hadrian’s Gate is a Roman monumental gate located in the city of Antalya and is a junction between the Marble Street and the Curetes Street. The gate was built in honour of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was a famous and a brave man who visited Antalya in the year of 130 AD. It is a three-arched gate and has three stories. The entire gate is built with the white marbles except for its pillars, which are formed in the shape of a cupola from the upper section. The ornamentation on the gate displays the value and art of Roman architecture. Two towers were also constructed on the both sides of the gate. The southern tower represents the Hadrian Era while the northern side tower represents the Seljuk Era. The Hadrian’s Gate is considered as the most beautiful gate of Pamphylia, and is a major tourist attraction in Antalya.

1) Duden Waterfalls

Duden Waterfalls are magnificent wonders of nature, situated in the North East Region of Antalya Province. These waterfalls are extended through the Duden River and form two separate avalanches, which are called Upper Duden Waterfall and Lower Duden Waterfall. Surrounding of the waterfalls is rich with natural beauty and the botanical gardens beside the falls, can be a perfect picnic spot for families. There are boardwalks beside the riverside and picnic tables. Benches are fixed in the garden to facilitate the visitors. Some restaurants are also available on the site to provide eatables to tourists. It is one of the most popular tourist attraction in Turkey, which is easily accessible via public transport or a personal car.