Antalya Orientation Antalya İn Turkey

Antalya Orientation

At the centre of the historic city is the Roman harbour, now the yacht marina. Around it is the historic district called Kaleiçi (Within the Fortress) of Ottoman houses sprinkled with Roman ruins. Many of the graceful old houses have been restored and converted to restaurants, pensions and small hotels -some simple, some quite luxurious.

Around Kaleiçi, outside the Roman walls, is the commercial centre of the city. Antalya's central landmark and symbol is the Yivli Minare (yeev-LEE mee-nah-reh, Grooved Minaret), a monument from the Seljuk period which rises near the main square, called Kale Kapısı (Fortress Gate), marked by an ancient stone saat kulesi (clock tower). The broad plaza with the bombastic equestrian statue is Cumhuriyet Meydanı (Republic Square).

From Kale Kapısı, Cumhuriyet Caddesi goes west past the Tourism Information Office and Turkish Airlines office, then becomes Kenan Evren Bulvarı, which continues several kilometres to the Antalya Museum and Konyaaltı Plajı, a pebble beach 10km long, and now partly sullied by industrial development.

North-west from Kale Kapısı, Kazım Özalp Caddesi, formerly Şarampol Caddesi, is a pedestrian way. Antalya's small bazaar, which seems to be mostly jewellery shops, is east of Kazım Özalp Caddesi.

East from Kale Kapısı, Ali Çetinkaya Caddesi goes to the airport (10km), Perge, Aspendos, Side and beyond. Atatürk Caddesi goes south-east from Ali Çetinkaya Caddesi, skirting Kaleiçi through more of the com­mercial district to the large Karaali Parkı before heading for Lara beach (12km from the centre), lined with hotels and pensions.A çevreyolu (ring road or bypass) named Gazi Bulvarı carries long-distance traffic around the city centre. The big, modern Antalya Otogar (Yeni Garaj) is 4km north of the centre on the D650 highway to Burdur, Ankara and istanbul.