WELCOME ΤΟAntalya

The Antalya Museum is one of the largest archaeological museums in Turkey. Here, you’ll admire the exhibitions including masterpieces from the Lycia, Roman and Byzantine civilizations. The Antalya Museum has 2 floors and 14 exhibition halls displayed over 30,000 square meters. The sculptures and other artifacts are exhibited both indoors and in open air galleries. The “Hall of Gods” exhibition hall is the most popular part of the museum, where you’ll admire the 2nd century statues and busts of Greek gods and goddesses including Zeus, Athena and Aphrodite. The “Natural History and Prehistory” exhibition hall displays a collection of artifacts from the fossils of extinct life forms from the many antique ages to the findings from the Bronze age. The “Emperor's” exhibition hall displays an impressive collection of the statues of Trajan, Hadrian and Septimus Severus, famous Roman Emperors from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The Museum is also home to a collection of coins, underwater artifacts, treasures, jewelry, icons, Ottoman art, calligraphy, folk costumes and beautiful rugs.

The Marine Biology Museum is right next to the Toy Museum in Kaleiçi. Opened in 2014, the museum was established by Antalya Metropolitan Municipality to introduce sea life, especially protected species, to people, encourage them to adopt marine culture and look after our natural heritage. The museum aims to educate students of all ages, from kindergarten students to scientists, about Turkey’s marine biological diversity, and our fish and fishery culture. While there is a limited number in our country, many examples of marine biology museums exist in the world with dried or preserved sea creatures intact in the fixative solution as well as skeletons of marine mammals or larger-bodied sea creatures. The Yacht Harbor at the old Post Office building (nearly a 100 m2 area) gives information about Turkey’s sea life including nine species of sharks, 10 species of flat shark, 150 species of bony fish, sponges, corals, shrimp, lobster and crabs, shellfish, octopus, squid and cuttlefish, starfish and sea urchins, (approximately 500 species of sea creatures) on display, as well as protected species and endemic species of the Red Sea.

The Antalya Toy Museum, established by the Antalya Metropolitan City, exhibits about 1.500 toys from vintage auctions around the globe. The museum shows toys that were produced in the U.S., Germany and Japan immediately after the Industrial Revolution and real handcrafted toys from Anatolia. The museum’s oldest toy comes from the 1800s. Samples of toys produced in the very first post-revolutionary factories were collected by the Turkish writer Sunay Akın. The museum, which makes a connection between the past and the present, helps children’s mental and physical development in connection with the artifacts.

The Duden Waterfalls are one of the most visited sights around Antalya city center. It is the impressive and eye-catching part of the Duden River which runs about 10 km. from the north of the central Antalya, and meets the sea to the south east coast of the city. There are two waterfalls with the same name (Düden) in Antalya. This waterfall pours water from the Düden River, one of the largest rivers in southern Anatolia, into the sea from about 40 meters height. There are similar waterfalls on the cliffs but this one is the most impressive and attracts a lot of visitors. An amazing feature of the Lower Duden Falls is that it flows into the Mediterranean Sea. In Turkey, this is the only waterfall that flows into the sea.

The Duden Waterfalls are one of the most visited sights around Antalya city center. Duden Waterfalls is a group of waterfalls, there are Upper Duden Waterfall and Lower Duden Waterfall, that are actually two separate natural attractions within the City of Antalya. The Upper Duden Waterfall is a series of small cascades, located in a beautiful national park Duden at a distance of 12 km from the Antalya city center. Upper Duden Waterfall is also called "Alexander Falls". It's said that Alexander the Great, who conquered Pamphylia between 334-333 BC, gave water to his horses while passing through this region. When visiting the upper falls within the park, don't miss climbing down a spiral staircase that leads into a cave behind the waterfalls. This experience affords fabulous views through a curtain of falling water.

Iskele Mosque is a very small, charming mosque in the old Yacht Harbor area. Historical documents are not specific about its time of construction, except that it was renovated as part of the Inner Bailey restoration project. Situated near the marina, this eye-catching 19th century mosque was built of white stone with a short minaret and is supported by four columns.

The port, located in the south of the city, is one of the busiest places in Antalya but it's almost inevitable to stroll by this part of the city if you choose to take a walk by the old quarter. The construction of the port is very closely linked to the foundation of the city of Antalya. In 860, the port was a naval base for the Arab conquests. When the Seljuks took over the city, the port became an increasingly important position for long-distance trade. It represents an ideal starting point for the western Mediterranean countries. The port brought great prosperity to the city. However, it later lost its high importance under Sultan Beyzit and remained meaningless until 1918. The peace treaty after the First World War gave the port a new importance. Nowadays the harbor is a very popular starting point for boat trips and an important landing place for cruise ships from all over the world.

Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque is a magnificent mosque situated in the charming cityscape of Antalya. The mosque dates back to the 18th Century, and it derives its name from Lala Tekeli Mehmed Pasha, who was once the Grand Vizier of the Turkish Empire. The mosque has a colossal dome, which rises on a high rim, supported by three semi domes, one each in the east, west, and south directions, as well as three domes on the northern side. Some sections of the mosque are intricately adorned with tiles which bear ornately written verses from the Quran.

The Ancient City of Termessos, located 30 kilometers from Antalya, was built in a strategic point more than 1000 meters above sea level and the area's natural resources made that for years neither the Greeks or the Romans could conquer the Pisidians, the original inhabitants of this region. Protected by impressive stone walls and surrounded by rugged mountains and dense forests, Termessos is ideally located to defend from incoming attacks. Historians say that even the forces of Alexander the Great couldn't capture this fortified city. Today, it is one of the best-preserved ancient cities of Turkey and because of its natural and historical riches, the city has been included in a national park bearing its name, the Mount Güllük-Termessos National Park. Today the main sights include; the entrance to the Artemis-Hadrian temple and Hadrian propylaeum, gymnasium, sarcophagi, agora, theater, Temple of Zeus, necropolis and several tombs. Unfortunately little is known about the history of the ancient site; it was rediscovered by European explorers in the early 19th century, archaeologists arrived soon after, one of which was the notable British archaeologist Charles Fellowes, and excavations continued throughout the century.

The Alaaddin Mosque, named after its builder but better known by its name Yivli Minare Mosque, is an Islamic place of worship in the center of the old city of Antalya. The mosque is famous for its minaret which was constructed on the orders of Alaaddin Keykubad I, the Seljuks Sultan who ruled between 1220 and 1237. The 38-meter high fluted minaret stands on a huge square stone base measuring 6.5 meters tall and 5.5 meters wide. The Minaret’s eight semi-circular grooved red brick shaft was originally decorated with dark blue and turquoise-colored tiles. The mosque itself has six domes resting on arches, which in turn are supported by 12 columns. The columns are recycled remains of ancient Roman structures. The mosque is one of the oldest multi-domed buildings in Anatolia. Besides the famous minaret and mosque, the Yivli Minaret complex includes other notable structures, such as a madrasa and a building once used as a lodge for the Mevlevi Dervishes. Two domed tombs are also located on the grounds: the tomb of Zincirkıran Mehmet Bey was built in 1377, and another was built in 1502 as a memorial for Ayşe Hatun who was the consort of Sultan Bayezid II, and mother of the next sultan Selim I. A former Islamic seminary, Atabey Aramgan Medresseh has been restored to function as a bazaar.