Sun and culture, on this coast you will find both. On top of that you will be spoiled with oriental hospitality
Opposites attract me magically.
Photo: Ministry of Culture and Tourism Ankara
That's why I like it so much on the Turkish Riviera. Antalya is located in a wide, fertile plain. Here grow bananas, citrus fruits and even rice under the pleasantly warm spring sun. But on the horizon rises the rugged Taurus Mountains. While we have to guard against sunburn on the coast, there is still snow on the more than 2, 000 meters high mountains. The beach is alive with happy young people, who lose themselves in front of ruins and buildings of antiquity on the clear Mediterranean Sea. Antalya is a bustling city with almost 700, 000 inhabitants. Almost all holiday fliers land here, but vacationers are spread over the whole, several hundred kilometers long coast right and left of the provincial capital of Antalya. We stay here for now.
The city was founded 2, 100 years ago. No wonder that witnesses of the past meet us every step of the way! For example, the beautiful old town with its winding streets is separated from the not so attractive new town by the impressive Hadrian's Gate, built in 130 by the Romans. I have to go to the spice bazaar. The smells and colors there are the sensual proof that I'm in the middle of the Orient. Nevertheless, many speak German here. When the traders notice that I am from Hamburg, I am invited to tea. They talk about their time as guest workers in Germany and do not want to leave me out.
But I still want to Demre, the ancient Myra, 130 kilometers away. More than 3000 years ago the mysterious people of the Lycians lived here. They have left fantastic rock tombs that look like houses and are decorated with impressive reliefs. Every child today knows a former inhabitant of the city: Niko Laus lived as a bishop in Myra. In his honor, the St. Nicholas Basilica was built here in the 8th century. And I drive to Side too. 65 kilometers east of Antalya is the 6000-year-old city, again a contrasting mix of modern holiday resort and ancient remains. In addition to the beautiful sandy beach, there are ancient theaters and Greek temples. I sit down on a piece of marble that may have been a pillar, and enjoy the spring sun on my skin. Then and now: Opposites on the Turkish Riviera are doing very well.
