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| The
Mediterranean |
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South of the
majestic Taurus Mountains, lie the shores of the Mediterranean
Sea with its beaches of fine sand, its vistas of uncommon
beauty, its many ancient ruins, its hidden coves and alluring
vacation getaways. Here history and mythology are inseparably
intertwined and there are many legendary stories that prove
this fact. Let us briefly share two of them. The monster
Chimera, who spews fire out of his mouth, is supposed to have
lived in the mountains west of Antalya. The Lydian hero,
Bellerofontes, cut the monsters head of with his sword. Today,
the fire which rises out of the ground on the southeastern
slopes of Mount Olympus (Tahtalı Dağ) is still said to be
coming from the mouth of Chimera.
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The second legend is
related to one of the unlucky love affairs of Apollo, the god of all
the fine arts. Apollo falls in love with a beautiful girl named
Daphne, but the girl is unresponsive to his overtures. One day while
chasing Daphne in an area close to Antakya, Daphne's feet turn into
tree roots and her hands and arms become branches and limbs and she
turns into a laurel tree, which is called 'defne' in Turkish.
According to early sources, Saint Paul was born in Tarsus and the
mythological Santa Claus was actually born in the town of Patara and
lived and died in what is today Kale. The shores of the
Mediterranean are just as full of antique artifacts as are the
shores of the Aegean. In the ancient Lycian region west of Antalya,
one may see the matchless beauty of the mountain
cities, |
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Termessos and
Arikand, as well as the coastal towns such as Olimpos, Kale, Kekova
and Kaş. The ancient cities of Perge, Aspendos and Side are located
on the coastal plain east of Antalya, which was called 'Pamphylia'.
Antalya is one of the Mediterranean's most important cities and is
Turkey's hottest vacation spot, with the Konyaltı beaches on the
west and the Lara beaches to the east lying at the foot of Antalya's
massive mountain range. It is an attractive holiday getaway with
palm-lined streets, beautiful parks, plentiful accommodation,
restaurants, lots of night-time entertainment and a cozy marina. The
symbol of this city, founded in the 2nd century BC is the Yivli
Minaret, which dates back to the Selçuk era. |
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The Asağı Düden Waterfall
to the east of Antalya flows over huge boulders into the sea. West
of Antalya is the cute little holiday town of Kemer, famous for its
sandy beaches surrounded by pine forests and mountains.
The next
big town east of Antalya is Alanya, a panoramic port city on the
southern slopes of the majestic Taurus Mountains surrounded with
orange, lemon and banana groves. Used by the Selçuk Sultan, Alaaddin
Keykubat as a winter residence, Alanya has a shipyard that dates
back to the same era and was one of the most advanced in the world
at that time. It is also famous for its 9th century castle and its
charming beaches. Near Anamur is a castle from the Middle
Ages. It is situated between two beaches and is certainly as
magnificent as any of the castles along the coast. The road from
Anamur to Silifke with its endless curves and bends follows a route
studded with breathtaking coastal vistas. |
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The dilapidated
caves near Narlıkuyu are called "Heaven and Hell" (Cennet ve
Cehennem). The "Heaven" cave, which is quite large, also has a
small church inside it. The castle of 'Kızkalesi', which is
situated in the water across from the medieval castle of
Korykos, seems to rise out of the sea itself. Two of the
surprises which lie on the road to Mersin are Kanlıdivane and
Viranşehir, two old Roman cities. |
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With is charming
parks, its beach boulevards, commercial port and free trade
zone, Mersin is ones of the most modern cities on the
Mediterranean. East of Tarsus, the 'Çukurova' plain is a
fertile agricultural region known especially for raising
cotton. In the middle of this plain is found the city of
Adana, a rich city with a large textile industry. East of this
region is the Dörtyol (Issos) Plain where Alexander the Great
defeated the Persian king Darius. As a result of his victory,
a port city bearing his name was established and thus we have
modern day Iskenderun. Leaving Iskenderun to the southeast,
the road goes through the Belen Pass to Antakya (Antioch).
This first Christian community founded by Saint Peter has
given Antakya a special religious significance. The first
sermons were preached in a cave outside the city. It is
visited today by many as a site of pilgrimage. Antakya also
has a mosaic exhibit of unusual beauty in its museum.
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Kahramanmaras
is another province of the Mediterranean waiting "to be
discovered." Though its cuisine resembles in some ways
the cuisine of the surrounding regions, the peculiar and
often subtle tastes of the Kahramanmaras cuisine with
its specially made orchid drink (salep), its world
famous ice-cream of goat and cows milk and its various
peppers, along with its gilded silver, leather and
copper works, which were famous throughout the Ottoman
empire, are still alive and offer a unique experience to
visitors.
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| Antalya |
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Because of the
archeological and natural riches of the area, Antalya is
called the Turkish Riviera. The sea and sun, nature and
history all come together in magical harmony here where the
best and cleanest beaches on the Mediterranean are found. The
630 km shoreline of the province is literally strewn with
ancient cities and harbors, memorial tombs and golden beaches
and it is laced with charming little coves, lush forests and
streams. With its palm-lined boulevards, its internationally
acclaimed marina and the charming castle with its traditional
architecture set amidst the bustle of a modern city, Antalya
is center of tourism in Turkey. |
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Antalya hosts
are wide range of sporting events: International Beach
Volleyball, the Triathlon, Golf Tournaments, Archery, Tennis,
Canoeing competitions and many more. The Cultural Center of
Antalya, which opened in 1995 host cultural and art events
like plastic art, music, theater and a number of exhibitions.
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| Manavgat-Side |
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Manavgat of Antalya
city is a tourism center, where history and nature are within
eachother and all kinds of tourism activity can be performed.
philosopher Heraclitus. |
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