YATCH HARBOR (ANTALYA)

Antalya is the place where the heart of Turkish tourism beats and the Old City (Kale Ici) is the heart of Antalya. Kaleiçi is a small protected and renovated city. There are streets like labyrinths surrounded by old Turkish houses. When you look over Kaleci from the terrace in Cumhuriyet (Republic) Square , you may think that it will take 2 to 3 hours to walk around in this old city. However, your trip in here may take 7 to  8 days. It makes you feel like discovering a small country. Here, you will see the houses of Safranbolu and Mugla, doors of Ayvalik and Bergama, narrow streets of Cumalikizik, shops selling carpets etc. and dolls of Capadocia. You will see special nomadic tents of Mount Nemrut and women weaving carpets inside tents and you will also see ancient walls, old churches, mosques, inns and baths. The ancient habor is now a marina and it is surrounded by citadel walls. The Yatch Harbor looks quite fantastically different in the morning and in the evening. You can see boats and yatchs of various sizes while watching the stunning scenery. You will notice palm trees surrounding the harbor. The second king of Bergama, King Attalos said this was the heaven in the Earth when he first came here.

The story dates back to old times.  King Attalos ordered his men to travel the world to find the Eden. This place had to be one that all kings and princes would envy of.  And soldiers and explorers found Antalya and heralded Attalos that they found the heaven.. When Attalos came, he liked here and he named the city as Attaleia. Though the city changed hands, its name remained the same.When the Seljukite Turks conquered the city in 1085, it was named as  Stelia, Satalya, Adayla and Antalya.

The ancient city in Kaleiçi makes Antalya more and more interesting. And Antalya has been one of the oldest settlement that Turks lived for centuries. In Antalya, there are buildings and artifacts inherited from Roman, Byzantium, Seljukit and Otoman times.   

In the narrow streets of Kaleiçi, please watch the Sun shining at midday. All houses are surrounded with high walls. Huge wooden house doors and various fruits and vegetables growing in the gardens provides a wonderful view.