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Essential Antalya

Asia » Turkey » Antalya

Tour Creator

Anthon is a writer and photographer from Utah, currently based in Aarhus, Denmark. Having traveled to more than 80 countries, he's written for more than a dozen travel guidebooks for…Read More Bio »

Tour Type:

Historical

Introductory

Antalya

GPS-directed

Remote Tour Included

2hrs

2km

Bounded by limestone cliffs and the crumbling remnants of its bulky ancient walls, old Antalya hides numerous architectural treasures that span over 2,000 years. Winding from the coastal cliffs to the harbor, our tour hits the highlights of the city’s historic core, showcasing its manifold heritage through its most striking structures, from its classical Roman gate to its elaborate Seljuk stonework, shedding light on the colorful story of Antalya along the way.

Avoid the Crowds

Allows you to explore without having to be shoulder-to-shoulder in a large tour group

Expert-created Tour

Written by a travel writer with a Master of Arts in Arab & Islamic Studies

GPS Directions

Easy-to-follow GPS directions to get you from one point to the next on your tour

Highlights include:

Korkut Mosque, Hadrian's Gate and Republic Square

Remote Tour Included

As with all our tours, a remote tour is included that can be enjoyed from home

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antalyaessential_6. Yivli Minare

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antalyaessential_1. Hıdırlık

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Itinerary

Essential Antalya

Hıdırlık Tower - One of Antalya’s oldest surviving structures, this mysterious tower dates back to Roman times. While taking in the views to the sea and the mountains, we’ll discuss the town’s earliest beginnings.
Korkut Mosque - More than any other monument, this recently-restored mosque spans the sweep of the city’s history. In tracing it’s progression from temple to church to mosque to church to mosque, we’ll introduce a Turkic tribe that certainly left their mark on Antalya: the Seljuks.
Kaleiçi Museum - This museum preserves both an Ottoman-era household and a Greek Orthodox Church. Here, we’ll consider the city’s Christian heritage, from Paul to the tumultuous 1920s.
Hadrian’s Gate - Built in 130CE to honor the visit of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, this triple-arched gateway is without a doubt the most impressive remnant of the Roman era, an era that lasted 500 years.
Attalus II Statue & Saat Kulesi - In front of the statue of the city’s founder, we’ll take in several surrounding monuments dating back to Ottoman times, when the city at last outgrew the bounds of its great walls.
Yivli Minare Complex - Beneath this fluted Seljuk tower, the symbol of the city, we’ll introduce the historic mosque and mausoleums of the Yivli Minare Complex. Next, admiring the façade of the complex’s old Sufi lodge, we’ll trace the rise and legacy of perhaps the world’s best-loved Sufi teacher, Rumi.
Karatay Madrassa - Featuring more impressive stonework, this madrassa dates to around the same time as the Yivli Minare Complex, built by a intriguing character, Jalal al-Din Karatay.
Old Harbor - At the edge of the water, we’ll visit the final mark of the Ottomans in Antalya, touching on their empire’s long, slow demise and ultimate dismemberment.
Republic Square - We end at this enormous bronze monument to the modern nation’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, standing at the center of a giant, open square that offers wonderful views over Kaleiçi.

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