Antalya
From CruisersWiki
Antalya (Port of entry)
Background
Antalya's history begins in the 2nd century BC when Attalus II (160-139 BC), the king of Pergamun, founded the city. It was originally named Attaleia, a name which was kept until the Ottomans. Soon Attaleia became a Roman city. It was visited by the Roman emperor Hadrian and by St. Paul. It was used during the Crusades as a staging post. In the 12th century AD, Attaleia was taken for a brief period from the Byzantines by the Selçul Turks. Finally during the reign of the Ottoman sultan Yildirim Beyazit it was conquered by the Ottomans. After World War I it was ceded to Italy in 1918 but in 1921 it was retaken by the Turks.
Today Antalya is a thriving city of over 1 million inhabitants. The old town, near the harbor is very charming. It has a lot of very nicely restored houses which have been turned into very fancy hotels. The whole place is very upscale. The new town has a very nice and wide esplanade overlooking the sea but it is surrounded by many new concrete block housing.
Charts
BA 237 Taslik burnu to Anamur burnu
Imray-Tetra G40 Kas to Antalya
Radio Nets
Also see Cruiser's Nets
Submit details of local radio Nets.
Details?
Check-in facilities
There are two marinas in Antalya one in the old harbor and the other, Setur, in the commercial harbor. Also few miles to the S there is another marina at Kemer.
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
Anchorages
Çirali Liman
Click for larger view
The cove of Çirali Liman [36° 23.8' N 30° 28.8' E] is exposed to the N but one can anchor here in settled weather or in the afternoon but even the S-SE can raise some swell. It is better to anchor at Çeneviz Liman and come here with the dinghy. The beach is very attractive with water coming from the Olympos ravine. This is the only beach in Turkey that we saw topless bathing.
Çeneviz Liman
Click for larger view
Çeneviz Liman [36° 22' N 30° 31' E] or Genoese Harbor is a wonderful, but crowded, anchorage in a dramatic setting surrounded by mountains the near by Musa Dagi peak (987 m) towering over the cove and the not so distant Mt. Olympos to the North often enveloped in the clouds.
Anchor where there is space at 5-10 m depths, sandy bottom. Good holding. It is best to also use a shore line and avoid swinging towards the many gulets as the preeminently norther wind can swing to the S-SE in the evening.
Caution: Avoid the rocks at the entrance of the cove and at the SW.
About 2 M NNW of Çeneviz there is Çirali Liman from where you can walk to Olympos. You can either anchor there temporarily or better take the dinghy.
Ince Burnu
Need information here.
Çavus Liman
Need information here.
Routes/Passages To/From
Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.
Tourism & things to do ashore
There are many interesting places to visit from Antalya, starting with the old town and the very good and rich archaeological museum. In the museum there are a lot of material from Phrygian tombs excavated near Elmali, including two 8-7 century BC silver and ivory statuettes of exquisite detail. There is also a large Hellenistic marble statue of a dancing girl (2nd century BC) made of two different kinds of marble: white for the flesh and a darker shade for the dress, a mosaic of the goddess Thetis dipping her son Achilles in the river Styx to make him immortal, and a room of late (19th and early 20th century) icons. Also, there is a very nice and interesting ethnological section showing Ottoman costumes, house interiors, and everyday items.
Further away but within an easy drive from Antalya there is the Karain Cave where prehistoric artifacts and wall paintings have been found. The cave has been partially excavated and artifacts dating from the early Paleolithic to the Roman times have been discovered, including bones from hippopotamuses and mammoths. The cave is not very large and it is a very steep climb from the road. In the few chambers that are well lit, by artificial light, we could not see any wall paintings. Some of the discovered artifacts are shown in the tiny museum by the road while the rest are at the Antalya museum.
About 30 km west of Antalya, in a "Millipark" (national park) perched on the mountain is Termesus the most incredible archaeological site I have ever seen. There were many and impressive public buildings, palestra, odeon, etc., but the most incredible is the theater. It is built over a steep cliff. Its is easy to imagine what an exhilarating experience it must had been to watch a theatrical performance in this setting. The ancient people of Termesus were called the Solymi after the mountain Mt. Solymos the modern Güllük Dag. They were neither Greek nor Lycians and were very warlike. They must have lived by looting trade trains passing the narrow valleys while always retreating to their easily defensible mountain fortress. Alexander the Great tried to subdue them but even his undefeatable army eventually gave up. Banditry must have been extremely profitable judging by the splendid ruins left for us to admire today. About 1 km further on foot there is the necropolis with hundreds of scattered sarcophagi. On the northern necropolis there are some tombs carved on the rocks.
Further to the SW is Phaselis or Tekirova with a lovely ancient theater and two harbors: north and south. This site can theoretically also be visited by boat but the approach is very dangerous because of the rocks and sunken harbor foundations. It is better to visit by car and snorkel.
A few km S of Phaselis, inland from Çirali Liman are the ruins of ancient Olympos. Around the ravine there are a number of ancient tombs. Up the slopes of the mountain and to the N is Yanartas, the ancient Chimaera where fire is spewing out of the earth from several holes. It is not spectacular but worth the hike.
To the SE of Antalya there is the large Roman site of Perge with an acropolis, an agora, stadium, and baths. Perge is believed to have been founded by the Homeric Seer Calchas as a stele at the agora testifies. The stadium is very impressive.
Further east from Perge, near Manavgat are the waterfalls, Seleli. It is pleasant place with many restaurants specializing in grilled trout and chicken on the spit.
Grocery Stores
Few stores near the old harbor. Within the Setur Marina there is a small supermarket.
Eateries
Very good restaurant Villa Perla at the old town. Also just over the hill at the boundary of the old and new town there are many eateries serving very good and inexpensive dönner kebab, Adana kebab, and lachmajun (a kind of thin pizza).
Marine stores
In the Setur Marina.
Transportation
The Antalya Airport is about 20 km from the town.
References & Publications
See Turkey.
Cruiser's Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forum Discussions
List links to discussion threads on the Cruiser Log Forum
External Links
- Antalya (Wikipedia)
Personal Notes
Personal experiences?
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