Thomas Cook - Antalya, Turkey's Riviera - Rutherford Tomasetti ...

travel
Thomas Cook
May/June/July 2012
GREEK
ODYSSEY
Get the locals’ lowdown
and get off the beaten track
LEG WORK
The Italian spa
that promises
perfect pins
24-HOUR
PARTY PEOPLE
DJs, celebs and party
pros tell us where they’ll
be clubbing this summer
Your
essential
guide to
ANTALYA,
TURKEY

INSIDER GUIDE
The best places to eat, sleep and play in Thomas Cook
destinations. This issue, Antalya, Turkey
ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN HAAKE
Thomas Cook Travel
31

Turkish delight
With its turquoise coves,
honey-hued beaches and
sublime seafood, this strip of
coastline is nicknamed the
“Turkish Riviera” with good
reason, says Kathryn Tomasetti
T
UCKED BETWEEN THE TAURUS
Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea,
Antalya is southern Turkey’s cosmopolitan
capital, making it a perfect city break
destination, as well as a staging post for those making
longer trips in the south. Kaleiçi, its enchanting
Ottoman Old Town, is a leap back in time. The city’s chic,
modern streets are dotted with picturesque teahouses,
courtyard eateries and sun-dappled nargile (shisha
pipe) cafés. Year-round temperatures range from mild
to sultry – but rarely does relaxed Antalya break a
metaphorical sweat.
Spiralling outwards from the city, visitors will stumble
across sleepy fishing villages, family-friendly resorts,
deserted coves, teetering cliffs and many a Roman ruin.
These fertile lands are a veritable patchwork of produce,
thick with veggie gardens, citrus trees and pomegranate
orchards. Antalya’s proximity to the Mediterranean’s
open waters means sea bass, bream and mussels hit
diners’ plates ultra-fresh – although heartier eaters
can of course tuck into traditional Turkish dishes – think
herb-laden skewers of lamb or doner kebabs.
Staggeringly, Antalya is the fourth most-visited city in
the world. And with four-hour flights from the UK to this
sunny Shangri-la, it’s a safe bet you’ll be tempted, too.
WHERE TO STAY
From fancy to child-friendly
accommodation, Antalya boasts
it all. Some 50km east of the
airport is the LykiaWorld Antalya,
where you can go royal in a
Sultan Suite kitted out with three
bedrooms, a private jacuzzi and
sea views. There’s beach volleyball,
windsurfing, spa treatments and
yoga to keep you in shape.
Outside of the picturesque town
of Side (70km east of Antalya),
Paloma Oceana reopens its doors
in June after a major refurbishment.
The hotel’s new concept blends
sleek bungalow buildings with an
Ottoman-style pool bar nestled
in lush Mediterranean gardens.
Travelling with water babies? The
Royal Wings Hotel, just 17km from
the airport on the endless sands
of Lara Beach, will fit the bill. Its
awesome on-site aqua park hosts
32 Thomas Cook Travel

Antalya, Turkey
Insider guide
PHOTOGRAPHY: TIM WHITE
a colourful knot of jumbo water
slides, its own wave pool and an allsummer-long
funfair.
For those after a taste of the
city proper, it’s hard to beat the
Hillside Su Hotel, a short walk
from the city centre. This five-star
beauty boasts a blue-flagged
beach, a magnificent pool (with an
underwater sound system), several
restaurants including a sushi bar, a
sports centre for the active and the
fabulous Sanda Spa for the less so.
BY THE SEASIDE
With Antalya’s postcard-perfect
position on the Mediterranean,
you’ll spend most of your holiday
near – or actually submerged in –
the sparkling sea. For a day on the
waves, make a beeline for Antalya’s
harbour. Dozens of traditional
wooden gulet boats organise
outings along the coast: day trips
take in the magnificent Düden
Left: locals take
in Antalya’s
distinctive
architecture.
Above: Konyaalti
beach, with
the dramatic
backdrop of
the Beydaglari
Mountains
Waterfalls near Belek, about 14km
northeast of Antalya. Prices start at
around £25 per person, including a
tasty barbeque lunch.
Landlubbers will have just as
much fun on Antalya’s city beaches.
The 8km-long, shingle beach of
Konyaaltı sits just west of the city
centre, backed by the dramatic
Beydagları Mountains. Lara Beach,
about 12km to Antalya’s east, is
fringed by deep golden sands that
stretch as far as the eye can see.
Thomas Cook Travel
33

Insider guide
Antalya, Turkey
Clockwise from top left: traditional
music will soundtrack your exploration
of Antalya; the Old Town, Kaleiçi,
is a shopper’s paradise; the mighty
Hadrian’s Gate; colourful examples of
local craftsmanship
MUST-SEE
The city’s walled Old Town, Kaleiçi,
is Antalya’s historic heart. Enter
through Hadrian Kapısı (Hadrian’s
Gate), an ornate triple archway
built when Emperor Hadrian
visited in 130AD. Cobbled roads
criss-cross the quarter, edged
by petite boutiques purveying
local souvenirs. Expect everything
from crocheted cotton frocks
to sword-shaped kebab spears.
Sprawling over two restored
Ottoman homes, courtyard
gardens and a former church, the
Suna-Inan Kıraç Kaleiçi Museum
(25 Barbaros Mahallesi Kocatepe
Sokak, kaleicimuzesi.com) offers
a peek into Turkey’s past. Exhibits
range from Kütahya ceramics to
mid-19th century photos. Continue
on towards the sea, where Antalya’s
old Roman harbour teems with
fishing boats, traditional Turkish
wooden gulets and pleasure craft.
To the west of Kaleiçi, the superb
Antalya Archaeological Museum
(antalyamuzesi.gov.tr) is a must
for history buffs. It houses ancient
pottery, precious jewels, sarcophagi
and sculptures discovered across
the region.
34 Thomas Cook Travel

36 Thomas Cook Travel
“Antalya’s
position on the
Mediterranean
coast is postcard
picture perfect”

Antalya, Turkey
Insider guide
CORBIS, GETTY
Clockwise from
here: by boat is
the best way to
soak up the view;
the harbour teems
with pleasure craft
and fishing boats;
Turkish Nazar
pendants on sale
Thomas Cook Travel
37

Antalya, Turkey
Insider guide
GET OUTDOORS
For a peek at the golden sands,
crystal-clear inlets and wildflowerfilled
valleys that spill westwards
from Antalya, consider a day
hiking the Lycian Way. This ancient
footpath skirts 500km of pristine
coastline from Antalya to Fethiye.
Near Ulupınar (approximately 60km
west of Antalya), the rocky terrain
at Chimaera is known for its bizarre
natural flames, and makes for a
unique afternoon’s trek.
Gentler thrills can be had
at the nearby Roman ruins of
Phaselis, around an hour’s drive
from Antalya. A bucolic peninsula
surrounded by three natural
harbours, Phaselis possesses a
wildly beautiful charm. Take a dip
in the sea mid-sightseeing – and
make sure to keep an eye out for
the shards of centuries-old pottery
that litter the beach.
LOCAL DINING
To sample serious local flavours,
head to Özdoyum Restaurant
(Sanayi Sitesi, 668 Sokak, +90 (0)242
346 19 33, ozdoyum.com.tr). This
laid-back eatery offers a medley of
delicious Antalyan dishes, including
bean salad (piyaz) and meatballs
on skewers (sis köfte).
The delectable 7 Mehmet (201
Atatürk Kültür Parkı, +90 (0)242
Clockwise
from top left:
Chimaera’s bizarre
natural flames; the
bucolic Phaselis
peninsula;
international food
and drink
at Seraser
(right) and in
Ulupinar (left)
238 5200, 7mehmet.com) has
been a place of foodie pilgrimage
for decades, even serving Turkey’s
first president Atatürk in 1935.
For innovative dining, Seraser (18
Karanlık Sokak, Kaleiçi, +90 (0)242
247 6015, seraserrestaurant.com)
serves up an elegant mix of
international dishes – like salmon
gravadlax – and contemporary
Turkish creations, such as vine
leaves stuffed with sea bass and
coffee-infused crème brûlée.
Thomas Cook Travel
39

Insider guide
Antalya, Turkey
AFTER DARK
Adrien Brody, Shakira and Charlize
Theron have all been known to kick
back with a sundowner at Hillside
Su Beach Bar (Dumlupınar Bulvarı,
Konyaaltı, hillsidesu.com). Order
one of the bar’s 2012 signature
pomegranate cocktails. This
blue flag beach is also the site
of Turkey’s “Biggest Little Music
Festival”, SunSplash (27 May-3
June, sunsplash-antalya.com), a
week-long, non-stop dance party.
DJ royalty including Norman Jay
and Giles Peterson regularly grace
the decks.
For classical music lovers, the
perfectly-preserved amphitheatre
of Aspendos (an hour’s drive
east of Antalya) holds an
annual International Opera and
Ballet Festival (14 June-4 July,
aspendosfestival.gov.tr). This
season’s evening performances
include the Estonian National
Opera’s production of Rigoletto.
Clockwise
from left: the
amphitheatre
of Aspendos
now plays host
to classical
music concerts;
Hillside Su Beach
Bar’s signature
pomegranate
cocktail; the
A-list bar’s
amazing décor
WHAT TO KNOW
Why battle the stressful traffic in
a hire car when you can hop
aboard a dolmus instead? These
shared taxis – which look like
minibuses – are an Antalyan
institution that travel everywhere,
both within the city limits and
along the coastal resorts. And,
best of all, unlike hiring a taxi in the
majority of major cities, dolmus
journeys are also dirt-cheap! TC
GETTING THERE
For more information about Antalya, visit your local
Thomas Cook or Going Places store, call +44 (0)844 412
5966 or visit thomascook.com.
MORE INFORMATION
Thomas Cook Pocket Guides to Turkey, Mediterranean
Coast £4.99, provides further inspiration for travels to
Antalya. See thomascookpublishing.com for more details.
40 Thomas Cook Travel