Nestled into a recess in the cliffs, Antalya's old harbor is a picturesque huddle of boutiques, pretty cafés, bazaars, and gently bobbing yachts that look out over the shimmering Mediterranean. With its peaceful pleasure-boat atmosphere now, it's difficult to imagine this place was once Antalya's major economic hub, but from the 2nd century up until the...

The maze-like Kaleiçi neighborhood was made for strolling. Perfectly restored whitewashed and red-roofed Ottoman mansions line the cobblestone streets, now home to a plethora of boutique hotels, souvenir shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Although it's more a place to simply breathe in the old-world ambience, there are also plenty of small tourist...

f you're at all interested in Turkish history, don't miss this excellent museum. The dazzling exhibits here showcase all the best finds from excavation sites across the Turkish coast. Even better, the collection is displayed in exemplary fashion, making Turkey's rich (and rather complicated) history easy to understand. The large archaeological section...

Antalya's most distinctive landmark is the Yivli Minare (fluted minaret), built by the Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubad (1219-36). The minaret is a typical example of Seljuk architecture, with a square base surmounted by an octagonal drum bearing the fluted shaft, with its corbelled gallery around the top. The attached 14th-century mosque is still in use...

Hadrian's Gate is one of the main (and the most dramatic) entrance gates into the  Kaleiçi  district. Considerable stretches of the  Hellenistic and Roman town walls  on the eastern side of the old town have been preserved, and Hadrian's Gate is the most notable of these sections. Erected in honor of the AD 130 visit by Emperor...

Built in the 2nd century, this squat 14-meter-high cylindrical tower watches over the  old harbor  from high above on the edge of  Karaalioglu Park . No one is quite sure what its main function was, but most agree it acted as a watchtower or lighthouse over the busy port below. Now it's a fantastic spot to watch the sunset or get that...

The main reason history buffs visit Antalya is to make the day trip to Aspendos, about 47 kilometers east. This archaeological site is home to a Roman theater commonly thought to be the best preserved in the world and one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey. The glory days of this dazzling, ancient town were during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, when...

Perge's vast and rubble-filled  stadium , half-destroyed temples, and huge  colonnaded agora  are imbued with an atmosphere of past glory. This was once the capital of ancient Pamphylia, which blossomed under first Greek and then Roman rule. The ruins here, about 17 kilometers east of Antalya, are not as well-preserved as others on...

The near-twin villages of Olympos and Çirali, about 84 kilometers southwest of Antalya, sit on a piece of lovely coastline near the overgrown ruins of the ancient Lycian city of Olympos. As well as the ruins, the famed attraction here is the chimaera, a naturally occurring eternal flame that flickers out of the rocky cliff above. Olympos is popular with...

East of Antalya's town center, Konyaalti Beach is one of Antalya's two prime sweeps of sand, with a picturesque backing of mountains rolling down to the coastline beyond. During summer, this strip (which is more pebbly than sandy) is hugely popular with both local and foreign visitors, and lazy beach days are made simple with plenty of facilities...