Antalya is the capital of the Turkish Mediterranean coast and the fifth most populated city in Turkey. On the west side of this city, there is the beautiful Konyaalti beach which offers you the grand view of Taurus mountain range. The mountains give a spectacular beauty to this city. Antalya is a major tourist spot as it has many old and classic museums. These museums hold a lot of history over the different eras since ancient periods. This city has the world’s biggest tunnel aquarium which attracts a lot of tourists every year. The burning flames of Chimera also attract most of the travellers which burns for 24 hours in a day and can be used for many purposes. The mystery about these flames is completely unknown. This city is also famous for the natural beauty it offers. It has five national parks which are very rich in flora and fauna.

When to visit Antalya, Turkey

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit this city. The weather will be very fresh and it is the perfect time to enjoy the beach. You can enjoy many activities like scuba diving, windsurfing, snorkelling and rafting. You can also witness the beautiful Flower Festival which is filled with colours. In this festival, all the competitors plant flowers and also put up many exhibitions and floral processions.

What to know about Antalya, Turkey

Currency

The Turkish Lira is the official currency used in Antalya. You are allowed to carry your credit and debit cards with you to this city. There are many ATM machines available in the city. You can exchange your money at the airport exchange facilities, once you land in the city. 

Climate

Antalya is located in the northern hemisphere. The summers are humid, warm, arid and clear and the winters are cold, wet, cloudy and long. The humidity in the air makes the summer season bearable for all. 25 to 30 is the average temperature in summers with hardly any chance of rain. You can relax around the beach and its sparkling blue water. This is the peak season where you may have to see a lot of crowds in the different places of the city. There are many festivals you will see in the summer season. In the winter season, the temperature doesn’t go below negative, but you can expect an average temperature of 10. January has the highest relative humidity of about 72.23%, whereas July has the lowest relative humidity of 38.36%.

Language

Turkish is the official language of this city. Other than Turkish, Georgian, Balkan Gagauz Turkish, Arabic, Pontic Greek, Armenian, Laz, Romanian, Pomak Bulgarian are the minority languages which are spoken by the local people of the city. 17% of the people can speak English, 4% of the people can speak German and 3% of the people can speak French in this city. 

The Golden Orange Film Festival

The Golden Orange Film Festival is a very famous festival in Turkey and has been celebrated every year since 1963. From the year 2015, it is known as Antalya International Film Festival and it is also the second most important film festival in Turkey. The festival takes place in the evening with the parade. Many national and international film celebrities are also invited to this festival. The opening ceremony usually takes place at the Konyaalti Amphitheatre or in the Antalya Cultural Center. At this festival, honorary awards are provided to the celebrities and people from cinema for their contribution in the industry. The award giving ceremony is held at the historical Aspendos Amphitheatre which can hold around 7,000 people. 

Transportation

Various public transports are there to visit different places and to enjoy the hidden delights of the city.

Metro

Train

Taxi

Ferries

Water taxis

Buses

Motorbike hiring

Car hiring

Places of attraction in Antalya, Turkey

Antalya Archeology Museum

The Antalya Archeology Museum is one of the best museums of its kind in Turkey. It is also the largest museum of Turkey. This museum was established in 1922.  In 1988, this museum won the European Council Special Prize. It consists of an open air gallery and 13 exhibition halls inside it where you can wander and see a range of displays on many aspects of the past. You can also witness the bones and fossils from the prehistoric times in the Natural History Hall. There are many diagrams and charts in the hall which explain the meaning of the fossils and also explain about the former presence of dinosaurs in the region. The hall of coins attracts the children as it has many interesting ancient toys in the Children’s section and also has money boxes. The museum has a rich collection of artefacts and about 5,000 works of art. In the garden of the museum, you can see the demonstration of the large sculptures, gravestones, statues and tombs in the open gallery. There is also a cafe where you can sit and a cup of coffee or tea while reflecting upon the intriguing facts of the museum.

Antalya Aquarium

The Antalya aquarium is a combination of information and entertainment centre which includes the aquarium and the snow world indoor areas. This aquarium is among the top five most visited places by the people around the world in Turkey. It was opened for public on 15 august, 2012. It has more than a million visitors every year. This aquarium consists of 64 tanks in total which has 6,800 cubic metres of water volume. The tunnel aquarium is located in the centre which is 131 metres long and 3 metres wide. It is decorated with a life size wreck of aircraft, submarines and ships. This tank is the largest tunnel aquarium in the world. In the snow world, real snow falls at night. The temperature is always kept at -5 and the visitors are given special protective clothing to wear before entering in this area. There are also food and beverage halls in the entertainment centre along with various fun activities which are held throughout the centre.