Turkey

Turkey: Antalya, the Turquoise Coast

When

April to June | Sept to Oct

Price

From 1 900€ excl. flights

(based on 2 people sharing)

How long

5 nights

Ideal length

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Antalya, the main city on Turkey's turquoise coast, owes its modern name to the particular colour of its waters, where limestone dissolved in the Mediterranean Sea produces a distinctive turquoise hue visible along the entire coastline. This coast, once known as Lycia and then Pamphylia in antiquity, concentrates dozens of Greco-Roman cities now in ruins, including Termessos, a natural fortress never conquered even by Alexander the Great, who preferred to bypass its natural defences rather than lay siege.

The Turquoise Colour and the Old Harbour

The name "turquoise coast," adopted from the 1980s onward to promote the region to international travellers, precisely describes the particular hue of Antalya's waters, where limestone dissolved in the Mediterranean Sea diffracts light in a distinctive spectrum ranging from deep blue to emerald green. The old harbour of Kaleiçi, a historic district of preserved Ottoman lanes and traditional wooden houses, offers a striking contrast between the city's modern seaside bustle and its centuries-old architectural heritage.

Termessos, the Fortress Alexander Never Conquered

Termessos, an ancient city perched over a thousand metres up on a nearly inaccessible mountain plateau, withstood a siege by Alexander the Great in 333 BCE, who ultimately preferred to bypass its natural defences rather than commit troops to an assault deemed too costly. This exceptional strategic position, never matched by any other city in the region, explains the remarkable preservation of its remains, which stayed out of reach of the looting and earthquakes that affected the more accessible ancient cities of the coast.

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Where to rest your head

A Renovated Ottoman House in Kaleiçi

A renovated Ottoman house in the cobbled lanes of Kaleiçi, a shaded inner courtyard, within walking distance of the old harbour and historic ramparts.