Car Hire Antalya - Mini guide to Antalya

Antalya, with its snow-capped peaks, mild climate and azure Mediterranean waters, is Turkey's principal holiday resort.

The city is built on a rocky plateau which provides a spectacular view of mountain peaks in the distance. Antalya offers the unique opportunity to ski in the mountains and swim in the sea in the same day. In addition to the city's natural attractions are some significant archaeological sites. The city walls include the impressive Hadrian Arch and Clock Tower dating back to the Hellenistic era. The Kesik (broken) Minaret was originally a Byzantine Panaglia church, later converted into a mosque. Antalya Museum is a world-class archaeological museum, presenting a wealth of information.

The restoration of Antalya's historical quarter has transformed it from a dilapidated fishing village to a cosmopolitan town. Take a walk around Kaleici to view the attractive port marina and quaint Turkish and Greek houses which are now protected. Traces of Byzantine, Roman and Seljuk architecture can still be seen in the rustic "Old Town".

Kaleici is also a prime area for hotels, restaurants, shopping and entertainment, with some restaurants even built into the old Roman walls. Leisure options abound in Antalya, and include swimming, skiing, water skiing, windsurfing, horseriding, yacht cruises, aqua parks and rafting. Dirtbiking in the Taurus Mountains and overnight walking tours through the Antalya region and Lake District are possibilities for the more adventurous.

Perge, 18kms east from Antalya along the coast, is an important city of ancient Pamphylia and features the remains of a theatre and city gate. Aspendos, further east, houses another centuries-old theatre that is still in use today.

Antalya has a large, well-equipped airport 10kms east of the city centre. A modern bus station connects Antalya to the rest of Turkey and other European cities. The Antalya-Venice ferryboat links the city to other parts of Europe by sea.