Middle East - Anthony Ham [490]
Parlak Restaurant ( 241 6553; Kazım Özlap Qvenue Zincirlihan 7; meals TL12-25) This sprawling, open-air patio is a local legend for its slow-roasted chicken. The service is theatrical and exact, as waiters shuffle meze and seafood off white tablecloths. A good choice if you’re looking to relax for a while and just steps from Kale Kapısı.
There are many bars in Kaleiçi and around the yacht harbour. It’s worth seeking out the atmospheric Kale Bar ( 248 6591; Mermerli Sokak 2), attached to the Tütav Turk Evi Hotel and artfully constructed around the old city wall; the lively Dem-Lik ( 247 1930; Zafer Sokak 16), filled with Turkish students; and the religiously inclined Paul’s Place ( 244 6894; Yeni Kapı Sokak 24). The good word comes in coffee cups at this informal expat ‘club’ on the 2nd-floor of St Paul Cultural Center.
Getting There & Away
Antalya’s airport is 10km east of the city centre on the Alanya highway. Turkish Airlines offers frequent flights to/from İstanbul and Ankara. Atlasjet also has flights to/from İstanbul.
From the otogar, buses head for Göreme (TL38, 10 hours), Konya (TL18, six hours), Olympos (TL8, 1½ hours) and Manavgat/Side (TL8, 1½ hours).
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AROUND ANTALYA
Between Antalya and Alanya there are several magnificent Graeco-Roman ruins to explore. You can’t help but be dazzled by the sheer beauty of the ruins at Perge (admission TL10; 9am-7.30pm), 15km east of Antalya and 2km north of Aksu. The site has a 12,000-seat stadium and a 15,000-seat theatre. Another stunning place is Aspendos (admission TL10, parking TL4; 8am-7pm), 47km east of Antalya. Here you’ll see the world’s best-preserved Roman theatre, dating from the 2nd century AD and still used for performances during the Aspendos Opera & Ballet Festival every June or July. The former capital of the fierce Termessians, who fought off Alexander the Great, Termessos (admission TL10; 8am-5.30pm) is high in the mountains, 34km inland from Antalya. The ruins have a spectacular setting but demand some vigorous walking and climbing. Unless a coach party turns up, these places are all eerily deserted.
The only gripe is that it’s not convenient to get to these sights by public transport. The easiest way to see them is with your own transport or on a tour from Antalya. A full-day tour to Perge and Aspendos, with side trips to spots such as Side, costs TL80 per carload; a half-day tour taking in Termessos costs TL60. Ask at your pension or hotel in Antalya. There are also plenty of agencies in Antalya hiring out cars for TL50 to TL70 per day.
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SİDE
0242 / pop 18,000
The seasonal village of Side (see-duh) is the Turkish version of a carnival by the sea. With its souvenir-peddlers, quaint beaches, family-friendliness and peculiar slapstick charm, this once-docile fishing town is now a firmly established playground. It’s almost like a film set; glorious Roman and Hellenistic ruins mark out the road and the evening performance at the ancient amphitheatre is spectacularly showbiz. The touts are a tedious downside, but visitors to Side often return, happy to get fleeced now and then by the same 2000-year-old tricks, happy to swim in the sea, happy to bask on the rocks, happy to unwind in Side.
You’ll find ATMs on the main drag.
Sights
Side’s impressive ancient structures include a huge theatre (admission TL10; 8am-7pm) with 15,000 seats, one of the largest in Anatolia; a Roman bath, now a museum (admission TL5; 9am-7pm) with an excellent small collection of statues and sarcophagi; and seaside temples to Apollo and Athena, dating from the 2nd century AD. It’s also blessed with sandy beaches.
Sleeping & Eating
Beach House Hotel ( 753 1607; www.beachhouse-hotel.com; Barbaros Caddesi; s/d TL35/70; ) Run a long-term Australian expat, this justifiably popular spot has a prime beachside locale, yet still promotes restfulness. Most rooms face the sea and all have spacious balconies. The neighbouring Soundwaves Restaurant, run by