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Small and large streams emerging from the west side of the Taurus water the plains on their journey to the Mediterranean. This translucent running water, cascading into the sea at points along the coast, is another attractive sight.
The plant life of Antalya is extremely varied. Every kind of tropical plant can be found along the coast. Visitors to Antalya are struck by the size attained by the different species of cactus. When you reach the foothills of the Taurus, you will see they are covered in the typical Mediterranean maquis, while the forests are full of thriving oaks and pine trees. The coton and sesame plantations and citrus and banana groves of the plains have a beauty of their own.
In Antalya the four seasons only appear on the calendar, as there is no real winter here, so much so that when in 1985 for the first time in 60 years snow fell, it was front page news.

BRIEF HISTORY OF ANTALYA
Evidence of human habitation dating back over 200 000 years has been discovered in the Carain caves 30 km to the north of Antalya city. Other finds dating back to Neolithic times and more recent periods show that the area has been populated by various ancient civilisations throughout the ages.
Records from the Hittite period (when the first recorded political union of Anatolian cities was set up calling itself the Lycian league) refer to the area as the Lands of Arzawa and document the lively interaction going on between provinces in 1700 BC.
Historical records document how cities developed independantly, how the area as a whole was called Pamphilia and how a federation of cities was set up in the province. There is also a record of the migration of the Akha clan to the area after the Trojan war.

The reign of the kingdom of Lydia in west Anatolia came to an end in 560 BC after it was defeated by the Persians during the battle of Sardis in 546 BC.
From 334 BC until his death Alexander the Great conquered the cities of the area one by one - leaving out Termessos and Silion.
With the defeat of the Seleucid army at Apamaea began the reign of the kingdon of Pergamom. In 150 BC Attalos II, king of Pergamom, founded the city of Attalaıa (present day Antalya) to base his powerful naval fleet.
When Attalos III, the last king of Pergamom, died in 133 BC he left his kingdom to the Romans. The Roman and subsequent Byzantine Empires ruled the area for the next 13 centuries.
In 1207 A.D. the Selchuk Turks conquered Antalya and then Alanya in 1220 A.D.This marked the end of Roman/Byzantine rule.
Ottoman rule began in 1391. The brief occupation of the area by the Italians came to an abrupt end after the First World War with the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923. The area is now registered as a province of the Republic of Turkey.

OLYMPOS

PHASELIS

The ancient port of Phaselis is thought to have been founded in the 7th century BC by settlers from Rhodes. Probably one of the most important parts of east Lycia it had three harbours: one to the north, one to the south and one used for sea warfare. A magnificent thoroughfare down the centre of the city flanked by the remains of shops, bathhouses and a theatre takes you to the site of Hadrian's Gate.

THERMESSOS

Perched high up at over a 1000m on a plateau in the Beydag National Park the city of Termessos, which resisted all attempts at capture by Alexander the Great commands breath-taking views over the plains of Antalya.

PERGE

The ancient city of Perge can be found along the Antalya to Alanya main road after turning north at Aksu.Founded in around 1200 BC its saving grace was its distance from the sea which allowed it to grow without interruption from sea pirates. The cities of Perge and Side signed an agreement with Alexander the Great in 332 BC who thus spared them the usual ravages of battle.

Perge, which enjoyed prosperity throughout the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras, boasts an impressive Amphitheatre and large stadium each with a seating capacity of 15 000 and 2 000 respectively, both well preserved and thus of great significance to archaeologists today.
One point of interest are the 30 or so open chambres situated beneath the stadium seating area which are thought to have been used as shops.

ASPENDOS

Situated a little way off the Antalya - Alanya main road just after Serik the city of Aspendos dates back to the 5th century BC. This extremely well preserved Roman amphitheatre, which was built around the 2nd century AD, was later used by the Seljuks as a caravanserai. With a seating capacity of over 17 000 it is still used today to host spectacular concerts, ballets and other significant events. The 10 mile long pressurised aqueduct you can see running along side Adpendos is a feat of Roman engineering.

KEKOVA

After leaving Kas one sails past Uluburun and sets a course for Kekova, a spot that is like heaven on earth. One first encounters the Sicak peninsula at the end of which are two islands: Toprakada and Karaada. Kekova island stretches out from here and it is because of this island that the whole area is called Kekova. Passing among the islands and arriving at Kekova, the safest anchorage is Üçagiz, which is a good, all-round harbour.

MYRA

Situated between Finike and Kas Myra used to be a one of the most important of six Lycian cities. Originally a coastal city the gradual build up of silt from the Demre stream has left it stranded several miles away from the sea.. Myra was abandoned after the Arab invasions in the 9th century A.D. The rock tombs and amphitheatre are worth a visit as is St. Nicholas' church nearby where the legend of Father Christmas (Santa Claus) is said to have originated