For history and story lovers: Antalya

Editor

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Created on Jul 1, 2018

Jul 1, 2018

Categories: Destination

Many of the popular charter destinations in Turkey lie in the southwest where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean. But before you go southwest, you might want to check out what you can experience in the South – the land where it all began. Antalya – Kekova – Antalya destination offers a breathtaking journey through history and mythology. And gives you a chance to swim over ancient ruins where history becomes an experience to remember. This is a chance to see a land so beautiful that the ancient gods and the mightiest civilizations made it their home.

From ancient times to the middle age

For history lovers, Antalya destination is special for the wide range of antiquities it can offer. Lycian civilization is mostly whom we owe the historical sites to. Xanthos, the ancient capital of Lycia and the ruins of Letoon are all within reach as you leave Antalya and cruise for Kemer. You can see the rest of the remains of the Lycian civilization in Kekova Island as you swim over them. Phaselis and Olympus offer sites from the middle ages like mosaic covered baths, churches, graves and theaters.

History gets interesting

For story lovers, Antalya destination is especially great because some of the most well known tales or events in human civilization take place in this region or are somewhat related. Alexander the Great, Santa Claus or the ancient gods with their mysterious ways can be your daily conversation topics as you cruise. If you want your kids to get curious about history, this will be your week!

Demre – the hometown of Santa Claus

The small town of Demre or Myra as it used to be called, is where the legend of Santa Claus is believed to have begun. You can see the remains of the roads that the protector saint walked on as he was carrying gifts for children.

Phaselis – Alexander’s favorite town

We all know that Alexander the Great travelled a lot for his campaign against Persians. But what about the one place that he stayed longest? Phaselis could be the answer because Aexander the Great and his naval forces spent the whole winter of BC 333 in this marvelous town.

Mount Olympus – a glimpse of godly life

The Mount Olympus where the ancient Gods used to dwell is actually in Greece but the Mount Olympus in Antalya is no less interesting because it has strong mythological connections to the royal family led by Zeus. Check out the Chimeria story and get the chance to climb a mountain that actually breathes fire. (Put a burning match to one of the holes on the rocks to see the magic.)

Back to reality

During Antalya-Kekova-Antalya cruise, shore excursions are optional and require a fee for overland transport, admission to archaeological sites or perhaps a guide. Please discuss your options with your charter operator in detail if you are interested in making Antalya destination your own journey through history.