Mediterranean -I-
Land of Blue Voyage
The 700 km sea-coast, stretching from Bodrum to Alanya is the headquarters of organised tourism in Turkey, embodying more than half of tourism investments in the country. The region has flourished at a burgeoning speed in the last years, changing and developing rapidly. This region actually splits into two separate subregions. From the point where the Aegean and the Mediterranean converge, to the shores of Kas and Kalkan; small coves laced with pine forests blending with historic ruins are at a stone's throw; tiny tranquil beaches, all render this part the centre of attraction for yacht tourism. Thousands of boats of all sizes, carrying all different flags anchored at these coves, relax unashamedly and lethargically, lost in dreams under the Mediterranean
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION
Bodrum
It is the South Aegean's prettiest resort town with a yacht harbour and a port for ferries to the Greek island of Kos. Yachting, boating, swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving are prime Bodrum activities. Bodrum itself is a good starting point for a journey along the Carian coast which offers a panorama of mythology and history, and spectacular scenery outlined by sandy beaches, rocky coves and inlets resembling small fjords. Bodrum's other claim to fame comes from Herodotus, the "Father of History," who was born here. Also the Halicarnassus Mausoleum was in Bodrum, an enormous white-marble tomb topped by a stepped pyramid, come to be considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World
Marmaris - Marmaris & Marmaris Marina
Until the growth of tourism, Marmaris was a sleepy little fishing village, but its origins date back over 2500 years. The modern town is built on the site of the ancient Greek city of Phryscus, the remains of which can still be seen on Asar Tepe, a hill 1.5 km to the north of the modern town. Modern Marmaris could hardly appear more peaceful, with its pleasing palm-lined waterfront promenade, the boats bobbing on the gentle offshore swells, and a well-stocked bazaar where you can pickup delicious local honey and rose jam, frankincense, and other exotica. You can also strike out for nearby beaches at Icmeler, Turunç and Kumlubük. Marmaris also is a very convenient location for travelers wishing to cross over to Greece. There are daily ferryboats between Marmaris and Rhodes
Dalyan - Dalyan Giant Loggerhead Turtle
The unusual thing about Dalyan as a holiday town is that it is set on a riverbank rather than the more usual seashore. This is a wonderfully lazy river which coils across the stunningly beautiful landscape below Lake Köycegiz, wandering into a vast marshy delta teeming with wildlife, and debouches at one end of a 6 km long unspoiled beach. The - Iztuzu Beach - became famous in the 80's as the hatching grounds of giant loggerhead turtles (Caretta Caretta) endangered by callous developers. A great cliff with the rock-carved tombs of the Lycian rulers of ancient Caunus faces Dalyan across the river. Two dozen small, modest hotels and pansiyons line the riverbank at this point, offering great views and a supremely relaxed lifestyle
Fethiye
Fethiye is probably the most advantageously situated town in the area for access to some of the region's more fascinating sites. Fethiye's bay is speckled with twelve islands, and one of the greatest pleasures here is to embark on a boat tour from Fethiye's harbour, in search of secluded coves in which to swim, fish and camp out. Ölüdeniz, (Dead Sea), which is the most popular beach in southern Turkey, is not dead like its biblical namesake. Rather, it is a very sheltered lagoon not at all visible from the open sea. The scene as you come down from the pine-forested hills is absolutely beautiful. In the distance is open sea, in the foreground a peaceful lagoon bordered by forest, in the middle a long sand spit of perfect beach. There is also another interesting site, right out of Fethiye, which looks like a "Ghost Town" called Kaya, a former Greek settlement abandoned after the 1923 population exchange and whose semi-ruined houses and churches conjure a sad, dramatic history
Mediterranean -II-
History and Sandy Beaches
The small coves are left in the haze as one proceeds to Kas or Kalkan, where the shore-line shaped by the ferocious swells, has created cliffs which almost literally seem to have been chopped up by axes, leaving banks with white luminous sandy beaches as far as the eye can see
Kas - Kas & Kekova
Fishing boats and a few yachts in the harbour, a town square with tea-houses and restaurants, classic ruins scattered around: this is Kas, the quintessential Turkish seaside town. Kas is not popular because of its beaches - they are small, not sandy but pebbly and some are a good distance out of the town. But Kas is pleasent in itself, and can be used as a base for boat excursions to several fascinating spots along the coast. You can even make an hour boar ride to Kastellorizo (Meis) for a taste of Greece. The island has a fine 15th century castle, and a village which is one of the least spoiled of the Greek islands thanks to the absence of any economic development since WWII. Other options to travel from Kas would be the magnificent Kekova Island, the 5th-14th century Byzantine fortress at Kale (Demre) and the site of the St. Nichola Basilica
Antalya
Antalya is blessed with the perfect climate, a beach season that lasts - with luck - from March to December, and a stunning setting against the backdrop of the snow-capped Taurus peaks. The city forms the nerve centre of a nearly unbroken belt of beaches and beach resorts stretching 200 km from Kemer in the west to Alanya in the east. Among the attractions of Antalya is one of the most picturesque historic districts of Turkey. The old town of Antalya retains its 2156 year-old walls and no less than 730 resgistered houses dating from the Ottoman era. Once reduced to dereliction, these houses have been saved through an ambitious programme of urban renewal launched in the 80's. Relics of the city's Roman, Byzantine and Turkish history lie liberally scattered across the Old Town. They include the monumental Gate of Hadrian, the Fluted Minaret of the 13th century, and the ruined mosque of the Truncated Minaret-formerly a Byzantine church which was built into a shell of an ancient Roman temple
Olympos
The beach of Olympos is one of the most beautiful in Turkey - a 4 km stretch of white pebbles bordered by pine forest and dominated by the imposing peak of Tahtali Dag, the Lycian Mt. Olympos. At the southern end of the Beach, engulfed in a forest of laurel and coleander, lie the unexcavated Roman-Byzantine ruins of the city of Olympos. An icy stream flows through the site, and the crumbling ruins covered with moss and ivy form a most evoctive sight. At the northern end of the beach, a small village of some two dozen pensions and modest hotels has grown under the name of Çirali. The perpetually burning flame of Chimaera is located in the hills above Çirali. The fire burns in a natural vent in the ground and can be seen at night with the naked eye from far out in the sea. It can be extinguished by heaping it with earth, but reignites itself in a few minutes. The ancient Lycians saw in it the breath of the Chimaera, a fire-breathing dragon
Termessos
Writers in antiquity refered to Termessos as the "Eagle's Nest." The city is impregnable, high in the mountains behind Antalya. The warlike people who made their home here launched frequent raids on their coastal neighbors. They were not Greek but a native Asian people who called themselves Solymians, after ancient Mt. Solymus, which rises above the city
Aspendos
Founded by colonists from Argos, Aspendos (45 km from Antalya) was built as a river port and naval base. The theatre, with 15,000 seats, is one of the best preserved in the world - even the marble-tiled stage remains almost completely intact. During the Selcuk reign, it was converted into a palace and covered with green and blue tiles. A plaque by the entrance states that when Ataturk saw the theatre he declared that it should be restored and used again for performances and sports. Now this ancient theatre hosts concerts and performances in summer
Perge
From the extrensive remotes of ancient Perge it is easy to imagine what life must have been like in this prosperous town of over 100,000 inhabitants. The city was supposedly founded by Greeks after the Trojan war, but the city did not earn its place in history until it prudently sided with omnipresent boy-wonder Alexander the Great. One of the best-preserved stadiums in the ancient world - the site of athletic competitions, was founded in Perge
http://www.lodgingturkey.com/information.asp?id=5
|
أهلاً بك ضيف | RSS
