Tour Duration :
3 - 3,5 hours
Min.# of guests :
2 guests
Max.# of guests :
40 guests
Meals :
No
Refreshments :
Yes
Walking Level :
Medium
Dress Code :
Comfortable
walking shoes with rubber
sole and a hat with sunshade
are reccommended. |
|
Your walking tour of Antalya, a popular port and resort city first settled in the 2nd century BC by Attalus II, starts from the Yivli Minare, or “Fluted Minaret”, which has become the symbol of the city, and which is part of a 13th century Seljuk medrese and mosque complex. And continue on, to the charming old city, called the Kaleici, or “Inside the Castle”. You will appreciate the feel and décor of the area, largely unchanged for centuries, as careful restoration and conversion has maintained the original appearance of many of the fine buildings which line these cobbled streets. The construction of modern houses is not even permitted here.
The walls you will see surrounding Antalya were built in the Hellenistic period but enlarged and restored by the Romans and the Byzantines, attesting to Antalya’s long history of continuous, though varied habitation.
You will walk on to the massive and impressive Hadrian’s Gate, which was built to commemorate the Emperor Hadrian’s visit to the city in 130 AD. Made of marble and originally two stories high, the gate is flanked by three arched entranceways separated by piers with Corinthian columns. The two towers flanking the gate date from the 2nd century BC, and add gloriously to its imposing appearance.
A little further on, you approach the Kesik Minare, or “Truncated Minaret”. Originally a Roman temple, this structure changed with the times, becoming a Byzantine church in the 5th century AD and was converted into a mosque in the 13th. Your tour of the city of Antalya ends at the Hidirilik Kulesi, a 2nd century AD round tower marking the burial place of a local dignitary. From here, you regroup to continue on to the Antalya Archaeological Museum, one of the very best of its kind in the world.
Gaze spellbound at displays of an amazing variety of collections in this museum, including pottery, coins, mosaics, sculptures, costumes, sarcophagi, and artifacts found in the once-inhabited caves of coastal Turkey. The museum will also provide you with fascinating glimpses into local lifestyles from the past and near-present, with a furnished nomad’s tent, a carpet loom, and several rooms from a typical Ottoman household.
Refreshment will be served at a nice café. |
