Antalya

Antalya Region

Alanya Very popular home buyer destination with a wide spectrum of properties available, from cheap apartments in very touristy areas to high specification individual luxury villas. Alanya is very popular for visitors and property buyers from Russia, Scandinavia, German Dutch and a good level of UK property buyers.

It is still possible to pick up flats for sale at under £30,000 but for decent quality and properties located in the best areas expect to pay around £50,000 plus, villas can be purchased for prices just over the £100,000 level but realistically again for a private villa with pool on a good development £150,000 and upwards is a more realistic price.

There are many properties for sale in Alanya and certainly offers a good choice to the holiday home buyer, with a good location including many with stunning sea views and close proximity to the nightlife and restaurants. Some of the popular areas to buy include Alanya Avsallar, Demirtas, Kestel Gazipasa, Türkler, Konakli, , Tosmur, Oba, Obagöl, Mahmutlar, Kargicak, ilöz and YesIncekum

Proximity to the main airport serving buyers and visitors is Antalya which is around an hour and a half away the big advantage for holiday home buyers is the all year round flights availability. There is also the Gazipasa Airport for flights which at present do not offer direct flights from the UK but it is only a matter of time before they become available.

Antalya City

A very popular place to buy properties with Konyaalti and Lara the main resort areas for holiday homes but also popular with local property buyers and renters. Lara Beach having some very exclusive developments and high end properties. The majority of property available are apartments and a good number are of high rise flats where the low level building controls around areas such as the Bodrum peninsula are not in place but it can provide some stunning true penthouse apartments in buildings with 15 or more floors with prices in excess of one million pounds or the small holiday home garden flats around the £100,000 price mark, not a cheap area but offers close proximity to the main city and all its nightlife and large shopping centres.

Konyallti properties are priced lower in the main with a large choice of apartments where you can still buy from just over £40,000 for a 1 bedroom apartment but realistically for a decent sized apartment in a good location and sea views expect to pay in excess of £70,000. Very much a flat landscape so makes a good place to buy for retiring property buyers with lots of facilities and long sandy beaches, good healthcare facilities makes this a popular and affordable option for buying a property in Turkey. Not for those who are wanting a private secluded villa with no neighbours but with its close proximity to the airport and services and amenities it Is not hard to see why this area is popular with tourists and provides property buyers with good opportunities for a rental return on their investment.

Kemer

Well established purpose built and at the top end price wise than the other Antalya Region resorts, with its marina and backdrop or the Tuarus mountains with lots of all types of beaches it has a strong pull for property buyers wanting to escape the city of nearby Antalya yet still be within easy reach. Here you will find much apartment developments with good facilities, large communal swimming pools and also more complex developments of villas with the prospect of having your own private swimming pool built. Prices for properties range from a minimum of £70,000 for a small apartment to villas starting form £150,000 on a complex with communal pool. It also offers some good choice of having your own villa built on a private plot away from the complexes on the front of Kemer back towards the mountains and forests where a individual built villa on large plot including build costs can get you a spacious 4 bedroom with private pool from £300,000. There are many restaurants and tourist places but all with a bit

more refinement than the other areas of the Antalya region. For property buyers it can offer a get away from it all but still be within reasonable distance for all the amenities. Another place that offers good prospects for people wishing to have a retirement property with good all year round weather and facilities available.

Belek

The golf region of Turkey and has mainly complex developments available for the property buyers while the majority of complexes do not offer sea views it is very popular for holiday makes and golfing tourists which in turn give good prospects for rental returns for property investors. It has a lack of restaurant choices as this area has some of the very large upmarket lavish hotels that offer all inclusive holidays reducing the need for restaurants.

Prices for the area depend very much on the quality of build apartments are available from around £50,000 but for the best builds expect to pay £60,000 plus with villas on complexes around £200,000 for a large villa. Also others are many opportunities to have your own villa built on your own plot with an all inclusive build price form £250,000. Belek because of its close proximity and short airport transfer times is very popular for holiday home buyers and some of the complex developments can have some of the best facilities on site without the need to ever leave and this is proving very attractive for the retirement market and home based property buyers wishing to work from their home in Turkey.

Because of the golf it does have a much longer rental season and many groups of property investors are pooling resources to buy a golf home together. Although the golf is the main attraction it is only 10 minutes for wonderful mile after mile of long sandy beaches with most good developers offering free shuttle services throughout the year The poor quality developments have suffered as buyers have become more selective and many remain unsold and incomplete.

Side

The jewel in the crown for the region, with a lot of property options and close proximity to the golf region of Belek it offers much more though in terms of facilities and amenities for holiday home and permanent home buyers, whilst some developments in the area are of poor quality there are many good developers who build to a very high specification. If someone is looking for a property that has exceptional build quality then this offers more than most. It also has a good selection of very modern contemporary apartments built to attract the buyers from the UK and the rest of Northern Europeans tastes.

Prices in the area of side are very good value especially when you look at the build quality you can get from some of the developers which is very much at the top end and more than comparable to the best of other European developers. For apartments of the highest quality expect to pay around £80,000 and for duplexes with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms prices are around £150,000 upwards. In this area though for property buyers there are some developers able to offer very attractive payment terms and mortgage options, deposits of 25% and nothing else to pay until completion which shows the financial strength of the company that can do this as most developers have to rely on payments from buyers to be able to complete a project usually as much as 70% payable before completion. Other payment options available from the better developers are off-plan mortgages which are unusual at this present time in Turkey but can be obtained with favourable mortgage rates around 5%.

Although there are some resale properties on the market it is still very much a new home buyers place and not too many resale’s are available, which really shows that buyers of property in the area do buy  and keep as Side really is the place that suits the lifestyle of Europeans more so. A case for many like home but with Sun.

With Airport transfers of just 35 minutes then when visiting your holiday property is a big plus and a big aspect for potential rental clients if you have purchased with an investment return in mind then this location is very much the place to be, although realism in rental prices has to be taken if you wish to achieve good occupancy levels out of July and August. In the real estate market in side although there are many developments available they sell very well and it has continued throughout the last two years to do so, however in 2010 properties and the interest is probably at an all time high with anyone who is considering buying this is definitely the right time to purchase a property in Turkey and anyone who decides to leave and put off the purchase will notice a considerable difference in property prices in one or two years time as price increase are likely to bring the cost up to the levels of other overseas property markets in the Mediterranean. side may be a bit more select but prices are still considerably lower than the likes of the select areas of Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy and it offers considerably more scope to catch up to these property markets, the other aspect is the Turkish Lira against the Euro which not just gives value when buying your property, when you visit your holiday home you will find the cost of living considerably lower than the Eurozone.

Kalkan

This used to be the first place that property in Turkey for sale is looked at by the overseas property buyer looking for high quality detached villas and penthouse and spacious duplex apartments. A well established property real estate market, although suffered recently with the collapse in the worldwide property in general. When looking to buy property in Kalkan whether it is a first time buyer or a property investor looking to add to your property portfolio Kalkan is still an excellent place to buy a property in Turkey as the holiday rental market is very much a well established and the area where there is a shortage still of good quality rental property from the ever increasing visiting tourists.

The main areas of one of the most popular areas within kalkan to buy for holiday investment is the Kalamar area and its Bay which has many property options from Detached villas, semi –detached villas, Duplex apartments and Penthouse properties. Prices in general for this location are usually lower in price than the marina, old town and Kisla areas where property prices can be usually higher. For property buyers it is important to ensure that the house especially if out of the main town that the title deed (Tapu ) is in place and full planning and habitation is in place as it is not un heard for certain estate agents to sell what may appear a bargain property to be not quite the bargain after all. In deed the problem can become apparent if a mortgage is required as no mortgage would be possible. However there are many correctly titled properties and some stunning new off-plan contemporary modern designer properties in the £300,000 -£750,000 price bracket that come with stunning views out over the Mediterranean and if the same designed house was to be sold in Spain, Portugal then the price could be quite easily 3 or 4 times the price.

A property for sale in Kalkan is not the cheap end of the Turkish property market but it does offer some bargain property with the right guidance and local knowledge. Properties for sale start from as little as £60,000 for a 1 bedroom apartment but realistically speaking s expect to pay £80,000 plus for a well positioned apartment in a good development and for villas whether detached or semi-detached there is a huge price difference as you can find resale villas for less than £200,000 to well over a million. Kalkan is known for its spectacular individual architect designed villas with stunning views with infinity pools, Italian designer kitchens incorporating top of the range Siemens and Miele appliances, luxuriously fitted out bathrooms with Villeroy & Boch bathrooms very much the standard for fittings. All properties come usually as standard with air conditioning as an absolute essential as properties can really feel the heat in the height of the summer season.

 As a long term place to live for property buyers looking to move and set up home then in recent years Kalkan has started to attract more and more long term residents as Kalkan has moved on from the sleepy fishing village and small collection of town houses to a place that now stays open all year round with its many high quality restaurants and bars and definitely not cheap and cheerful holiday resort but very much regarded as quite refined and this is reflected in the property prices on offer. One of Kalkans main problems for property buyers has been the increase in rogue estate agents operating in the area, although very plausable to unsuspecting property buyers, it is definitley a case of buyer beware.

Kas

Just along the coast from Kalkan and the property market here is very much more mixed than kalkan and has a much larger contingent of Turkish nationals who buy property here, having quite a few restrictions in place for overseas property buyers and realistically unless buying in the town or the Kas peninsula very much a case of buyer beware, again!. In the outlying areas away from the main town many properties are built on land where no planning is in place. With the new marina now fully operational, aparantly soon. Originally planned for the summer of 2010. This is having a positive affect on property prices and the already high value Kas Peninsula properties starting from £400,000 could very well soon be having starting prices of detached villas at £600,000. In the town area of Kas there are some older style town houses or apartments for sale offering some properties with real charm and character if this type of style appeals, prices here for a typical 2 bedroom charter semi detached cottage can be in the £90,000 price bracket but remember to check the Tapu and to see the planning consent for division of a property into multiple dwellings. Although a growing Town Kas still has the disadvantage for property buyers of being a good drive well over 2 hours from the airport in Dalaman, but with the new regional airport planned for the area at some time in the future if and when hti shappens then this is certain to have a big impact on property prices and could well see considerable rises in the short term. A big feature of new villa complexes which are usually small select developments are the planning requirements to be built in the local stone and be of the more traditional style as opposed to Kalkan which has many of the Modern Contemporary designer villas available down the road..

South of the majestic Taurus Mountains lie on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea with its beaches of fine sand, vistas of rare and rugged beauty, many ancient ruins, hidden coves and alluring vacation getaways. The region is bathed in sunshine 300 days ayear, and is a paradise for swimming, sunbathing and watersports. You can also explore important historical sites dating back thousands of years, set in a landscape of pine forests and citrus groves and learn about the mythology that is intertwinedwith the area.The Mediterranean coast is as full of antique artefacts as the Aegean. In the ancient Lycian region, west of Antalya, you can experience the beauty of the mountain cities of Termessos and Arikand, as well as the coastal towns such as Olimpos, Kale,Kekova and Kas. The ancient cities of Perge, Aspendos and Side are located on the coastal plane east of Antalya, originally called Pamphylia.

Antalya is one of the Mediterranean's most important cities and is Turkey's hottest vacation spot, with the beaches of Konyaalti to the west and Lara to the east, lying at the foot of Antalya's massive mountain range. It is an attractive holidaygetaway with palm-lined streets, beautiful parks, an abundance of accommodation, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and a picturesque marina. The symbol of this city, founded in the 2nd century BC, is the Yivli Minaret, which dates back to the Seljukera. The Asagi Duden Waterfall to the east flows over huge boulders into the sea. West of Antalya is the attractive little holiday town of Kemer, famous for its sandy beaches surrounded by pine forests and mountains.The next big town east of Antalya is Alanya, a panoramic port city on the southern slopes of the majestic Taurus Mountains surrounded by orange, lemon and banana groves. Used by the Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat as a winter residence, Alanya’sshipyard dates back to the same era and was one of the most advanced in the world at that time. It is also famous for its 9th century castle and its popular beaches.Near Anamur is a castle from the Middle Ages, situated between two beaches and one of the most spectacular castles along the coast. The road from Anamur to Silifke, with its endless curves and bends, follows a route studded with breathtaking coastalvistas.The dilapidated caves near Narlikuyu are called Heaven, which has a small church inside, heaven and Hell (Cennet ve Cehennem). The castle of Kizkalesi, which is situated in the water across from the medieval castle of Korykos, seems to rise out of the seaitself.

Two surprises on the road to Mersin, are the ancient Roman cities of Kanlidivane and Viransehir. With its charming parks, beach promenades, commercial port and free trade zone, Mersin is one of the most modern cities on the Mediterranean.East of Tosos, the Cukurova plane is a fertile agricultural region known especially for its cotton fields. In the middle is the city of Adana with its rich textile industry, and to the east is the Dortyol (Issos) Plane, where Alexander the Greatdefeated the Persian king Darius. As a result of his victory, a port city bearing his name was established which is now the modern day Iskenderun.The road leaves Iskenderun on the southeast and goes through the Belen Pass to Antakya (Antioch). This first Christian community founded by Saint Peter has given Antakya a special religious significance, and the first sermons were preached in nearbycave. It is considered a place of pilgrimage, and the city also boasts a mosaic exhibition of rare beauty in its museum.Kahramanmaras is a relatively undiscovered province of the Mediterranean. One of its best-loved features is the cuisine, which has its own specialities like its special orchid drink (salep) and its world famous ice-cream made from goat and cows’ milk.The historical legacy of Kahramanmaras in the Ottoman Empire is still relevant today with its gilded silver, leather and copper works

ABOUT

Also known as the Turkish Riviera Antalya, where the pine-clad Toros (Taurus) Mountains sweep down to the sparkling clear sea, is the tourism capital of Turkey. The region, bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year, is a paradise for sunbathing, swimming, and sports activities like windsurfing, waterskiing, sailing, mountain climbing and spelunking. If you come to Antalya in March or April, you can ski in the mornings and in the afternoons swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

Antalya has been continuously inhabited since its founding in 159 BC by Attalos II, a king of Pergamum, who named the city Attalefa after himself. When Emperor Hadrian visited Phaselis in Antalya in 130 AD a beautifully decorated three-arched gate with Corinthian columns was built into the city walls in his honour. It was the only entrance through the city walls.

The fortifications of the Kaleiçi district are the common heritage of the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans. The elegant, fluted minaret of the Yivli Minare Mosque in the centre of the city, built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in the 13th century, has become Antalya's symbol. The two most important Ottoman mosques in the city are the 16th century Murat Paşa Mosque, remarkable for its tile decoration, and the 18th century Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque. Since 1972, the inner harbour and Kaleiçi have been under preservation for their historical and cultural significance.

WHAT TO SEE

Ancient Cities

Patara (Ovagelemiş)

It is located in 41 km distance from Kaş on the route of Fethiye-Kaş. Throughout the ancient times, Patara had secured its place as one of the most strategic towns of the Lykian region. Its harbor served the prosperity of the Roman and Byzantine empires greatly.

Xanthos (Kınık)

It is located in 45 km distance in the Kınık district. It had served as one of the greatest religious and administrative centres of the Lykian region.

Antiphellos (Kaş)

Antiphellos is the historical name of Kaş. It is on the connecting point of the Karia and Lykia regions. The town that still preserves its ancient charm is on the connecting point of the Karia and Lykia regions.

Perge (Aksu)

Perge (18 km from Antalya) was an important city of ancient Pamphylia, originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 BC. St Paul visited this city on his first missionary journey. The theater stage has finely carved marble relieves and other carvings from around the city are displayed in the stadium. Olympos (Çıralı-Yanartaş)

The ancient city of Olympos is situated on the southern side of Mountain Tahtalı. A temple gate possibly built during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD), part of a bridge, and a Roman theatre also remain from antiquity. The outer walls and towers around the bay date from the Middle Age.

Myra (Demre, Kale)

The ancient city of Myra, now called Demre or Kale is 25 km west of Finike. It was inhabited as early as 500 BC. St. Nicholas, who was born in Patara, was the bishop of Myra during the fourth century AD and died there in 345.

Aspendos

It is the most important city in the Pamphylia region. It is situated in 48 km distance from Antalya to the East. Aspendos is crowned by the world's best preserved amphitheatre. The theatre was built by Zeno the Architect during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Beaches

Cleopatra's Beach

It extends through the western side of the Alanya peninsula and has a sandy, very pleasant shore. It is only 2 hour distance from Antalya Airport.

İncekum Beach

It takes its name from its very fine sand and is in 20 km distance west from Alanya. Its shady palm tree fringes offer ideal opportunities for camping.

Eastern Beach

With its shallow water, the Eastern Beach is known to be very child-friendly. It extends through a 40 km long line towards the Keykubat beach which is called after Sultan Alaadin Keykubat the conqueror of Alanya.

Ulaş Beach

It is in 6 km distance east from the centre of Alanya. In order to prevent the sudden free falling of rocks to the beach a high wall resembling a castle fortification has been built. You can reach the beach by descending the stairs of the wall. It is common for the yachts to take a swim break at the Ulaş bay.

Sorgun Beach

Sorgun beach, which is in 3 km distance east from Side, is a small but a well maintained beach that promises a quiet and relaxed time on sand.

Koru Beach

This beach is famous for its natural rock pools. Sea water pours into these shallow pools and when the tide goes out the water warms up and becomes a natural playground ideal for children.

Lara Beach

It is in 12 km distance east from Antalya. It extends through a long line from Antalya's cliffs to Lower Düden Waterfall. It offers a very pleasant time on rather darkish sand softened with gentle waves. The major installation on the beach is Lara Halk Plajı managed by the city of Antalya.

Adalar Beach

It is a rocky beach within the city park (Kararalioğlu Park) and offers a wide range of restaurants.

Konyaaltı Beach

It extends through the west of the city. It has pebbled sand but its great beach installations make it a very popular beach. It is easier and quicker to reach from the city centre.

Kemer Beach

It is a 100 km long Blue-Flag beach that offers many bathing bays surrounded by the Taurus Mountain. Most of the beaches on the coast are fine gravel and sand. The fully-equipped Kemer Marina allows yachtsmen to enjoy the unspoiled bays and beaches south of the town Kemer. A beach promenade north of the marina has steps down from the cafes and shops leading directly to the beach.

Phaselis is an ancient Lycian city in the province of Antalya in Turkey. It is located between the Bey Mountains and the forests of Olympos National Park, 16 km west of the touristic town of Kemer and on the 57th kilometre of the Antalya-Kumluca highway. It can also be accessed from the sea by daily yacht tours. The beach is a part of a unique panaroma, a beautiful combination of mountain, sea, and forest.

Tekirova Beach

It is a Blue Flag beach generously decorated by orange trees. This gravel sand beach is a unique natural beauty and offers water sport possibilities.

Finike (Phonecian) Beach

Finike has 22 kilometres of sandy beach stretching to the east, and picturesque rocky bays and coves to the west.

Adrasan Beach

It is a natural harbor of Antalya and has a fine sand beach.

Patara Beach

Classified among the world's best beaches by The Sunday Times, it is known as the longest beach in the Mediterranean as it extends through a coast of 14,2 km long. It has a very pleasant shore with its medium grain brown sand. It is in 45 km distance from Kaş.

Museums

Antalya Museum

Founded in 1922 by Süleyman Fikri Erten and housed first in the Alaaddin Mosque in the old city and then in the Yivli Minaret, the museum was later moved to its current location. The museum consists of 12 exhibit rooms, gardens and open galleries. In these halls the history of Antalya is given in a chronological and instructive fashion starting with the first humans and continuing without interruption to the modern era.

Antalya Atatürk Museum

The Atatürk villa that the people of Antalya had presented to him, is a two-storey stone building with clay tile roof. There is a long hall at the entrance. At the right side of the hall there is a living room, a room, a bathroom and a kitchen situated. At the left side there are two rooms and the stairs going up to the first floor. On the first floor, apart from the hall, there are seven rooms one of them with a balcony. Atatürk had slept in the room across the stairs.

After the death of Atatürk, the Antalya Atatürk Villa was transferred to the Private Administration and used as Night School of Crafts for Girls and The Institute for Girls in 1939. In 1952 the villa was handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture and used as the office of the Directorate of Technical Agriculture until 1980. After 1980 it was transferred to the Ministry of Culture, restored and opened to the public as the Atatürk Museum.

Suna and İnan Kıraç Museum

The museum building consists of two Ottoman houses both of which are restored by the İnanç family and registered as national cultural heritage.

Natural and National Parks

Within the borders of Antalya, there are four national parks and one natural park all of which offer wonderful opportunities for camping and hiking.

Olympos National Park

To the west of Antalya rise the snow-capped peaks of the Olympos range, where many antique cities, caves bearing the mark of early man, innumerable plants and animals are under protection in the Olympos National Park. This park encompasses a unique variety of flora in a small area. From 1989 on, no permission has been given for any sort of construction. Experts cliam that up till now only 7 out of the Park's 1000 species of plants has yet been classified.

Köprülü Kanyon National Park

Bridge Canyon National Park (Köprülü Kanyon Milli Park) is an ideal stop to arrive in an excursion from Antalya, Belek or Side. In the Park, you could go for either rafting or hiking or instead you could explore the ruins of the Roman theatre, city walls, and Temple of Zeus in the mountain town of Selge (Altinkaya).

Termessos National Park

Termessos possesses an unusual richness of rare plants and animal species, which have been under protection in the Termessos National Park. While driving on the Antalya-Burdur highway ( 11 km ) in the direction of Korkuteli, the Termessos signpost will appear 14 km further on, and Termessos itself is a further 9 km. It is an extensive park and that is why covering its entire ground requires time. The mountainous character of the Park creates a tough but an equally enjoyable hiking route.

Altınbeşik Cave National Park

Altinbesik Cave is on the western side of the steep Manavgat Hill, 7km from Ibradi (Aydinkent) district of Antalya, and 5 km southeast of Ürunlü village. It is accessible via the Antalya - Ibradi - Ürünlü road, then it requires a one-hour walk from Ürünlü to the cave. The cave was carved into old limestone in the upper Creosote. The surrounding area of the Manavgat Valley has a great natural beauty, and Ürüncü is known for its impressive local architecture.

ACTIVITIES

Antalya offers wonderful opportunities for activities such as golf, water sports, skiing, mountain and nature sports and congress and faith tourism.

Night Life

Antalya has a very colourful night life. Especially, during the summer months, the award-winner marina and its surrounding host a rich variety of discos, bars and pubs all of which are very popular among both the tourists and locals. Likewise in Kemer and Titreyengöl there are plenty of very appealing pubs, rock bars and traditional Turkish taverns. Antalya's night life becomes even more exciting during the International Golden Orange Film Festival.

Shopping

Antalya Migros Shopping Mall, which has been in service since 2001, is the city's most modern and biggest shopping centre with its 104 stores. Also, the Deepo Outlet Center which is situated across the Antalya Airport offers the chance of shopping at great factory outlet prices. Gift shops and small local shops selling traditional handcrafts are spread widely over the historical Kaleiçi and, of course the entire Antalya.

WHAT TO EAT

Antalya enjoys an authentic cuisine which is a wonderful blend of the Mediterranean and Arabic influences. Among its specialties, there are the Kulaklı Soup whose ingredients are chickpeas and small diced meat, Tahinli Piyaz, which is a dried-bean salad seasoned with crushed sesame seeds, Tandır (tandoor) Kebap, Kabak Tatlısı (pumpkin desert) sweetened by crushed sesame seeds and grape syrup and bergamot jam.

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