Antalya is the most important city on the Mediterranean coast and one of the most popular tourist destinations, surrounded by an attractive port setting and the picturesque town of Kaleiçi within ancient Roman walls. Dominating the city of Antalya, the symbol of Yivli Minaret (Grooved Minaret) dating from the 3rd Century. The superb Archaeological Museum, housing one of the top collections in the country, one is not to be missed. Known as the Turkish Riviera, a holiday on the coast of Antalya offers secluded beaches, ancient cities and ports, beach resorts, sparkling sea and steep cliffs. The city offers an excellent base for exploring the small towns nearby, like caves, waterfalls and Roman ruins, including Perge and the mountain peaks of more Termessos. A 30-minute drive east of Antalya is Aspendos, the best example of a Roman theater in the world. Built in the 2nd Century AD, it is remarkably intact. In addition to the large number of archaeological wonders, the area has a wealth of outdoor activities. Antalya, at the foot of the Taurus Mountains, is host to numerous sporting events throughout the year including international beach volleyball, triathlon and canoeing competitions.

by SaffyH - Minsmere, Lakenheath, Thetford Forest

Kas is another place where they can stay for the night after leaving Kalkan safely. The yacht harbor is protected by a breakwater against the winds blowing from the west and southwest of the port and in the end there is a lighthouse. There would be no problem in entering the yacht harbor, where their needs such as water, diesel oil and ice can be met. The yacht port of Kas position latitude 36 degrees 12′58 “north and longitudinal position of 29 degrees 40′30″ east, is located in the extreme south of Turkey and thus the climate is warm even in winter. The electricity used in the port is 220 volts and communications are made through the coastal station wirelessly. The call is a sign of CT-2, which is transmitted through 16 channels.

Shops have opened because of the development of tourism and shopping can be done easily in them. The food eaten in restaurants on the coast is also very good and leaves pleasant memories. Besides these, as Kas is an administrative district, the needs for services such as PTT (post-Telephone-Telegraph), pharmacy, dentistry and medical services can be met. It is possible to spend the night in the port of Bayindir around Kas too. Entry into the port should be made carefully, because the rocks in front of Ince Burun where there is a lighthouse. The space in front of the rocky beach at the far southeast of the port is the safest place for anchorage. From the southeast location is a bank of sand and rock surface, the yachts should not come together around there and also be tied to the southwest.

Fethiye which is located southeast of the Gulf of Fethiye and has realized great attainments in tourism during the recent years it is a good place of supply during the Blue Voyage. At the same time, it has acquired great fame owing to its natural and historical riches. You can enter the harbor of Fethiye easily night and day, and all the needs of the yachts can be met there. During the daytime, it is also possible to go through the Island of Fethiye and the Cape Egrikum Bumu which extends southwards on shore. The name of the coastal wireless station is Fethiye and the call sign is TAE-6 and transmission for call and listening can be made through 16 channels. The yachts are anchored in a row alongside the yacht wharf which is on the west hand side of the ships wharf. Fethiye is at a distance of 60 km to Dalaman Airport, and has become more animated after the initiation of scheduled flights to and from Dalaman. Communication to other great centers by land is also easy. Fethiye where clean water and fruits are found in abundant quantities and all kinds of needs are met, is a favorable halting place during the Blue Voyage.

The yacht harbor situated west of Fethiye is in beautiful harmony with the verdure above it. Excursions are made daily to the 12 islands by means of motorboats. The holiday village of Letoonia and the holiday village of Hillside near by, have formed an entirety with the inlets of unique beauty here. The antique cities in the vicinity such as Kayakoy, Saklikent and Tlos, Pinara, Sidyma an Kadyanda in Üzumlu, are reached by way of land. In order to start towards the Dead Sea from Fethiye, you need to turn around the capes Camli Burun, Sahin Bumu, Bozburun and lblis Bumu and drop anchor in the whereabouts of the islands of Karacaoren or the Island of Ships (Gemiler Adasi).

When you turn around Cape Kurtoglu, on your way from Marmaris, you enter into the Gulf of Fethiye which is one of the most beautiful gulfs in the world. There are 12 islands, both small and large, and many inlets each more beautiful than the other in this gulf situated between the capes of Kurtoglu and Iblis and covered with forests. The inlets and islands which are ideal shelters for yachts, can be reached by means of boats that start from Fethiye and Gocek for daily excursions. These extremely beautiful inlets will make you have a very good time here. The first island near Fethiye in the gulf is the one named Sovalye Adasi (Knight’s Island). The island succeeding it, is Kizilada (the Red Island). In the north, there are the islands of Deliktas and Tavsan. The island of Katrancik is located opposite the inlet named Kucuk Kargi Koyu and the Island of Gocek is located opposite the village Gocek. The islands called Yassica Adalari are to the south of the Island of Gocek and in the south there is the Island of Haci Halil and the small island near it, is called Seytanli Ada.

The largest islands in the gulf of Fethiye, namely the Islands of Tersane and Domuz, are near the peninsula. The inlets and islands in the west coast of the gulf of Fethiye, have been worked out almost like lacework by nature. This part of the gulf is more interesting owing to its verdure and exquisite inlets. There are many inlets surrounded by green forests on the eastern shores of the Gulf of Fethiye, similar to the ones on the opposite shores. The inlets of Katranci, Kucuk Kargi and Inlice are situated here. You can reach these inlets by land too and there are forest camps in them. Gocek, which was developed owing to the yacht harbors built during recent years in the extreme north of the gulf, is the only place of habitation in the gulf. Therefore, the inlets in the gulf are also called the inlets of Gocek.

The Inlet of Ciftlik (Farm Inlet) is the nearest one to Gocek and the Inlet of Doruklu is located adjacent to it and, when you turn around Cape Ince you reach the Inlet of Gunluklu which is adorned with liquidambar trees and has a fountain in it. Following these, At Buku, Boynuz Buku, Bedri Rahmi and Siralibuk are the inlets that come into sight in all their magnificent appearance. The inlet immediately adjacent to the cape called Martin Burnu is named Dipbay. The inlets of Large and Small Sarsala, Manastir, Camli Koy, Merdivenli Koy and the last inlet in the gulf named G6bun Koyu are all located after it. This beautiful gulf had been discovered by ancient people during the Antique Age and they had settled here before we did and enjoyed these beauties. The antique city of Lydae, above the harbor Aga Limani in the south of the Peninsula of Kapidag, is one of these. You can reach here by walking from the inlets of Aga or Manastir.

In the locality called Kizilagac, south of the Lake Kargin, there is another antique city which was named Lissa, as can be inferred by studying the epitaphs, but there isn’t anything much left of this city now. One of the ancient writers, Pliny, had written about this city where there is an acropolis with a wall made of regular stones in it and also an epitaph on the southern face of this wall. The Lycian rock tombs of the antique city of Crya above the inlet of Bedri Rahmi, formerly called Tacyaka, can be seen in the inlet. The Lycians who lived in a wide region extending from the Stream of Dalaman to Phaselis near Antalya, had carved on the rocks the models of their deceased people’s houses, as a sign of respect to them. We see these tombs in Fethiye, Tlos, Pinara, Xanthos, Sura, Kekova, Myra, Kas, Limyra and other Lycian cities. We also come across a great number of sarcophagi, called the Lycian-type sarcophagi, in these cities and other Lycian cities. Some ruined remains are also seen on the islands and in the inlets.

There are some Byzantine remains on the island of Tersane, formerly called Telandria, which are not very important. The Greek people who lived here, left the island during the exchange of populations effected after World War 1. Although the ruins seen on the island belong to a recent date, it is known that a habitation had existed at an earlier date too. The remains of quays and of submerged buildings found in the water west of the Island of Gocek, indicate that people had lived here in the past. You must be very careful when you pass between the islands called Yassica Adalar because there are the remains of ruined walls in the sea. There are the remains of a bridge in the narrowest part of the west side of the island named Seytan Ada; it used to serve as a passage to the island of Haci Halil in the past.

There are many unknown dangerous points within the Gulf of Fethiye. A new ship is stranded in the shallows here every year. One of these shallows is in the exit of Gocek on the right hand side at a distance of 100 m. from the front of the farm camp. The second dangerous point is a shallow between Boynuz Buku and Yassicalar, in the direction of 150 m towards Gocek and it cannot be seen. This point is shown by means of a sign buoy. Another dangerous point is the shallow in the northwest of the island of Haci Halil. You need to pass at a distance 100 or 200 m. from this point. Moreover, the zone amongst Yassica Adalar is also shallow and it is not possible for every type of ship to pass through here. There is rocky place at a depth of 4.5 meters under the sea near the rock named 12, which is situated two knots east of the island of Tersane. The sailships that don’t want to enter the Gulf of Fethiye after having passed around Cape Kurtoglu, can pass the night in the inlet of Kizilkuyruk. The inlet is closed to the West and Southwest winds and there is a small beach in it. Let’s pass between Domuz Adasi and the peninsula and drop anchor in one of the beautiful inlets of Fethiye. Or let’s go directly to Gocek and obtain our necessities there and then start on our dreamlike voyage in the inlets of Gocek.

Bodrum with its position in or near so many of the great civilization and events of ancient history also makes Halicarnassus (Bodrum’s ancient name) an important site for historians. Finding one source of complete historical information on Bodrum is apparently impossible, so the account that follows is a distillation from several sources.

Herodotus, the “Father of History”, was born in Halicarnassus…

The first settlement in this area which left structural evidence behind was on the rocky little island where the Castle of St. Peter now stands (the castle was once completely surrounded by water). When the Knights of St. John arrived to build their fortress, they found the ruins of an older castle, now known to have been built by the Dorians around 1100 BC.

Herodotus, the “Father of History”, who lived in the Fifth Century BC and was born in Halicarnassus, wrote that the Dorians came from Troezen on the east coast of the Peloponnese. They called their new island Zephyria and the settlement Zephyrium.

The visitor will find the theater a comfortable place to sit and contemplate Bodrum while watching boats leave and enter the harbor. Interesting features of the theater include a stone altar once used before plays for sacrifices to Dionyus, and several holes cut through some of the seats, probably used for sun shades. Allowing 40 cm of space per person, the theater could seat 13.000. A short climb further up Goktepe brings one to several rock-cut tombs. Dating from the Roman and Hellenistic period, these excavated tombs once carried several sarcophagi, as well as mementos buried with the dead (some which are on display in the Castle Museum).

One type of memento found in several graves were small ‘tearcups’. These thimble-sized cups were to collect tears from mourners, then left in the tomb at burial. The more cups a person had, the more popular he was. Mausolus died in 353 BC, succeeded by his wife-sister, Artemisia II.

Map of Bodrum

Antalya (formerly known as Adalia; from Pamphylian Greek: Αττάλεια Attália) is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. It is the capital city of Antalya Province. The population of the city is 1,127,634 (2007 census).

The city of Antalya corresponds to the lands of ancient Pamphylia to the east and Lycia to the west. Antalya has a hot climate.

Situated on a cliff over the Mediterranean, Antalya is surrounded by mountains. Atatürk claimed that without [a] doubt Antalya is the most beautiful place in the world.[2]

Developments in tourism, starting in the 1970s, transformed the city into an international resort.