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Antalya (formerly known as Adalia; from Greek: Αττάλεια Attália) is the capital city of the Antalya Province, located on the Gulf of Antalya on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The population of the city is 603,190 (2000 census) but reaches up to 2 million in summers at the height of the tourist season. Situated on a steep cliff, Antalya is a picturesque city surrounded by mountains, forests, mediterranean sea and many ancient ruins; with one notable archaeological museum. Recent developments in tourism sector, starting in the 1970s, have transformed the city into an international resort centre. With its airport and central location, it is a gateway for Turkey's coastal resorts which earned it the title of "the capital of Turkish tourism".
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Today the city of Antalya has been transformed into a cultural and touristic hub with thematic hotels and historical sites in and around the city. Kaleici, the rustic ancient town where historic Turkish and Greek houses are under protection, is the most popular center in Antalya. Old houses that are separated by narrow, cobble-stone roads are now hotels and tourism-related shops. Traces of Lycian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman architecture and culture can still be seen. Also Antalya museums house the finds belonging to historic ages of Anatolia.
Konyaalti and Lara coasts inside the city are well known to have the cleanest sea in the whole Mediterranean region because of the great mass of rock where the city was built naturally purifies the sea. [ more...]
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