There is a widespread bekief that Attalos, the king of Bergama in the 2nd century B.C. told his favourite horsemen to go and find him a place which would be the envy of all other kings and monarchs, a place which everyone in the world would wish to set eyes on. "Go and find me a paradise on earth," he ordered. The horsemen set out in accordance with his wishes and came to the place known today as Antalya, where, bewitched by the beauty of its natural surroundings, they knew they had achieved their aim. Accordingly they returned to King Attalos and told him, "We have found the paradise you commanded us to look for. " Thus in the second century B.C. the king of Bergama, King Attalos II, founded Attaleia, to give it its former name taken from that of the king. Known today as Antalya, this city of exceptional natural beauty has been throughout history the centre of different civilizations. Antalya is a charming town with its palm-lined avenues and prize-winning marina. The picturesque old town is situated in the old castle where winding streets and wooden houses are encircled by the ancient walls.
 This area , which boasts of 300 days of sunshine a year, is a paradise for sunbathers and swimmers, wind-surfers and water -skiers, yachtsmen, mountaineers and hunters. 50 kilometres from Antalya, Saklikent , situated at a height of from 1750 to 1900 metres above sea-level, is an ideal centre for winter sports.
Ten miles from the city, the airport has facilitated inter-city and international transportation. THA wonderful historical remains in THA environs of Antalya together with its amazing natural beauty arouse the admiration of all who visit the area.
 The 42 kilometres of road linking Antalya with Kemer winds its way between the mountains and the sea. The Kemer marina gives yachtsman the opportunity to explore the perfect coves and beaches of the southern coast. Here can be found Phaselis founded in 690 B.C. by colonists from Rhodes. The walls of this city, renovated in the Middle Ages, the temple and altar of Zeus, the Roman theatre, the aqueducts, the monumental gate on the main street, the baths, and the tombs of the necropolis make this ancient city a site not to be missed.
Another place one must see while in Kemer is the ancient city of Olympos. From Kemer one can visit Olympos and the beach at Çirali, and the nearby bay of Fethiye with its the marine grottoes, together with the antique cities and beautiful bays in the area known as Kekova.
To the wast of Kekova lies the township of Kas which is surrounded by mountains on three sides. Of the ancient city ofAntiphellos, the name by which Kas was formely known, all that remains today are the Lycian tombs, and monuments and ancient theatre. The two highest mountains of the region, Kizlar Sivrisi Dagi (3086m) and Akdag (3030m), provide opportunities for mountain climbing and outdoor recreational activities. Recently Kalkan with its small harbour overlooked by white houses has become one of the attractions of the area as well as Patara, once an important Lycian port.
 According to legend patara is the birthplace of Apollo, the God of Music and the Fine Arts. Historical evidence affirms that this area was also the birthplace of St. Nicholas, alos known as Santa Claus or Father Christmas. Patara with its 18 kilometres of sandy coastline is the longest and widest stretch of beach in Turkey. After Perge, once an important city of the ancient province of Pamphylia, comes the modern holiday centre of Belek. 40 kilometres from Antalya, Belek offers holiday-makers the opportunity for swimming and sunbathing as well as different sports including the chance to play golf on the professional golf-course there. Aspendos, the best-preserved ancient theatre of the region still extant today has the seating capacity for an audience of 15,000. The quality of the architecture is attested by the corridors and stage backdrop and surround of the theatre as well as the excellent acoustics. Today it is still the venue for concerts of various kinds, as well as ballet , opera and theatre performances. Side, a charming holiday town, is famous for its theatre built on pillared arches and one of the largest in the area.
Other remains from antiquity include the agora, the gymnasium, the temple of Apollo and the necropolis. The Roman baths, now the museum, contains one of the best colloections of archaeological remains to be found in Turkey today. Other sites in the area are the Köpülü Canyon, and the falls at Manavgat. which are one of the atrractions to be found on the road between Antalya and Alanya.
 The first thing which strikes visitors to the Alanya Peninsula is the amazing 13th century Selçuk castle, the remains of which crown the hilltop there. Alanya is also famous for its caves; the caves of Damlatas (Dripstone), Fosforlu (Phosphorescent), Kizlar (Maidens') and Asiklar (Lovers') Caves are some of these. Other places worth visiting are the Alanya Museum, the Red Tower and Cleopatra's Beach, where the legendary queen, whom every beach along the Mediterranean shore lays claim to, is said to have entered the sea from a litter carried on the shoulders of her slaves.
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It should be seen
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Yivli Minaret, Inner Fortress, Perge, Antalya Museum, Patara, Xanthos, Side, Limyra, Aspendos Antique Theatre, Düden Fall, Termessos, Demre Castle, Karain Cave, Köprülü Canyon, Kursunlu Fall, Saklikent, Antiphellos, Simena, Phaselis, Olympos and Çirali, Sillion, Selge, St. Nicholas Church, Alanya Castle, Damlatas Cave, Side Museum, Kleopatra Beach, Alanya Museum, Leatres- Leatri, Syedra Ruins, Iotape Harbor City, Alarahan, Sarapsa Caravanserai, Red Tower, Seljuk Shipyard, Kas Monument, Grek Monument, Amphi-theatre, Blue Cave, Kalkan, Lycia Rock Tombs around Kas and Demre.
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