Above the historic marina (Yat Limani) along a stretch of cliff is Kaleici, the historic old town of Antalya, which houses most of Antalya's sights and numerous Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman buildings close together. The cliff town offers fantastic photo backdrops out to the Mediterranean Sea as well as the adjacent mountains.
Historical sights
Kaleici means "inside the fortress" and is the name of the old town enclosed by ancient city walls. The history of the 2200 year old town can be found along beautiful alleys as well as numerous historical buildings, old wooden houses and from idyllic sitting balconies overlooking the town. The only preserved entrance to the old town of Antalya is the Hadrian's Gate (Hadrian Kapisi). The 1700-year-old gate consists of two watchtowers and three arches, which differ architecturally due to their construction in different eras.
In the 13th century, the city walls were rebuilt by the Seljuks. They built the clock tower (Saat Kulesi) at the main gate, which is worth seeing.
In the north and highest point of the old town is the Yivli Minare Mosque. Its "Grooved Minaret" (Yilvi Minare) is considered the landmark of Antalya. The 38-meter high structure was built of bricks and covered with decorative blue tiles. A total of twelve original columns belong to the mosque, which date back to the 13th century.
The most popular photo motif is the historic marina. From here, boat tours can be taken to various sights such as the Düden Waterfall, Side and along various beaches and bays.
What else Kaleici has to offer
In addition to guided tours to the sights of the old town, you can stroll through the alleys along beautiful cafes, restaurants and boutique hotels during the day and enjoy live music in the many bars in the evening. For shopping, there are great shopping districts as well as the old bazaar district. This is located in the north of the old town and offers, among other things, traditional goods such as copper dishes and oriental oil lamps. After haggling, there is often a tea party with the seller.
