Antalya

Antalya is one of the best places to visit in Turkey if you want to combine sun and sand with city amenities on hand. Laid-back beach life is found at both Konyaalti beach and Lara beach, but the city’s vibrant and varied café and restaurant scene is still easily on tap.The city that is now Antalya was first settled around 200 BC by the Attalid dynasty of Pergamon, which was soon subdued by the Romans. Roman rule saw Antalya thrive, including the construction of several new monuments, such as Hadrian’s Gate, and the proliferation of neighboring cities. The city has changed hands several times, including to the Seljuk Sultanate in 1207 and an expanding Ottoman Empire in 1391. Ottoman rule brought relative peace and stability for the next five hundred years. The city was occupied by Italy for three years in the aftermath of World War I, but was recaptured by a newly independent Turkey in the War of Independence.