Map depicting the Turkish Riviera, higlighting, from east to west, the major settlements of Alanya, Antalya, Kemer, Fethiye, Marmaris, Bodrum, Kuşadası and Çeşme

Lush pine forests, winding creeks and paths, and intimate towns and beaches tucked between rolling hills are characteristic of the coastline along the Turkish Riviera

Ölüdeniz Beach, Fethiye, Turkey

The Turkish Riviera (also known popularly as the Turquoise Coast) is a term used to define an area of southwest Turkey encompassing Antalya, Muğla and to a lesser extent the provinces of Aydın, southern İzmir and western Mersin. The combination of a favorable climate, warm sea, more than a thousand kilometers of shoreline along the Aegean and Mediterranean waters, and abundant natural and archeological points of interest makes this stretch of Turkey’s coastline a popular national and international tourist destination.

Among the archeological points of interest are two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - the ruins of the Mausoleum of Maussollos in Halicarnassus and the remains of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, which can still be seen today.^[1]

The Riviera is also the home for the internationally-known Blue Voyage, which allows participants to enjoy a weeklong trip on Gulets to ancient cities, harbors, tombs, mausolea and intimate beaches in the numerous small coves, lush forests and streams that lace the Turquoise Coast.

The coastline is further regarded as a cultural trove that provides a fascinating mixture of factual and mythological individuals, conflicts and events, and has frequently been referred to in the folklore of various cultures throughout history. As such, it is regarded as the home of scholars, saints, warriors, kings, and heroes, as well as the site of numerous well-known myths. Mark Antony of the Roman Empire is said to have picked the Turkish Riviera as the most beautiful wedding gift for his beloved Cleopatra of Egypt.^[2] St. Nicholas, later known as Santa Claus, was born in Demre (ancient Myra), a small town close to present-day Antalya.^[3] Herodotus, accepted as the father of History, was born in Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus) in ca. 484 BC.^[4] The volcanic mountains to the west of Antalya, near Dalyan, are believed to have been the inspiration for the mythical Chimera - the firebreathing monster that Bellerophon slew. A little inland are the trees of the gardens of Daphne, where the nymph was believed to have been turned into a laurel by her father Peneus to escape the amorous advances of Apollo.^[2]

[edit] Communities and settlements

Many villages and towns in the area are internationally known, such as Alanya, Antalya, Bodrum, Çeşme, Fethiye, Kalkan, Kaş, Kemer, Kuşadası, Marmaris and Side.

Places on the Turkish Riviera include:

[edit] Image gallery

Panoramic view of Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, the city of Herodotus and the home of the Mausoleum of Maussollos, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Panoramic view of Alanya, inhabited since the Hittites and the medieval homeport of the Seljuk naval forces, famous today for its natural beauty and historic monuments

Panoramic view of one of the fifty-two coves of Datça	View of the Dalaman coast	General view of Marmaris	Moonlight Beach in Kemer
Ancient sites of Kaleköy	The ruins of the Temple of Apollo, near Side	Beach and marina in Kemer near Antalya	View of İçmeler Beach
Çeşme, near İzmir	Olympos Beach	Tip of the Alanya peninsula	Ancient Seljuk shipyards along the Alanya coast
View of Ölüdeniz Beach	Ancient ruins near Patara	Ancient Lycian tombs in Simena	View of Kekova
Beaches of Marmaris	Katrancı Bay near Fethiye	The historic marina of Antalya	The coast of Fethiye
Exterior walls of the ancient theatre in Side	Roman theatre in Demre, where St. Nicholas lived	Olympos	Historic houses of Çeşme
Port of Foça, home of the Mediterranean Monk Seal	Kaputaş Beach between Kaş and Kalkan	A street in Kaş with traditional houses and a Lycian tomb in the background	Lycian Tombs in Fethiye
The eternal fires of Chimera at night, near Dalyan	The waters of Kadın Azmak, in Akyaka	Cape Gelidonya near Finike is the site of the wreck of a Phoenician merchant ship from about 1200 BC	Marina of Finike
Harbour of Alanya	Karaburun	Harbour of Kalkan	View of Konyaaltı Beach

[edit] See also

• The Blue Voyage
• Marinas in Turkey
• Tourism in Turkey
• Foreign purchases of real estate in Turkey
• The article Riviera provides links to articles on the many coastal strips around the world which are known as Riviera.

[edit] Notes