Are you excited about the new year coming up? Did you make any plans for the New Years' Eve? How are you going to spend the New Year Eve that night on December 31, 2010?
You should book flights to Antalya for an Unforgettable New Year's Eve!!!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Antalya - Demre Myra - The Home of Santa Claus
Myra was a leading city of the Lycian Union and superseded Xanthos in early Byzantine period to become the capital of the Lycia Union. The ruins of Myra are situated about 2 km north of todays Demre, on the Finike - Kas road. Today this large plain is almost covered with fields stuffed full of tomatoes. In ancient times this area was also probably farmed extensively, for trade purposes with the interior parts of the Lycian Union.
Myra is well known for its amphitheatre (the largest one in Lycia) and the plethora of rock-cut tombs carved in the cliffs above the ancient theatre of Myra. The St. Nicholas Church is a must see and is a short distance from the site of Myra on the outskirts of Demre and is really worth the trip. Inside the church is the sarcophagus of St. Nicholas although his remains were taken to Italy in the 19th century. The earliest church of St. Nicholas was built in the 6th century AD probably over St. Nicholas tomb. Later the church was rebuilt in the 9th century (probably rebuilt after Arab attacks). It was further rebuilt in 1042 under the patronage of Constantine of Byzantine Empire and a monastery was added at that time. Czar Alexander II of Prussia bought the building in 1863 and began to have it restored, but the renovation was never completed. Excavations and restorations were done during the 1960s and continue even today from the early 1990s. St.Nicholas Church, Myra, TurkeyThe churchs floor is of beautiful types of luxury marble mosaic floor tilings and there are some remains of wall paintings. A marble sarcophagus was reused to bury the bones of the St. Nicholas himself but actually were stolen earlier and taken to Bari, Italy.
St.Nicholas was a popular bishop at Myra in the 4th century AD, born in Patara between 260 and 280 AD. St. Nicholas was famous for his miracles and was known for his kindness. His parents died of the plague and he was left as a wealthy young man. St. Nicholas was known for his charitable nature and humility. Several legends about him have been based on his kind and giving nature and have led to the development of Santa Claus. Today, Noel of the Christianity is rooted from St. Nicholas of Myra.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Finike
Finike, the ancient Phoenicus is a district on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya in Turkey, to the west of the city of Antalya, along the Turkish Riviera.
It is located on the southern shore of the Teke peninsula, and the
coast here is a popular tourist destination.
Finike is a town famous for its special oranges! It is best
known for its oranges, the symbol of the town.
What to eat in Finike
Beaches in Finike:
The beaches of Finike are an important nesting ground for Caretta caretta sea turtles, and the rocky parts of the coast are used by the rare Mediterranean Monk Seal.
Andre Dorya Bay
Çağıllı Beach
Gökliman Beach
Finike Sahil (Coast) Beach
Where to go in Finike
Limyra
The county Phoenicia which is related to the province of Antalya is at
the north of a very rich Mediterranean beach meadow and its excavation
with antique Limyra city is 4 km northeast of this county. The city
which is known as Zemuri in the language of Lycians is high probably a
Zummarri city according to what is learnt from the Hittites texts of
2nd century B.C. This data shows that the history of the city dates
back to very old times. It lives its most propsperoud period during century B.C. under the administration of Trbbeimi dynasty. It assumed
the quality of residence city (king administration center) during the
administration of King Perille.
Great Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi visits the Abdal Musa sepulcher and said that dervishes live in a paradise among the lemon, orange and pomegranate trees by coming to Saklı-su in 1671. George Washington who is the president of America points out the Phoenicia port as the Egyptian port in its work in which he describes Lycia region.
Great Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi visits the Abdal Musa sepulcher and said that dervishes live in a paradise among the lemon, orange and pomegranate trees by coming to Saklı-su in 1671. George Washington who is the president of America points out the Phoenicia port as the Egyptian port in its work in which he describes Lycia region.
Arycanda
Arykanda which was discovered by English traveler
Charles Fellows in 1938, ARYKAWANDA in Lycian language is a settlement
area beside the high rocks; according to the current data, it is a city
where the people were settled in as from the end of the 3.000 B.C. and
beginning of the 2.000 B.C. Stone axes which were found in neighboring
Limyra, Mrya and Patara and the Semahöyük findings support this belief.
On one of the highest peaks of the city, there is a surveillance tower
belonging to Hellenistic age, which is important for the Lycia
region. Arykanda antique city is on the road from Phoenicia to Elmalı and approximately 30 km far from Phoenicia.
Trysa
The ruins of Trysa, known for the carved frieze portraying
Theseus, that can be seen while going to Kaş.
Turuncova
Turunçova is a town in Finike, it is situated on Turkish state highway D.635. Distance to Finike is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi). The area around Turunçova was always inhabited during the historical ages and the ancient city Limyra is at the east of Turunçova. In 1956, two former villages named Çavdır and Bağyaka were merged to form the town of Turunçova. You can see amazing citrus gardens here.
Suluin Cave
Suluin inn is the deepest inn known of Asia with its 80 m wide entry
mouth. An underwater research team made a dive in Suluin inn on 27
August 1995 and they dived up to 122 in depth but they could not reach
the end of the inn.
Cape Gelidonya
Cape Gelidonya is the site of a late Bronze Age shipwreck (c. 1200 BC). In view of the cargo's nature and composition the excavators have proposed a possible Levantine provenance. The remains of the ship sat at a depth of about 27 m, on irregular rocky bottom. It was located in 1954, and the excavation began in 1960 by Peter Throckmorton, George F. Bass, and Frédéric Dumas. Among the finds were Mycenaean pottery, scrape copper, copper and tin ingots, and merchant weights.
Where to stay in Finike
Presa Di Finica Hotel & Suites (☆☆☆☆☆)
Presa Di Finica Hotel & Suites has a full-service spa, a complimentary water park, and outdoor tennis courts. Event facilities consist of a conference center, a ballroom, and conference/meeting rooms. The staff can provide concierge services, tour assistance, and currency exchange. Additional amenities include an indoor pool, a health club, and a children's pool. Guest parking is complimentary. A total renovation of this property was completed in November 2011.
Address: Akdeniz Street, 2046, No.1 Sahilkent, Finike, 07740 Turkey
Hotel Simsek (☆☆)
This hotel features 2 restaurants. Wireless Internet access is complimentary in public areas. The staff can provide translation services, currency exchange, and computer rentals. Additional amenities include multilingual staff, a snack bar/deli, and laundry facilities. For a surcharge, guests have access to a shuttle from the airport to the hotel (available 24 hours). Complimentary self parking is available onsite for guests.
Address: Akdeniz Street, no 256,
Finike,
07740
Turkey
Phone: +90 242 855 57 71
Hotel Grand Finike (☆☆☆)
The Hotel is located in Finike which is in the district of Turkey's
tourism capital Antalya. It offers deluxe comfort to the guests with its
56 rooms. The hotel being the first touristic facility in Finike,
started its serviced in 2005. There is Demre road between the hotel and
the beach.
Address: Kale (Castle) District, Serbetci Boulevard, Marina Junction, No: 50, Finike / Antalya 07740
Amelas Gold Hotel
55 total rooms, 130 total beds, 3 suites, 52 standard rooms. Sea, mountain views are available. Direct dial telephone, music, satellite tv, split air condition, bathtub, wc, hair dryer. Split air condition, air condition heating, garden, tv corner, game room, internet connection, laundry, ironing, safety box at reception, gift shop, jewellery store, 24 hrs room service, doctor on demand, parking without fee. Outdoor swimming pool (with children section), sauna, massage, fitness center, table tennis, beach volley. Bed & breakfast, breakfast lounge, cafeteria, lobby bar, pool bar, terrace bar, A la carte service. 1 outdoor restaurant (80 pax), 1 indoor restaurant (60 pax). Turkish Cuisine. 1 meeting room (75 max. capacity). Overhead projector, screen, whiteboard, slide projector, projector, sound system, microphone, television, fax, air conditioning, light system, equipments can be provided on demand. Largest room capacity 75 pax, largest space 75 m2.
Address: Akdeniz Street, Sahilkent Finike - Antalya
Phone: +90.242.855 57 77
Finike Photos:
