DAILY EXCURSIONS

What could be more appealing than dreamlike landscapes, a rich variety of flora, grand mountains, and the magnificent colors of the sea? Add to that the lively resort life with the quiet of ancient ruins and you have a perfect vacation. From Antalya there are many possibilities for day-trips:

Karain Cave, Antalya

At the Upper Duden Waterfalls, 14 km northeast of Antalya, you can walk behind the rushing cascade for a thrilling experience. On the way to Lara Beach, the Lower Duden Waterfalls plunge straight into the sea. The nearby rest area offers an excellent view of the falls and the vista is even more spectacular from the sea. Kursunlu Waterfalls and Nilufer Lake, both 18 km from Antalya, are two more places of superb natural beauty.

The sandy Lara Beach lies about 12 km to the east. Closer to Antalya, but to the west, the long, pebbled Konyaalti Beach offers a view of the breathtaking mountain range. A little farther along, the Bey Daglari Olympos National Park and Topcam Beach provide more splendid vistas. Sican is a lovely nature island. There are camping grounds at the north end of the park, should you decide to linger amid the natural beauty. For a panoramic view of the area, drive to the holiday complex and revolving restaurant on top of Tunektepe Hill.

Termessos Amphitheater, Antalya

Saklikent, 50 km from Antalya, is an ideal winter sports resort on the northern slopes of Bakirli Mountain at an altitude of 1,750 to 1,900 m. In March and April you can ski in the morning, eat a delicious lunch of fresh fish at Antalya's marina and sun bathe, swim or windsurf in the afternoon. You can see wildlife - deer and mountain goats - that are under a conservation program in Duzler Park, north of Antalya. On the way, you can stop at the astonishing 115-m deep Guver Canyon.

On the eastern side of Can Mountain, 30 km from Antalya, the Karain Cave, which dates from the Paleolithic Age, is the site of the oldest settlement in Turkey. A single entrance, lit by the morning sun, opens onto three large interconnecting chambers. Although the little museum at the entrance displays some of the finds, most of the artifacts are housed in various museums throughout Turkey. Some of them date to 160,000 B.C.

Kursunlu Waterfall, Antalya

The ruins of the city of Termessos are perched on a 1,050-m high plateau on the west face of Gulluk Mountain (Solymos) found in Mt. Gulluk National Park northwest of Antalya. A wild and splendid landscape surrounds the monumental traces of this city. A nature and wildlife museum is found at the park entrance.