I have finished my time in Konyaalti and moved closer to the centre. Here I sit amid the hustle and bustle, noise and chaos that is all things big city. After a short ten minute walk however, I can escape all of this and find myself immersed in beautiful Kaleici Old Town Antalya Turkey.
Kaleici
Dating back to the Hellenistic era before the Romans conquered the area, this old town has been a hive of commerce for over 2000 years. Contained within a large fortification of walls, many of which can still be seen today, is the city itself.
Down at the seaside is the ancient Roman harbour that remained the active port for the area up until quite recently when the new one was built over at Konyaalti. Today this charming seaside harbour is a lovely spot to watch the fishermen, view the yachts and have a cup of tea.
Mosques
There are quite a few dotted here and there. Some began as roman temples and were converted to mosques when the Ottomans conquered the area. Their spires rise high in the air and are a beacon to the faithful at prayer time.
Buildings
Many of the unique houses in Kaleici were constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. I am so happy to see that they are slowly being resorted to their former glory. Today a few residents still have these as private homes, however most are boutique hotels and shops.
Streets
Like many small ancient cities, the narrow cobblestone streets form a maze through the beautiful old buildings. I love to wander around with abandon, getting lost, and discovering hidden treasures.
These streets today are lined with café’s, restaurants and gift stores, selling all shorts of gorgeous Turkish items. My favourites being the carpets, antiques and cotton linens.
Kaleici has quickly become the best part of Antalya for me. The rest of the city so far holds little attraction. Full of apartment buildings, and loaded with shops and people, I quickly tire of these surroundings. But Old Town, well that’s where the magic is.
