Mozart at Aspendos: Die Entführung aus dem Serail in Turkey

I have always wanted to attend an opera performance at the Aspendos International Festival, which takes place every year in the ancient Roman ampitheatre of Aspendos near Antalya in the summer. For two weeks from mid-June to early July, the Turkish State Opera and Ballet organizes a series of opera, ballet and other music performances in the beautiful Aspendos ampitheatre, sometimes even featuring world-renown philharmonic orchestras such as the Wiener Philharmoniker. Programmes change from year to year, and further information can be obtained from Turkish State Opera and Ballets' (Devlet Opera ve Balesi) official website www.dobgm.gov.tr

Kizkalesi, Mersin: Castle in the Sea

About 40 minutes away by bus west of Mersin is the Kizkalesi, not to be confused with the Kizkulesi in Istanbul. Meaning 'Maiden's Castle' in Turkish, this little seaside town is slowly catching on to the tourism boom that has spreaded like wild fire all the way between Marmaris and Alanya on Turkey's Aegean and Mediterranean coast since the early 21st century. Although signs of building boom have already started to appear in this part of the Turkish Riviera, things are not as ridiculous as in parts of Antalya and Alanya. At least one can still see the sea on the way instead of endless of rows of expensive-looking high-rise apartment blocks for the rich and the famous. 

Alanya Revisited: The Undisputed Capital of Beach Holiday in Turkey

Alanya is probably the most famous beach resort in the whole of Turkey. Once an important port and strategic point of defence at the foot of the mighty Taurus Mountains, the town faced seemingly terminal decline throughout the mid-17th, 18th and the 19th centuries following the conquest of Cyprus and the pacification of the Anatolian mainland. The population exchange following the Treaty of Lausanne in 1922 dealt a further blow to the future of this town, as Alanya's prosperous Greek population was forced to resettle in mainland Greece.

Since the onset of tourism operations at this part of Turkey during the 1980s, however, Alanya has experienced a huge revival in its fortunes. The opening of Antalya airport to international air traffics in the late 1990s further helps to boost the number of foreign tourists arriving at Alanya. Nowadays tourism is the most important income-generating sector, accounting for more than 1.1bn Euros in 2009, according to one industry analysis. With the exponential growth of the tourism industry, the population of Alanya also expanded at a breakneck pace, from less than 100,000 in the mid-1980s, to almost 400,000 in the early 21st century. The booming seaside resort has attracted a huge following amongst expatriates from continential Europe seeking a more agreeable sunny climate. Alanya (in conjunction with the surrounding districts) is now home to more than 17000 foreign expatriates who choose to buy a property here and settle down in Alanya. During the summer peak seasons, the influx of tourists and seasonal workers engaged in the tourism sector push the population to over 1 million in certain parts of the year.

Dubbed the town with possibly the largest German/Nordic population in the whole of Turkey, what are the draws of Alanya?

Konyaalti Beach, Antalya: Russians' Favourite Beach in Turkey

Some said Konyaalti is probably the most famous beach in Turkey. Well, although all-inclusive beach holidays is not exactly my cup of tea, I too find Konyaalti quite a convenient place for a beach weekend holiday with your family and kids, especially if you are a fan of 'sun, sea, beer and fun' style of all-inclusive package holiday, and you are very much into highly charged beach life style best known on the Spanish islands of Ibiza and Mallorca.

Popular beaches in the Mediterranean - some examples of which include the southern coast of Mallorca, Spain's Costa del Sol, Ibiza, Portugal's Algarve, and Turkey's Antalya - all have something in common, namely lots of beach bars and seafront discos with  dance floors, ocean-view stage and mega loud-speakers blurting out cheesy European and American pop music throughout the day. To be honest, I prefer beaches which are quiet, selcuded and less crowded, but there are people who do enjoy doing their daily rounds of swimming in the company of modern cafe bars, loud music and countless other people, so each to his own.  

 

Antalya Revisited: the Metropole of the Turkish Riviera

Antalya is a mega tourist magnet on the Turkish Riviera. According to one airlines industry report, the airport of Antalya handles more passengers every year than both airports in Istanbul put together. Nobody would doubt this once you see the crowded queues at Antalya airport's departure hall, full of tourists from all over Europe and the Middle East, pushing and shouting their way through the scramble otherwise known as check-in. During the summer months, there are direct flights to some of the most obscure and little-known airports in Europe, known probably only to industry insiders.

I had been to Antalya once several years back, and my first impression upon my return visit is: more new hotels, more posh cafes and restaurants, and prices have become very steep too, especially in the Old Town and the tourist areas.