Long & Clean
When I first arrived in Turkey
(see Bright
Sun, Strong Tea), Antalya's Konyaaltı
Beach was a l-o-n-g
empty swath of pebbles on the
far outskirts of the town, populated
by a few dozen ramshackle beach
shelters.
Look at it now!
Reflecting the growth of the
city of Antalya,
and Turkish tourism in general,
Konyaaltı (KOHN-yah-ahl-tuh) is
now a wonderful resource: nicely landscaped with
evergreens, furnished with showers,
changing cabins and showers,
backed by restaurants, bars,
tea and coffee houses, lounges,
shops and other services, not
to mention hotels.
Konyaaltı's
situation is enchanting, with
the ragged backdrop of the Olimpos
Beydağları range in
the distance. The sea water is clean,
too, winning the beach the coveted Blue
Flag designation
for eco-friendliness.
You don't have to stay right
near Konyaaltı to
enjoy it. Take the tram from
the center of Antalya to
the western end of the line,
from which it's only a ten-minute
walk to the beach. |
