Antalya was founded two
millennia ago because of its good
harbor.
It became a major Mediterranean port
of Asia Minor in Roman times.
The Romans strengthened
the city's fortifications and improved
the harbor's
facilities. Through Byzantine times,
and the empires of the Seljuk
Turks and Ottomans, daily life in Antalya centered on the harbor.
Today the harbor is still at the heart
of Antalya,
at water's edge in the historic core
of the city called Kaleiçi (Old
Antalya). It's now surrounded by restaurants and cafes, and is a favorite place
to gather in the afternoon or evening
to sip tea, coffee or a drink, or to
share a meal and conversation with
friends.
The boats in the harbor now are not
cargo ships but private yachts and
the broad-beamed gulets that take visitors
out into the Gulf of Antalya on fishing
trips or day-long excursions along
the coast.
