My visit to Antalya was refreshing after being in Istanbul. It’s a nice size city (not as big as Istanbul) and it has the beautiful senary of the Mediterranean sea.
I stayed at the DoubleTree hotel, which is a really nice hotel. It has a rooftop restaurant, lounge area and pool. The lower level has a spa and gym. Breakfast is a large spread with several options and a much larger salad area. I’ve learned that if you want veggies, you’ll get them for breakfast. I ate the usual foods (eggs, toast) and I finally tried Turkish coffee. I haven’t been a fan of the coffee in Europe as whole, so my rating is based on that. I was able to drink the coffee without adding milk, so I’ll say it wasn’t bad. Europe doesn’t have coffee flavoring or creamer, unless you go to Starbucks or a specialty coffee store.
The one thing I didn’t like about the hotel was its location. I’m still trying to figure out why I chose this one. There is nothing around. I had to catch an Uber taxi every time I wanted to go into the city, the mall (pedicure), or to eat something other than the high-priced hotel food.
A visit to the marina area led to a boat tour that was 2 hours of relaxing bliss. The highlight was seeing the waterfalls and the creative ways some of the hotels built stairs for guests to get from the hotel on top of the cliffs down to the water for a swim.
I spent a couple days exploring Old Town and the historical sites. I even came across a park along the sea wall. The park had beautiful palm trees lining the streets, benches all over for people to sit and enjoy the senary. I sat for a while taking it all in until a cat decided that he wanted the bench. Of course, I let him have it, we cannot share it!!
That brings me to the cats in Turkey. There were a lot more here in Turkey than there were in Montenegro. And the cats are not afraid of people. I’ve seen them laid out everywhere. I’ve even seen them in restaurants just walking around. Stopping by tables waiting to be fed. Because there were so many, I did a little research and found out that cats are in integral part of Turkish culture, due to their role in pest control, favorable treatment in Islamic tradition, and recent legal protections that classify animals as living beings, not property. As a result, stray cats are widely cared for by the community, with many people feeding, sheltering, and providing them with medical care, viewing them as communal pets rather than strays. Just a fun fact about Turkey.
Although Antalya has areas of the city that resemble Istanbul (busy hustle & bustle), it’s quickly forgotten by the beauty of other areas, especially when you can sit and enjoy the waves of the sea. And the weather is much nicer.
Add this city to your vacation list.
