Glory Coast
According to the legend, 2000 years ago, King II of Pergamon sent his men to find 'Heaven on Earth' and they found this coastline with its magnificent azure sea under the rocks at the foot of the Taurus Mountains.
It is possible to see Greek, Roman and Byzantine ancient artefacts everywhere on the Zafer Coast, where springs still gush from the mountains. You can rent a car in Antalya and enjoy both nature and history by making day trips to the most beautiful ancient cities such as the prehistoric Karain Cave and the classical ruins in Perge, Side and Aspendos.
SAFE PARADISE
In Çıralı, you may not see a newly hatched Caretta Caretta turtle, no bigger than your hand, fluttering towards the sea. (Full moon time, first week of September is the best.) And you are lucky if you can catch that magical moment in spring when their mothers come out of the Mediterranean and lay eggs on the sand. But still, go to this village with about three and a half kilometres of beach and rejoice that such a profound and ancient natural phenomenon can take place in such a busy tourist area... Cirali is a source of inspiration. A strict beach protection programme is run by the locals, supported by the environmental organisation WWF, a successful model for sustainable tourism. Cafes and shops have been moved back from the beach, which is kept safe and clean for turtles. You can find many small hotels (pensions) run by families.
