Winter tan: Russians rush to Antalya in cold weather
From year to year Turkey remains the favorite destination for Russian tourists. This has not been affected by either the rise in the price of the vacation itself or the skyrocketing exchange rate of the Turkish lira. Previously, domestic travelers preferred the resorts of Antalya mainly in summer and early autumn, but now this Turkish province has become the center of attraction for Russians in winter. They seek a change of scenery in a country with a warmer climate, bask in the sun, see the cultural sights or pass the time on the ski slopes. About what tourists find on the Antalya coast in the off-season - in the material "Izvestia".
New winter hit
Gradually rest in Antalya is becoming not only a favorite place for a beach holiday, but also a winter hit. Tourists prefer sports and extreme or cultural and historical programs. Antalya's turbulent past includes the Hittite and Greek periods, and subjugation to Rome and later to Byzantium. Remnants of civilizations are generously scattered throughout the province.
You can feel the breath of the old eras by walking around Kaleici district - the historical center of Antalya. This is one of the visiting cards of the city and a place that is traditionally called one of the first when it comes to the main attractions of the tourist capital of Turkey.
Kaleici means "inside the fortress" in Turkish. Inside and outside, this neighborhood is surrounded by walls like a horseshoe. At different times this area belonged to the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans, so you can find buildings from different eras.
II century fortress, Kaleici, Antalya, Turkey
The highlight of the old town is Hadrian's Gate, erected in 130 in honor of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Another object of historical value, the Yivli Minaret, is no less remarkable. Rising 38 meters high, it can be seen from almost anywhere in Antalya and is rightfully considered a symbol of the city.
Ataturk Park, located on a sheer cliff,offers a breathtaking view of the sea. Families with children usually go there because of the attractions, good cafes and restaurants.
Next to the park is the famous Konyaalti promenade, which stretches for 5 km along the sea. There are cafes and restaurants at every turn, many sports fields, a skatepark, and bicycle paths.
Favorite routes
In another prestigious area of Antalya - Lare - there is a 40-meter Duden waterfall, which falls into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the twenty most beautiful waterfalls in the world. There are observation platforms on the cliff, but you can also see the natural wonder from the sea, if you go on excursion boats.
Picturesque views can be seen from Mount Tahtala, which in ancient times was called Olympos, the name it received in honor of the nearby ancient city. It should not be confused with Olympus in Greece, where, according to legend, lived the ancient Greek gods led by Zeus.
In Homer's poem "Iliad" it is mentioned that the monster Chimera, which spewed fire and did not give rest to the locals, lived in the vicinity of Tahtala.
Demre - Mire - Kekova excursion is especially popular among travelers. Tourists go to the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas in Demre (former name of the city - Mire), built in the IV century. It was destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt in the VIII century.
Duden waterfall
In the church there is a marble sarcophagus in which the relics of St. Nicholas were kept, also in the church there are frescoes depicting stories from the Holy Scriptures and the floor paved with mosaics.
After that, tourists go to see the rock-cut necropolis, where the ancient Lycians, a people who lived in modern Turkey in the first millennium BC, were buried. In front of the necropolis are sculptures depicting the gorgon Medusa, and next to the Lycian tombs is a large amphitheater.
Antalya province is home to some of the most famous hiking trails in the world, the Lycian Trail and St. Paul's Trail. To pass entirely on one of them is possible only for hiking enthusiasts and experienced tourists, given that the length of each of them - about 500 km. Many travelers prefer to walk small sections of the trail.
Undiscovered places
But all these are locations known to most tourists. In Antalya there are many more beautiful places that travelers are just beginning to discover.
Away from the crowds of tourists is the ancient city of Termessos. Its ruins are hidden behind mountain peaks, and unlike many other attractions, the city has not been restored, so it appears to tourists in its original form.
Termessos entered history as the only settlement that was not captured by Alexander the Great, who nicknamed it the Eagle's Nest. In the VI century BC the city was ruled by the Persian Empire.
In 243, an earthquake struck, destroying the entire water supply system and prompting the inhabitants to flee to other cities. Termessos was abandoned until the 19th century, when it was accidentally found by European explorers studying the nature of the surrounding area.
Tourists begin their exploration of Termessos with the ruins of the city walls, the cisterns in which water was stored in ancient times, as well as the ancient gymnasium and the market square - the agora - an open space surrounded by columns.
Ruins of the amphitheater of the ancient city, Termessos, Turkey
In ancient times, the agora was considered the center of Termessos, next to it there was a temple and a theater. The amphitheater was built of hewn stone in the Hellenistic period. The building could seat up to 4,200 spectators at a time. On the lower floor of the theater were cages with animals that performed in the arena.
The cemetery surrounds the settlement on three sides, and the graves do not look like ordinary burials: they look like richly decorated sarcophagi. Today only part of the tombstones and crypts can be seen.
The ancient city is located 25 km from Antalya, high in the mountains, it is much cooler than in the resort city itself, in winter it sometimes snows, so tourists are usually advised to bring warm clothes and wear comfortable shoes.
Picturesque views open up at the very beginning of the ascent, there you can take pictures of foxes walking around, which are fed by locals, and see wild goats.
Residents of Antalya province are proud of the fact that they have their own "Cappadocia" - this excursion is also not very well known to most travelers. It starts with a trip to "Adam Kayalar" - the "conglomerate rocks" surrounding the ancient city of Selge, also known as the "Land of the Avatar". The cliffs are between 10 and 70 meters high.
They are located in the Manavgat Köprülü Canyon National Park on St. Paul's Road, one of the best hiking trails in the world. Here you can admire the endless greenery with the winding emerald Köprüçay River, which is home to trout - which, by the way, can be tasted in local restaurants.
Sedimentary rocks, Taurus Mountains, Köprülü Canyon National Park, Turkey
Enjoying the greenery and picturesque views, tourists in jeeps go up the 11-kilometer serpentine to the ancient city of Selge, periodically stopping at observation platforms.
On the ruins of the ancient city, founded by Spartans in the V century BC, stand the modern houses of the inhabitants of Altynkai. It used to be a huge settlement that thrived on trade, but now the population is about a thousand adults and 300 children. Mostly the locals try to leave for other places to earn money.
Nowadays only the amphitheater has survived, which used to seat about 10 thousand people. Performances and sports competitions were held there. The construction of the amphitheater is perfectly preserved even after 2 thousand years, from its top there is a beautiful view of the entire ancient city.
From Selge tourists are taken to the Tazy Canyon - another secret location. Even six years ago, only locals knew about this picturesque place, in 2017 the canyon was opened for mass tourism.
Ancient Roman Theater, Selge, Köprülü Canyon National Park, Turkey
"I first came here three years ago - I saw a photo on social media and got the idea to see this place. Back then there were no barriers, no infrastructure, but now it's different, you can see that during this time they have managed to do a lot for visitors, the place has become much safer," Olga, a tourist, shares her impressions.
On the observation deck of the Taza Canyon, one can feel like a hero of Tolkien's Middle-earth, seeing the power, majesty and beauty of this amazing place. It is recommended to come here early in the morning or closer to the evening to "catch" the perfect light for photos.
The depth of the canyon abyss itself is from 220 to 400 meters, which is really impressive and dizzying. Now there are equipped observation platforms and special barriers, however, being at such a height and taking pictures, the main thing is not to forget about safety rules.
Swimming and skiing
Domestic tourists in Antalya in winter are attracted not only by various excursions. They are attracted by simple logistics, openness of the country, good weather, as well as the opportunity to relax at much better prices than in summer.
The Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea has all the necessary infrastructure for family vacations. In addition, in winter there are no crowds of tourists. This, however, has a downside - in winter, due to insufficient demand, some hotels and restaurants may not work or hotels may not be fully available the full range of entertainment that is offered in the hot season. Although guests are not left without leisure activities such as spas, indoor pools, gyms, various fitness classes and live music.
In January and February, daytime temperatures in the province are around 16 degrees, but often rise to 18-21. When the sun shines, domestic tourists put on T-shirts and shorts and sunbathe. Some even swim in the sea. The Mediterranean Sea does not cool down as much as the Black Sea, and even in winter its temperature rarely drops below 16-17 degrees. Usually it is 18-20 degrees.
Sometimes it rains, but it does not happen very often, and it ends quickly.
During the rainy time tourists usually go shopping. In addition to bazaars and local stores, there are many shopping centers. How profitable it is now to buy clothes and accessories in Turkey is a big question, given the high inflation rate in the country. However, you can definitely find there the goods of brands that have left Russia.
If you want, you can go skiing, sledding or snowboarding in Antalya. Saklikent ski resort is located 45 km from the city, which means "invisible city" in Turkish. The season lasts from December 10 to April 10, it is the warmest ski resort in Turkey - the temperature here rarely drops below five degrees, but despite this, there is a lot of snow - the average thickness is one to two meters, on the peaks - four.
There are four ski runs in Saklikent: green - 300 meters, suitable for beginners, blue - 1.5 km, characterized by a smooth descent and ideal for beginners snowboarders and skiers, as well as black and red for experienced and professional athletes. There is also a separate tubing track.
The "all-inclusive" system is unlikely to be canceled
Vladimir Rubtsov, General Director of FUN&SUN, noted in a conversation with journalists that in 2024 the tour operator sent 2.2 million tourists on vacation, most of the tourist flow was provided by Turkey - 45%. Next year the company plans to send 3.1 million tourists on vacation, the main destination will also be Turkey.
According to Rubtsov, every year the cost of traveling is growing, and the next summer season will not be an exception due to high inflation.
- Pricing of Turkish tour products is in currency, sales - in rubles at the exchange rate on the day of booking. Accordingly, the main factor that affects the cost of tours to Turkey in the Russian market is the ruble exchange rate. The higher the exchange rate, the higher the cost of the tour at the time of purchase," explained Rubtsov.
He added that in the summer a sharp increase in accommodation rates in the region of 30-50% showed Turkish hoteliers that the Russian market is not ready for such a price increase.
- Turkish partners adjusted their pricing policy, as a result of which the season took place and was at a good level, - said the head of FUN&SUN.
According to him, the sales volume of early booking tours to Turkey for the summer of 2025 is already twice as high as in 2024.
In the Turkish media from year to year there are reports that local hoteliers are thinking about canceling the "all-inclusive" system in hotels. Vladimir Rubtsov is sure that such changes will not happen after all. He reminded that domestic tourists have been flying to Turkey under this system since 1998, they are used to it.
- Dozens of years should pass so that the mentality changed and tourists refused such a vacation. You can't just remove all inclusive in the expectation that guests will start spending more in hotels. Yes, most likely, they will, but the question is the volume of tourist flow. If Turkey refuses from the all-inclusive system, the Russian flow to this country will decrease very quickly, and other competing destinations will benefit, - summarized the general director of the tour operator FUN&SUN.
