Turkish Easter Weekend

Finally, after some years working in a close cooperation with a Turkish Company, I have been able to spend a weekend in Antalya. Weather during the first week of April doesn't allow people to enjoy a bath in the blue sea kissing the golden beaches but it is perfect for a walking in the outback and taste a beer watching a wonderful sunshine.

The hotel was in Konyaalti, Antalya west, maybe not where the more nice beaches are located (just neat to the Company) but with a really nice view on the gulf, especially at the sunshine:

and...coming from a cold and foggy winter in the north Italy, starting the day wish such amazing view..has no price at all.

Thanks to the colleagues/friends, we discovered a very nice place for breakfast, where, with a few Turkish Lira, an amazing plate full with different types of cheese, honey, vegetables and many other tasty foods..

a perfect way to have power for an all day walk in the green nature!

At Saturday, we had the opportunity to see Kemer, a small fishermen village 60 KM from Antalya, with a fairytale gulf and impressive high Taurus mountains behind. OK, these mountains are not so high compared to the ones that we have in the north of Italy, but they are so close to beaches that the feelings is really different. After the road from Antalya to Kemer, it was time to enjoy a tea on the beach:

Than the long road to reach the top of the Olympus mountain started. The top is 2.365 m over the sea, the view is really stunning, just we have not been so lucky because the clouds covered part of the view. However, once there, it was not difficult understanding why Poseidone chosen this place as a point to view the Ulisse during the adventure from Callipso to Nausicaa. Nowadays, climbing the mountain it is really more easy than during the Ulisse's era thanks to a confortable cableway:

And...everything is going up, so it has to go down again...and we went down to Cirali, a beautiful village with a beach that has been chosen by caretta caretta turtle, the most famous turtle of the Mediteranean sea, as place to hide eggs. In August here it is possible to see the birth of small turtles.

Sunday..what about Sunday? After our champion breakfast our direction was the kursunlu şelalesi park for a walk in the nature and some pics to the amazing waterfalls. The environment is full of color with the smell of threes, water and grass makes sorrounding our soul. This is the place where I would spend the most of the time during the hot summer!

After a small break and a Turkish cofee, we were ready for the last stop of our weekend: Side. Side is a greek town, east to Antalya, with some very well preserved Greek and Roman ruins. The view of the ruins, with the sea on the back was generating some touching panorama. Especially the Temple of Apollo.

As well as the ancient agorà

and the cats :)

So, after this intensive travel, a beer is well deserved...

Hope to have more days, next time, to discover more about this amazing country!
(all pictures are mine)