Antalya

Antalya faces a very blue sea, with limestone mountains closing the horizon behind it. The old town, Kaleiçi, still sits inside its walls: cobbled lanes, Ottoman houses with wooden balconies, a small harbour at the foot of the cliff. The Düden Waterfalls drop straight into the sea at the edge of town. Beaches run for tens of kilometres, from the pale pebbles of Konyaaltı Beach to the turquoise inlet of Kaputaş Beach, wedged between two walls of rock. Ancient cities are scattered through the hinterland, and the Aspendos Ancient Theatre, almost intact, still hosts concerts under the open sky. A cable car climbs past two thousand metres, and the whole bay fits into a single view. The food is grilled fish, slow-cooked kebabs and pastries heavy with syrup, and tea comes in small tulip glasses.