TURKEY ANTALYA DESTINATIONS Standingtall


There’s ancient history and activities aplenty in the Turkish region of Antalya, finds Ellie Fazan


I


t’s pomegranate season here and piles of the red fruit – some split in half, revealing their treasures – line the roadside. The sky is blue and the sun is high, so I rest in the shade of an ancient amphitheatre in the tiny town of Side (pronounced sea-day), slurping a zingy glass of ruby-red pomegranate juice, freshly squeezed with one flex of the seller’s muscles while his gold tooth flashes in the sun. Side means pomegranate in ancient Greek.


The fruit is a symbol of fertility and abundance, which reflects the town’s origin as a wealthy trading port. Situated on the Mediterranean coast in the Antalya region of Turkey, Side straddles a cape with sugar- soft beaches on both sides and an ancient fortified harbour overlooked by the Temple of Apollo. The town’s pretty stone houses


have been converted into bars and restaurants, a characterful counter-point to the string of


sporty resorts along its west coast, where guests fill their days with waterskiing, scuba diving, sailing and other entertainment. But there’s one problem:


there’s hardly anyone here. Since the political crisis in Turkey, there has been a huge decline in tourism, and while consumer confidence is certainly on its way back – package specialist On the Beach reported Turkey as its third-most popular destination during January peaks


11 April 2019travelweekly.co.uk57


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