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ANTALYA Despite the grim appearance of its concrete sprawl, it's an agreeable place, although the main area of interest for visitors is confined to the relatively small old quarter; its beaches don't rate much consideration. The city also makes a good base for visiting the nearby ancient site of Perge. The intersection of Cumhuriyet Caddesi and Sarampol is dominated by the Yivli Minare or "Fluted Minaret", erected in the thirteenth century. Downhill from here is the old harbour, recently restored and site of the evening promenade. North is the disappointing bazaar, while south, beyond the Saat Kalesi (clock tower), lies Kaleiçi or the old town, with every house being redone as a carpet shop, café or pension. On the far side, on Atatürk Caddesi, the triple-arched Hadrian's Gate recalls a visit by the emperor in 130 AD, while Hesapçı Sokak leads south past the Kesik Minare to a number of tea gardens and the Hıdırlık Kulesi, of indisputable Roman vintage but ambiguous function – it could have been a lighthouse, bastion or tomb. The one thing you shouldn't miss is the Archeological Museum (Tues–Sun 9am–6.30pm; $1 , one of the top five archeological collections in the country; it's on the western edge of town at the far end of Kenan Evren Bulvarı, easily reachable by a tram that departs from the clock tower in Kaleiçi. Highlights include an array of Bronze Age urn burials, second-century statuary, an adjoining sarcophagus wing, and a number of mosaics, not to mention an ethnography section with ceramics, household implements, weapons and embroidery.
Antalya's main bus station is 8km north of town, although regular dolmuşes and city buses run from here to a terminal at the top of Kazım Özalp Caddesi (still known by its old name of Sarampol), which runs for just under 1km down to the clock tower on the fringe of the old town. About 5km west of the centre is the ferry dock, connected to the centre by dolmuş. The airport is 10km northeast; Havaş buses into town depart from the domestic terminal, five minutes' walk from the international terminal, while city-centre-bound dolmuşes pass nearby.
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