Turban Antalya Marina

Turban Antalya Marina is situated in the charming and historic old quarter of Antalya, away from the beautifully restored city centre. Also known as the Kaleici marina, the Roman harbour is circled by Ottoman houses and ancient ruins. It is one of Turkey's most photographed marinas because of its quaint appearance and tasteful blend of nature and architecture.

Kaleici was the former inner castle of Antalya and is surrounded by two walls, most of which have fallen down. The inner wall encloses the harbour in a semicircle. As a result of restoration work, Kaleici has turned into a major tourist centre but has retained its unspoiled aspect and has none of the noisy clubs and bars sought by many beach tourists.

The Roman harbour has been converted into a modern and well-equipped marina, with its own bars, shops and restaurants. As a result of Kaleici's careful restoration, the Ministry of Tourism in Turkey was awarded the Golden Apple (Tourism Oscar) in April 1984 by FIJET, the world-wide organisation of tourism journalists from more than 30 national organisations of four continents.

The marina has a capacity for 65 vessels which are all well sheltered by the bay's natural curve. Customs and passport personnel are at the marina, despite its smaller size, as are currency exchange offices. Every boat has access to water and electricity. At the reception you'll find telephones and fax machines. Showers are available and a laundry service is provided. You can also refuel your boat at the filling station.

Many restaurants and shops are on location, so there's no need to leave the tranquillity of the bay. Small souvenir shops, friendly cafes and restaurants are all available and you can eat good Turkish food for relatively little money. At night time, the pretty lights from the old quarter light up the bay, with the minaret in the back ground - a beautiful and relaxing ending to a day's sailing on the sun-filled seas. However, if you want to shop somewhere bigger, there is a Migros supermarket seven kilometres away, which stocks a wide variety of international food.

Kaleici is a great choice if you want a more relaxed holiday but still want to visit Antalya. The city has much to offer and attracts some 30 per cent of the country's total tourists. The Archaeological Museum is famous for its great collection of recovered artefacts.

British visitors will be interested to find Hadrian's Gate - far away from his wall in the UK - which remains exceptionally well preserved and was erected in honour of the Emperor Hadrian's visit to the town in AD 130. The imposing marble gateway has two massive towers which flanking its three arches and rich sculptural decoration - very impressive. Further afield, the famous amphitheatre of Aspendos is just outside the city. Marvel at the structure, which has a capacity for 15,000 people, and is still used for performances today.