Kemer is a famous Turkish resort located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. They come here for the warm sea, clean air, gentle sun – everything that creates an atmosphere of boundless happiness. What is there to see in Kemer, and what else is there to do besides going to the beach and the pool?
Kemer is a small city. However, it is located in a good place, so in its vicinity you can find natural parks, mountains of the Taurus range , the slopes of which are suitable for trekking, ruins of ancient cities, interesting entertainment centers and much more. Curious tourists can spend their entire vacation exploring the resort area of Kemer.
Sights of Kemer
Yuruk Ethnographic Park
The Yuruk open-air museum is a place where you can learn more about the history, customs and traditions of the Turkic Yuruk tribe living in the vicinity of modern Kemer. Tents are collected here, in which the atmosphere typical of the houses of Turkish nomads is reproduced. In the Yuruk museum, you can see original household items, decor elements, one of which were carpets created by craftsmen from the Yuruk tribe. And in our time, you can watch the work of craftsmen who make bright, beautiful carpets on ancient machines and sell them to tourists right away. In the ethnographic park there is a tent where the Yuruk people’s traditional treat is served. Delicious dishes are washed down with a cup of strong coffee.
Ruins of Phaselis
Phaselis was once a beautiful ancient Greek city built on the territory of Lycia in Asia Minor, which now belongs to Turkey. The city, of which only ruins remain, was founded around 690 BC. e. immigrants from the Greek island of Rhodes. It is located on a small peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea at the foot of the Taurus mountain range, 53 km northwest of Antalya and only 18 km from Kemer.
Archaeologists have been working here since 1811, who managed to find out that Phaselis was a rich city with three ports, whose inhabitants traded with the Persians, Egyptians, and Greeks. Wine and rose oil were exported from here on ships. Scientists discovered the remains of a wide street, theater, baths, walls surrounding the harbor, an aqueduct and ruins of Byzantine buildings. After 411 BC Phaselis was in the hands of the Persians. Here he spent the winter of 334-333 BC. e. Alexander the Great.
The ruins of the city of Phaselis are now surrounded by a natural park, famous for its clean beaches and picturesque
Jumhuriet square
Cumhuriyet Square, which means ” Republic Square ” in Turkish , is considered the heart of Kemer. It was laid on the site of the old Kemer bus station in 2006. It covers an area of about 7,000 square meters. Around its perimeter are 18 pools filled with water, with graceful bridges. In the center of one of the tanks there is a platform on which a monument to Kemal Atatürk is placed . The sculptor depicted the first president of Turkey with a dove in his hand. Behind the statue of Atatürk you can see a structure consisting of seven dark columns and a light ring. In the center of the square there is also a fountain with a large illuminated bowl. There are also pinwheel fountains that shoot directly from the cobblestones covered with tiles.
The most interesting sight of Republic Square is the high snow-white clock tower. It has a night club and a good restaurant, whose visitors can sit comfortably on the observation deck located right under the clock.
Kemer Dolphinarium
Many tourists come to the resorts of Turkey with children. So that the kids are not bored, the host side pays great attention to the organization of various water and entertainment theme parks, zoos and aquariums. There is a dolphinarium in Kemer, which can be found on the territory of the “Moonlight” park . 800 spectators can simultaneously watch the performance, which takes place twice a day.
What program awaits guests of the dolphinarium:
- first, an employee of this institution talks about dolphins and the need to protect them;
- then two dolphins and a sea lion perform before the public in a deep pool;
- after that, you can swim with the animals or take pictures for an additional fee.
The dolphinarium sells unusual souvenirs: paintings created by the sea lion Phileus. There are also many traditional things (soft toys, magnets, etc.) that will be an excellent gift for family and friends.
Takhtala cable car
A few tens of kilometers from Kemer is Mount Takhtala, to the top of which you can climb directly from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea on the second longest cable car in the world. Its length is 4350 meters. It was built in 2007 by the joint efforts of the Swiss and the Turks.
When planning a trip to the upper platform of the funicular, located at an altitude of 2365 meters above sea level, where there are a restaurant and a number of shops with souvenir goods, you should take into account that from approximately October to April, Takhtala will welcome you with snowy slopes and rather cool weather. Therefore, you need to take warm clothes with you to be able to see Kemer and its surroundings from the observation deck. The funicular cabin is designed for 80 people. It takes tourists to the top of the mountain in 10 minutes.
The ancient city of Olympos
The village of Olympos, surrounded by fragrant orange groves, has long been known to tourists for its original hotels – so-called “tree houses”. The ruins of the ancient Lycian city of Olympos are considered one of the main attractions of this settlement . They can be reached by the only road that connects the village of Olympos with the village of Chirali.
The ancient city of Olympos was founded in the II century BC. e. and quickly became one of the most significant economic centers of the region. In the 1st century BC BC, the settlement was ravaged by pirates from neighboring Cilicia, and soon after that Olympos became part of the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, the city successively belonged to the Byzantines, Venetians and Genoese, until it was finally abandoned in the 15th century.
Remains of Roman baths and fortifications built in the XI-XII centuries have been preserved to this day. You can also see the ruins of residential buildings and temples in the dense forest.
Tekirova Ecological Natural Park
Having chosen Kemer for your vacation, do not limit yourself to walking around the city and taking sea baths. There are many interesting places in the vicinity of Kemer that are worth visiting during your vacation in Turkey . For example, both adults and children will surely like the ecological park, which was opened in 2005 in the village of Tekirova. It is a botanical garden, on the territory of which there is a terrarium, where there are amphibians and reptiles living in Turkey and neighboring countries. The head of the ecopark is the famous scientist Selama Tomruk, who has been studying exotic snakes for many years.
In 2005, this park was conceived as a center for keeping and researching reptiles. However, people became interested in the work of the center and were ready to pay to visit it. Since then, all funds received from the sale of tickets go to the development of the ecological park. In addition to snakes, giant turtles, frogs of various species, more pleasant representatives of the fauna also live here: birds, rabbits, etc.
Fire Mountain Yanartash
The unusual mountain Yanartash, from the depths of which fire constantly erupts, is located on the outskirts of the village of Chirali. According to legend, the terrible Chimera monster met its death here from the arrow of the hero Bellerophon. His body was buried on the mountain, and a fire has been burning there ever since. In fact, there is a deposit of natural methane gas close to the surface of the mountain, which flares brightly when it comes into contact with air. From the outside, it seems that numerous torches are burning on the slope of Yanartash. This has been going on for hundreds of years.
The site, believed to be the Chimera’s grave, is a popular tourist attraction. A special path has been laid to it, in which local residents charge a fee for viewing such a unique natural phenomenon.
This part of the mountain looks most spectacular at dusk or at night.
Chirali village
The village of Chirali is a great alternative to noisy Kemer. It is located on the territory of the reserve, so the construction of high-rise hotels with many rooms is prohibited here. The village of Chiraly consists of only a few streets. For tourists, there is everything you need here: cozy restaurants, cute boarding houses, a long beach where you can see caretta-caretta turtles, a pine forest in the vicinity of the village, several orange groves and a number of wonderful historical monuments. For example, Yanartash Mountain, which is called fiery because of the columns of burning gas, is very close by. that break out of its slope.
At the end of the beach you can see the ruins of the ancient city of Olympos, and in the center of the village – a snow-white mosque with a tall minaret. Hikers also come to Chiral. Interesting routes have been developed here, laid along the slopes of the nearby mountains.
Dinopark in Heinyuk
If you are vacationing in Kemer with children, then you should definitely visit Dinopark, located in the village of Heinyuk. The park, where life-size models of dinosaurs are installed in the middle of the forest, was opened in 2012. Some figures of prehistoric animals are interactive: they beat their tails and growl at visitors, scaring children and amusing adults. Children are invited to feel like archaeologists and, armed with brushes, free the skeleton of a dinosaur from the sand.
After the work done, you can set a record in jumping on a trampoline or watch a 7d movie about dinosaurs in a small cinema. Dinopark also has a planetarium and a room of fear.
The price of an entrance ticket to Dinopark includes five tokens, which can be used to pay for a session in the cinema or lunch in a cafe.