When King Attalos first set eyes on Antalya he dubbed it " Paradise on Earth". Its fertile soil and natural harbour made it ideal for settlers throughout the ages. Antalya has had an extremely chequered history. The Persians, Alexander the Great, The Romans the Arabs and many more have all left their mark on the area over the centuries but no one more so than King Attalos of Pergamon who in 159 B.C. gave the region its name Attalia, from which we derive the modern name Antalya.

Antalya and its environs enjoyed a golden era in the first and second centuries A.D., reflected in the magnificence and multitude of cities to be found at that time of which Side and Aspendos in the east and Phaselis, Olympos and Xanthos in the west are just a few.

Aspendos Theatre is the best preserved theatre of antiquity, with seating for 20,000. Still used today, the theatre’s galleries, stage decorations and acoustics all testify to the architect’s success. Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, agora and one of the largest aqueducts in Anatolia you've ever seen. The present-day Belkiz was once situated on the banks of the river Eurymedon, now known as the Kopru Cay. In ancient times it was navigable; in fact, according to Strabo, the Persians anchored their war ships there in 468 B.C. before the epic battle against the Delian Confederation. It is commonly believed that Aspendos was founded by colonist from Argos. One thing is certain: right from the beginning of the 5th century, Aspendos and side were the only two towns to mint coins.

This city was built 18 km east of Antalya between the Duden and Aksu streams. This is reached along the Antalya-Alanya highway, turning north at Aksu, arriving at Perge 2 km. further on. As it was not settled on the coast, it was not subjected to raids by pirates and therefore continued its progress without interruption.

Perge was originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 B.C. St. Paul preached some of his first sermons here. In 223 B.C. Perge, like Side, reached an agreement with Alexander and thus did not go to war or suffer the usual ravages. It lived through the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine epochs. Its 15,000 spectator theatre was built in the 2nd century A.D., and the nearby stadium could hold 12,000 people. With the exception of the Aphrodisias stadium, it is the best preserved in Anatolia. There are 30 rooms, believed to have been used as shops, underneath the stadium seats. A great many statues and other valuable items have been unearthed in recent digs, of which many are in the Antalya Museum. Some of the things forth seeing in Perge are the gates, agora, nymphaeum, the pillared streets, sarcophagi, basilica and acropolis.

Selge was an important Pisidian city. It lies on the southern slopes of the Taurus in a naturally fortified spot difficult of access. It is reached by a forest road that climbs past cliffs, rivers, and small waterfalls, and then passes over a Roman bridge. Thanks to its natural and historical treasures, it has been included in the Köprülü canyon ( Bridged Canyon) National Park.

According to Strabo, Selge's founder was Calchas, and it was later resettled by the Lacedaemonies (Spartans). The first settlement occurred during the Doric migrations which took place at the end of the second millennium B.C. and were connected with the Trojan War. The second settlement took place at the beginning of the seventh century B.C. together with the colonization of Rhodes. No inscription confirming this has come to light in the city, however and the idea that colonists would choose a place hard to spot from the coast and hidden in the mountains seems difficult to accept.

Side, one of the best known classical sites in Turkey, was an ancient harbour whose name meant pomegranate. Today a pretty resort town, its ancient ruins, two sandy beaches, many shops and extensive tourist accommodation attract throngs of visitors. There are numerous cafes and restaurants with a view of the sea, and the shops that line the narrow streets sell typical Turkish handicrafts including leather goods and Turkey's famous beautiful gold jewellery.

Greek colonists from Aeolia founded the splendid city of Side in the seventh century B.C. and built a great seaport. A few decades ago Side was a peaceful fishing village but it has become a town of hotels, pensions and restaurants and its two thousand inhabitants live on and for tourism.