is now a flourishing holiday hot spot}, with resorts expanding and improving their infrastructure to handle the growing number of tourists travelling to the area. New hotels are under construction, golf resorts are being landscaped, especially in the plains around Antalya and airport improvements are taking place, with more in the pipeline to cope cater for the higher frequency of flights to this part Turkey. What many of the newer visitors fail to appreciate is that southern Turkey has always held a charm for those who enjoy a mix of history, culture and outdoor activities as part of their holidays. Of course the beaches along the coast here are extremely nice, with long stretches of white sand fringed by crystal clearwaters perfect for sailing or even just swimming around with the family. Some of the more popular beaches near Antalya are those at Lara and Konyaalti although both have just as many stony areas than sandy ones. For two of the best sandy beaches you'll be well rewarded by travelling to either Side Incekum or the long sweep of golden sand at Patara Beach.

For beach lovers and historians Side is a very interesting place and not one that is overrun with foreign tourists. Side is in the same coastal bay as Antalya but lies roughly 35 miles to the East, just far enough away for many of the package holiday providers to leave it alone. It has a remarkable history having once been the location of one of the largest ports in the Aegean. As it was once a centre of business in ancient times, the ruins of many remarkable buildings are there including a huge amphitheatre and two remarkable temples, which are thought to have been dedicated to Athena and Apollo. Both are now also ruins, which is not surprising given they were built almost two thousand years ago, but there are still many identifiable elements and the marble structures certainly make you wonder how life was lived here all those thousands of years ago.

One of the more interesting ways to explore the countryside in this part of Turkey is to take to the tracks and trails, some of which have just as much history associated with them as many of the famous ancient monuments. One of the emerging trails is the St Pauls trail, a route that wends its way almost due north from just outside Antalya to the town of Yalvac. The direct distance between these two places is around 100 miles, although the trail takes a longer route. There are two recognized starting points, one being ten miles outside Antalya, the alternative being from Aspendos' amphitheatre site further east. Even if you are not undertaking some or all of the walk a visit to Perge is recommended as it is the location of a series of ancient buildings, which make for an interesting days visit. Many coach parties come to both Aspendos and Perge and if you go with an organised guide you'll be informed of the claim that Perge is one of the first places where beer was known to be brewed. An interesting bit of trivia, but go informed about the background and history of this amazing place and you'll enjoy it all the more. Nearby is just a small village but Perge was once the capital of Pamphylia; it has almost everything you'll want to experience from those ancient times. Temples, roman roads, an amphitheatre even a stadium where ancient sporting events were once held. St Paul is said to have travelled through Perge on his first missionary journey and the route follows some of that journey. The St Pauls way passes by lots of other amazing places including a Roman road at Adada and the lake at Egirdir. The route passes over peaks, through forests of pines, past ruins of ancient cities and alongside white water rivers. There are companies that offer guided walks of the trail that take between 8 and 12 days. Guided walks are also available for the Lycian way and other treks in this part of Turkey.