ANTALYA

Kemer is a district of Antalya located on the Mediterranean coast, approximately 32 kilometers west of the city center of Antalya. Until the early 1980s, it was a small village, but over the years, it has become one of the most important centers of Turkish tourism, gaining municipality status on December 30, 1985, and becoming a township. On September 13, 1991, it gained district status.

Kemer is a region famous for its natural beauty in Antalya. Located at the foothills of the Taurus Mountains, it offers magnificent mountain views to its visitors, with greenery surrounding Kemer due to its location. The district, which stretches along the coast for 52 kilometers at the foothills of the Western Taurus Mountains, is considered one of Turkey's most important tourism centers. In the place where Kemer is located today, there used to be a settlement known as \"Eski Köy\" (Old Village) in the 1910s, which consisted of lakes and marshes due to floods. The locals of Eski Köy built a 23 km long stone wall at the foothills to protect themselves from floods coming from the mountains. Over the years, due to this wall built by the locals of Eski Köy, they named their village Kemer, and it is still known by the same name today. The known history of Kemer dates back to around 690 BC. The establishment of the ancient city of Phaselis dates back to this period.

Until the 1960s, there was no road access to the district, and transportation was only provided by sea. However, after 1980, Kemer rapidly developed with the addition of roads and other infrastructure, becoming one of Turkey's most popular tourist destinations today.

What makes Kemer attractive to both domestic and foreign tourists is primarily its natural beauty. The clarity of the sea, long pristine beaches, the greenery of the forest, the waves of the sea reaching the pine trees, and the use of pine trees as shade on the beaches all make it sound like a very attractive paradise. The coastline from Beldibi to Tekirova is completely natural beach. There are many bays and small natural harbors along the indented coasts of Kemer. It is possible to swim with peace of mind in places like Phaselis Beach, where the ancient city stands and is a national park. Kemer hosts many tourist activities. These activities include boat tours, various water sports such as diving, sailing, water skiing, etc., boat tours, jeep safaris, cable car rides to Tahtalı Mountain, visiting ancient settlements, and more. There are also caves among the other natural beauties in the region. Beldibi Cave is located southwest of Antalya and by the sea. There are also prehistoric remains inside the cave. Another cave worth seeing is Molla deliği; this cave is located on the eastern slope of Tahtalı Mountain rising to the west of Kemer.

Kemer also holds an important place in yacht tourism with its marina with a capacity of 320 yachts. Thanks to the marina and the 52 km coastline, it has been awarded the Blue Flag by the European Environment Education Foundation. Among the places that must be seen around Kemer are: Olympos Ancient City, Chimera (Eternal Flame), Adrasan, Üç Adalar (Three Islands), Göynük Canyon, İkiz Kayalar (Twin Rocks), Ekopark, Ulupınar, Seljuk Hunting Lodge, Gedelme Plateau, and the plateaus of Beydağları, which are an extension of the Western Taurus Mountains. Kemer is also famous for its vibrant nightlife. The bars, discos, and nightclubs in the district offer a fun and lively atmosphere for both local and foreign tourists throughout the night.