Manavgat

MANAVGAT

The foundation of Manavgat is not known certain, but estimated at B.C. 200-150. As understood from the early documents, cargo and human transportation had been made on the river, from the very first centuries till recent years. Manavgat has become a village of Turkish Republic at 1923
The town Manavgat, which is 72 km far from the province Antalya. was founded on the plain that lies on both sides of the River Manavgat. The city center is 4 km far from the shore of the Mediterranean. The Northern part of the town is bordered by the Taurus Mountains covered with beautiful forests. The river Manavgat, which flows through the town, gives the plain fertility and richness. The Manavgat Waterfall and its delta are the most important natural richness of the town. The other natural beauties of the region in the South are the Sorgun Forest with pine trees and the lake "Titreyengöl", which was formed by alluvions that filled the delta of the River Manavgat.
In the Northern part of the river Manavgat there are the Lake of Oymapınar and Manavgat Dams. The Dams and its surroundings have a unique beauty. The plain of Manavgat, which is 2500 m2. is the most fertile plain of the province Antalya and is suitable for growing cotton, wheat, barley and 45 different kinds of fruit and vegetables. Fruit and vegetables growing in greenhousees in an important from of farming in the region. Greenhouse flowering has also improved recently. Trout is bred in some parts of the river. The history of the town is known to be very old and it is believed that the name Manavgat comesfrom the word "Munouwa" in the old language of luwi, meaning temple of matrilineal Goddess.
The place was supposed to be used as the sacred area of the Antique cities Seleukeia and Side in different perio
Transportation

The central bus station has offices of major bus companies. Almost all destinations in Turkey have direct transportation to Manavgat. It is 75 kilometres to Antalya. You can find buses departing every half an hour from Antalya to Manavgat.

It takes half a day to Istanbul by bus; the distance is 800 km. To give you a few more numbers, it is 620 km to Ankara and 540 km to Kusadasi from Manavgat.
History

The first settlements in Manavgat date back to 150 BC. Manavgat was not a very important regional centre but was continuously inhabited due to its location on the cross road of trade routes. Seleukia, Alarahan, Etenna and Side have many remains from the past. Later in the Ottoman Era, Turkoman nomads settled in this region. Finally, in 1913, Manavgat was designated as a district centre.
High Season

Manavgat, due to its waterfalls and large dams, is relatively cooler compared to other parts of Antalya. It is a district centre; thus, the town is quite busy throughout the year. Nevertheless, the tourism season starts by April the 15th and the region is very much favoured by German visitors. Manavgat’s population multiplies itself during the summer. Those who are interested in nature prefer May and September; swimmers and sunbathers prefer July and August. Therefore when planning a visit to Manavgat, arrange a schedule according to your preferences.
Highlights

Seleukia: It is situated near the village of Sihlar. You must take dolmus to Selek to get to this interesting archaeological site. The city was one of the nine cities founded by the Syrian King Seleukos Nicator (321-280 BC) who was the successor of Alexander the Great. It provides us with many information about the Hellenistic and Roman Civilisations. There is a dolmus leaving for Selek every fifteen minutes from Manavgat in summer season. It is only 12 kilometres to Selek from Manavgat.

Selge: Selge lies at 35 kilometres north of Serik and is located on the out skirts of Taurus Mountains. A rough road takes you to Selge. It has badly maintained and has sharp curves. After driving 14 km on a secondary road after the Köprülü Kanyon you get to Selge. This may sound too much of trouble but it is surely worth the effort. You will see very special geological formations on both sides of the road. The area resembles Capadocia. Then a well-preserved ancient city welcomes you. Here you can find the traces of Hellenistic, Lydian, Persian and Roman rules. The ancient theatre is a massive building cut partly into a natural rock and built partly by masonry. It has 45 rows of seats and a capacity of 10.000 people. A stadium, agora and the Byzantine Church are other main monuments in the site. The necropolis is worth to visit too. You should pay attention to the strange decoration of the tombs. They somehow resemble the human face. Two temples dedicated to Zeus and Artemis lie in the west. The city was famous with its delicious olives. Try to buy some olives from the villages nearby.


Ettena: It lies at 29 km north of Manavgat. It is located on a hill beside the village of Sirt. The oldest evidences about the city’s origins are coins, which date back to 4. Century BC. It was a bishopric in The Byzantine Era. Some of the main remaining buildings are the basilica, acropolis, rock-tombs, the heron, cisterns and the bath.

Alarahan: This 13th century caravanserai lies 9 km away from Manavgat. The Seljuks built it in order to link Konya with the coastal centres. It has an angular plan with rooms enclosing the courtyard. There is also a small mosque in the courtyard next to the entrance. North of Alarahan is the Alara Castle which you must not miss. It looks over the valley and has a wonderful view.

Plateau centres, dams and other recreational facilities: Taurus Mountains are divided into two sections with Köprüçayi Valley. This special topography provides many suitable spots for recreational facilities and plateau settlements. The Turkish word “yayla” means a plateau and may apply to plateau centres as well. Beloluk Yaylasi, Avanos Beligi, Gücer Yaylasi, Topalceviz Yaylasi, Aliç Yaylasi are all the same plateau settlements and recreational centres.

Köprülü Kanyon National Park stretches over a vast area of 36.000 hectares and lies 6 kilometres away from Side. Köprüçayi runs through the national park and divides the park into two major sections. It is 129 km long and runs through very different geological formations. Dipoyraz Hill is on the eastern end of the park and has an altitude of 2980 metres. It is a perfect spot for those who enjoy mountain walks and camps. Köprüçayi is also ideal for rafting.

The amazing and famous waterfalls are just at 3 km north of Manavgat city centre. It is a wonderful sight and one of the musts of the region. You can either join a daily tour or take a minibus. The organised tours last at least 4 hours. If you take the minibus you can make your own programme and decide where to have your lunch. If you taste the delicious trout dish with its magnificent view be sure you won’t be able to forget it!

Oymapinar Dam was built in 1984 and soon proved to be a very attractive recreational spot for both locals and visitors. Picnic and trekking are two main activities that you can enjoy around the dam. Titreyengöl is a natural lake and covers an area of 3000 m2. This lake is a wild life reserve. Different species of birds gather here in summer. The word “titreyengöl” could be translated as “the shivering lake”. The locals tell a story about the “shivering “ character of this lake. Once upon a time, there was an old man who loved birds and used to spend his days with feeding them. One day there came the hunters. While they were aiming at the birds, the old man ran and frightened the birds. The birds flew but the old man was shot instead. That is when the lake started to shiver and has never stopped ever since...
Night Life

Nightlife in Manavgat region is condensed around Titreyengöl and Side. Oxyd and The Light House in Side are the most popular clubs of the region. Nightlife in Titreyengöl takes place in the discos of hotels where there are always special shows and animation programmes. The Stone and Rendez Vouz are two of best-frequented clubs in this area.
Gifts & Shopping

Manavgat has a variety of special local products for you and your beloved ones. Authentic fabrics, hand woven carpets, leather clothes, bags made with rugs and organically grown herbal and fruit teas are among the things you may choose. Jewellers and the silversmiths are visited all through the day. The Turkish Silver (0242. 746 1848) is the most known silver shop in Manavgat. The hand woven carpets are made of natural dies and are well known with their high number of knots per cm2. Pottery and glassware is also a speciality of the region. Most shops accept credit cards.

Manavgat is also famous with its florists. Unique flora of the region is being preserved.
Health

There is a fully equipped state hospital in Manavgat city centre. Many other private hospitals have very high standards of service. Private Akdeniz Hospital has music system and air conditioner in its rooms, as well as a television and a refrigerator. There are two surgery units and two maternity rooms in this hospital.

Private Bilgi hospital has two surgery units, two maternity rooms, two intensive care units and a well equipped emergency unit. This hospital also runs a twenty-four hour ambulance service.
Outdoor and Sport

Rafting, off road driving and diving are the outdoor activities available all over the region. Taurus Mountains are suitable for climbing. Titreyengöl is the place for horse riding and fishing. Rivers of Manavgat and Köprüçay are the rafting spots. The beginners should start from the easier routes, which are located 100 m down the stream after the Oluk Bridge. Köprülü Kanyon that is 14 km long and 100 m wide is a canyon created by Köprüçayi. It stretches between the villages of Bolasan and Beskonak. After Beskonak there is a rafting route on Köprüçayi for professionals. Those who wish to try it should be careful to take this route since the river gets too rough and dangerous after 3 km.
Cuisine

The waterfalls and Titreyengöl have seafood restaurants with high quality. A decent dinner would cost about only 10 USD per person. Also many five star hotels have such restaurants. The Mediterranean and South East Anatolian dishes are the favourites. You can also try the meat stews and local vegetable dishes here.