Things To Do in Konyaalti

This celebration’s held on the first weekend in August, and it kicks things off with a music concert. The performers range from local musicians to international acts. It’s the next day, though, when things turn up a notch. The festival’s main event is a traditional Turkish oil wrestling competition, where locals cover themselves in olive oil and see who’s strongest in a one-on-one match.

Aktur Park is the go-to spot in Konyaalti for adrenaline junkies. It’s filled with high-speed rides, like swinging pirate ships, octopus-shaped spinners and twisting rollercoasters. If you’ve got little ones in tow, there are plenty of bite-sized rides, too, as well as a bunch of fairground-style games.

The flagship of Konyaalti’s shopping scene is the Antalya Migros Shopping Centre, a giant mall that’s stocked with well-known brands from around the world. During a shopping spree here, you can load up on sportswear in Adidas and Lacoste, then grab a bite to eat in Arby’s – an American sandwich eatery. The shopping centre’s fitted with a cinema, as well, where you can watch the latest subtitled releases.

Coffee in Turkey’s not like the kind you’d find in an ordinary British café. It’s made using unfiltered beans that have been ground down into a fine powder, then simmered with sugar and cardamom to give it a thicker texture and sweeter taste. There are loads of coffee shops dotted around Konyaalti, so sampling some for yourself is a doddle.