Antalya makes a better end to a long coast ride than most cities deserve. The old harbour at Kaleiçi sits in a small cove below limestone cliffs, with Ottoman wooden houses, Roman walls and a fluted minaret, Yivli Minaret, standing as the symbol of the town. Hadrian's Gate, a triple arch of white marble built to honour the emperor's visit around AD 130, still serves as one of the entrances to the old quarter. King Attalus II of Pergamon founded the city in the second century BC, and its name comes from him, which shows how long people have wanted to live in this sheltered spot between the sea and the snowy Taurus mountains.
The modern city is huge, with nearly a million people if you count the whole urban area, and the sprawl of apartment blocks, malls and hotels runs for miles along the bay. Arriving by motorbike, you want to approach in the afternoon when the road from the west has already shown its best, then park in the old town and walk. The streets inside Kaleiçi are narrow, with cobbles that are slippery when wet, and many are pedestrian only.
Behind the city the mountains tower, and on a clear winter day you can see snow on the peaks while palms sway in the harbour. The Düden waterfalls drop right into the sea at one end of the bay, and the beaches in both directions are lined with resort hotels. For riders, the roads that climb into the Taurus above Antalya are well worth a day, with long climbs, cool air and pine forest, but expect trucks and tourist coaches on the main routes.
Everything you need is here: fuel stations, bike shops, hotels and restaurants for every budget. Try piyaz, a white bean salad, and then a plate of grilled meatballs, or sit at a harbour cafe with a glass of tea as the sun drops behind the mountains. October and April are the best months, warm but not too hot, while August is blisteringly hot and packed.