Hi everyone – and thanks for stopping by our blog (again). The journey of the #ContiEuropeanRoadshow through Turkiye is in full swing! About four hours of driving lie ahead of me as I set off in Konya – my latest stop, as you can read in my post “The Show Truck and I Keep Rolling Through Turkiye”. Now it’s off to the warm south! To where others go on vacation: Antalya.

Freight fairs, free time, friendship

The “official” part of my time in Antalya is quite pleasant. Whether the coffee invitation at the local Continental dealer or the freight fairs for members of the community. But the focus is on the sales show, where dealers promote their tires. To ensure that the show truck can shine in all its glory, we have its carpets cleaned in Antalya – quite a bit of dust and dirt has accumulated since arriving in Turkiye two weeks ago.

Even though the days here are mostly tightly scheduled and long, there is enough room to enjoy. I allow myself a day of relaxation, explore the city a little and generally have a lot of fun with my Turkiye crew. Whether on the beach or having a drink in the evening – we truly have a good time and laugh a lot. It’s simply cool that we get along so well, isn’t it? It couldn’t have hit me any better. Especially since it is easier to find a good level of communication – despite the existing language barriers…

Antalya under the magnifying glass

Watch out, here comes my “complaining” on a really high level: While in Germany autumn has arrived, here it remains pure summer! What should be the “negative” about it now? Well, 30 degrees feels nice at the beach, but not at work. It’s just too warm to move around – we’re really dripping here!

But let’s be honest: I totally understand why so many people spend their vacation here. And for those I have a tip: Stay in an accommodation near the beach! There it is a little quieter and more idyllic. In the city center, on the other hand, there is a lot going on. The streets are narrow and winding, numerous cars meander past each other, and that with parking facilities close to zero. It quickly becomes chaos! On foot, things look different, and I find it even quieter and more pleasant than in Germany, for example. In addition, the hotel I’m staying at in the city is really something to behold – amazing, isn’t it?

The stunning hotel that I spend the nights in Antalya. Photo: Ronny Nittmann.

The third big city on our Turkiye route but hardly comparable…

We’ve already been to Istanbul and Ankara – with Antalya, we’re now experiencing the third major city on our trip through Turkiye. And I have to say, the three hardly resemble each other in my opinion. Basically, I would describe Istanbul as a true metropolitan jungle, Ankara as a government stronghold and Antalya as a tourist destination. From my point of view, this classification fits like a pot and a lid!

It’s noticeable on a number of levels: I notice, for example, that the traffic in Ankara is more moderate than in Istanbul. There, a two-lane road can easily turn into a four-lane road – in Ankara, law and order prevails. In Antalya, there are even sidewalks, which is really not the standard in Turkiye. In general, I notice more European influences here and the language barriers are also lower, typical for tourist places.

…but a little bit!

However, the same applies to all three cities: If you want to go to the city center by car, you should really think twice. Or at least schedule a lot of time, because at times there is neither forward nor back. Some restaurants, for example in Ankara, counteract this by offering a valet service – so we could park in the second row, simply hand in the key and the rest was done for us. Very convenient!

I can tell you; I’m really enjoying my time here – my souvenir photos from Antalya show that as well.

Let’s see how it goes on!

Until then – see you on the road,
your Ronny

Have you ever been on vacation in Antalya? Feel free to write in the comments how you experienced the city – or anything else you want to share!