Serik is a town and district in
Antalya Province of
Turkey, east of the city of
Antalya, along the
Mediterranean coast.
Geography
Towards the coast the district is mainly flat farmland, used for growing vegetables, while the inland half of Serik is forested hills and the
Taurus Mountains. The district has a typical Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and warm, wet winters, and the natural vegetation is dry shrubs.
Serik itself is a town of 56,824 people as for 2012. The city of Antalya is nearby limiting the potential for retailing and commerce in Serik, but there is some light industry. There is a well-known
köfte
Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in Balkan, Middle Eastern, South Caucasian, South Asian and Central Asian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meatusually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mut ...
and
piyaz
Piyaz ( tr, piyaz, Persian: پیاز, Kurdish: pivaz, piyaz for "onion" or salad) is a kind of Turkish cuisine, Turkish cuisine and Persian salad or meze that is made from any kind of dry beans with onion, parsley and sumac. The name of Piyaz ...
restaurant in the town centre; the piyaz is served with a sesame (
tahini
Tahini () or tahina (, ) is a Middle Eastern condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame. It is served by itself (as a dip) or as a major ingredient in hummus, baba ghanoush, and halva.
Tahini is used in the cuisines of the Levant and E ...
) sauce.
Although wealthy and only 15 km from the wild amenities on the coast, the people of Serik are typically welcoming and traditional in outlook. The population includes many who still identify themselves as
Yörük or
Turkmen
Turkmen, Türkmen, Turkoman, or Turkman may refer to:
Peoples Historical ethnonym
* Turkoman (ethnonym), ethnonym used for the Oghuz Turks during the Middle Ages
Ethnic groups
* Turkmen in Anatolia and the Levant (Seljuk and Ottoman-Turkish desc ...
, descendants of the nomadic people that populated the area during the
Ottoman Empire and before. These are close-knit communities shunning outside influence and new immigration, prompting some
Turkish people to give it the nickname ''Capital of a Yörük Republic'', an echo of the vivaciously preserved traditions and lifestyle. Although the district has seen a large influx of migrant workers in agriculture and tourism most business in the town is still very much in the hands of these original Turkmen people. They defend their interests fervently and Serik municipality is controlled by the Turkish nationalist
Nationalist Movement Party (''MHP'').
Tourism
With of coastline including the busy resort town of
Belek the district of Serik is a major centre of Turkey's tourism industry, attracting 30 million visitors each year. Belek has over fifty 5 star hotels and golf courses. Places of interest include the ruins of
Sillyon and
Aspendos, the cave of ''Zeytinlitaş'' and ''Uçansu'' waterfall.
The
2015 G20 Antalya summit
The 2015 G20 Antalya summit was the tenth annual meeting of the G20 heads of government/heads of state. It was held in Belek, Antalya Province, Turkey on 15–16 November 2015. The venue for the Leaders Summit was Regnum Carya Hotel Convention Ce ...
was held in Serik,
Antalya.
Agriculture
Many fruits and vegetables are grown in the region, especially bananas. Blueberries are among the important agricultural products of Serik.
Villages and towns
History
Two important cities here in antiquity were Sillion, a colony of the Kingdom of
Pergamon, and
Aspendos, one of the most important
Greek Pamphylian cities. Aspendos is situated on the point where the Kopru River meets the sea. Once an important port and a commercial centre, it had a reputation for raising the best horses on earth. The odeon, basilica, galleria and fountains are worth seeing.
The area was named Serik after a Turkish tribe that settled here, one of many waves of Turkish settlers attracted to this coast throughout history.
References
External links
Kadriye.infoTurkey's Premier Golf Resort with Beach Park in Serik, Antalya
Information on SerikSerik-Belek-Kadriye NetGuide
{{Authority control
Antalya
Towns in Turkey
Populated places in Antalya Province
Serik District
Districts of Antalya Province