Serik

Serik is a municipality and district of Antalya Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,263 km2, and its population is 139,545 (2022). It is  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 76,046 people (2022). 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 and piyaz restaurant in the town centre; the piyaz is served with a sesame (tahini) 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, 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.

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 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.

Composition
There are 84 neighbourhoods in Serik District:

 Abdurrahmanlar
 Ahmediye
 Akbaş
 Akçaalan
 Akçapınar
 Akdeniz
 Akınlar
 Alacami
 Aşağıçatma
 Aşağıkocayatak
 Aşağıoba
 Aspendos
 Atatürk
 Azaplar
 Belek
 Belkıs
 Belpınar
 Berendi
 Bilginler
 Boğazak
 Boğazkent
 Bozdoğan
 Bucakköy
 Büğüş
 Burmahancı
 Çakallık
 Çamlık
 Çanakçı
 Çandır
 Çatallar
 Çıtlıklı
 Cumalı
 Cumhuriyet
 Demirciler
 Deniztepesi
 Dikmen
 Dorumlar
 Eminceler
 Eskiyürük
 Etler
 Fatih
 Fedenler
 Gebiz
 Gedik
 Gökçay
 Gökçepınar
 Hacıosmanlar
 Hasdümen
 Haskızılören
 Haspınar
 Kadriye
 Kahyalar
 Karadayı
 Karapınar
 Karataş
 Karıncalı
 Kayaburnu
 Kırbaş
 Kökez
 Kozağacı
 Kozan
 Kürüş
 Kuşlar
 Merkez
 Nebiler
 Orta
 Pınarcık
 Sahil
 Sarıabalı
 Şatırlı
 Sinan
 Tekkeköy
 Tüngüşlü
 Üründü
 Yanköy
 Yeni
 Yeşilvadi
 Yeşilyurt
 Yukarıçatma
 Yukarıkocayatak
 Yumaklar
 Yunuslar
 Zırlankaya
 Zümrüt

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.info Turkey's Premier Golf Resort with Beach Park in Serik, Antalya
 Information on Serik
 Serik-Belek-Kadriye NetGuide

 
Populated places in Antalya Province
Districts of Antalya Province
Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey