Antalya travel guide
Antalya Tourism | Antalya Guide
You're Going to Love Antalya
There are many reasons to visit Turkey's most famous resort town. With old historical monuments and a rich modern nightlife, Turks and foreigners alike love Antalya's calming location along the Mediterranean Sea.
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Antalya
1. Luxury Resort Life
There are two main resort districts to choose from in Antalya: Belek and Lara. Prices generally are all inclusive and vary between 300-3,000tl a night.
2. Kaleici
This old historic center is filled with shops, hotels and beautiful architecture.
3. Duden Waterfalls
These falls, due to a water recycling station, drop dramatically over a cliff into the Mediterranean sea.
4. Hadrien's Gate
The three arched gates were built to celebrate emperor Hadrian's visit to the city in 130 A.D.
5. Köprülü Canyon
This National Park of Turkey, opened in 1973, offers many trails, swimming holes and canyons to explore.
What to do in Antalya
1. Old City Marina: Board a Boat with a View
Also known as the Kaleici Marina, the old city's harbor features more than quietly docked boats waving gently and waiting to be sailed. There are many local restaurants that provide stunning views of the marina, where travelers can rest up and enjoy fresh seafood. Board one of the boats, manned by commercial crews ready for hire. Choose from private, luxury boats, or public boats that offer shorter, 2 hour trips ideal for visitors. Take advantage of the elevator shuttling visitors from the main street level down to the harbor, which features a viewing platform for a truly panoramic view.
2. Hadrian's Gate: Entering A Wrinkle In Time
The gates of Hadrian is a stunning monument dating back to 130 CE, built to commemorate the visit of Emperor Hadrian. Besides being a beautiful relic, Hadrian's Gate marks the entrance to Kaleici, Antalya's charming, historic quarter. The beautifully constructed gates used to be a part of the city's outer walls and proves that history is more than just words in a book - that ancient citizens once lived here, whose monuments have survived the test of time. The gates are connected to two towers, built independently in different eras, during the rules of Seljuk sultans.
3. Duden Falls: Feeding Into the Mediterranean Sea
Located just 7.5 miles northeast of the city of Antalya, this picturesque collection of waterfalls are more than just natural wonders. They are a haven for local wildlife and birds that nest by the water, and the Lower Düden Falls feed directly into the bright blue Mediterranean Sea. The group of waterfalls are part of a local recycle water station and feed into artificial cascades and irrigation trenches facilitating the distribution of water to the region. To view the waterfalls up close and personal, visitors can take a boat trip from the Antalya harbor and visit the surrounding park.
4. Antalya Müzesi: Putting the "Muse" in Museum
With over 5,000 works of art covering an area of over 7,000 m², the grand Antalya Archaeological Museum is not only one of Turkey's largest museums but its richest as well. It features a combination of exhibition halls, gardens, and open air galleries, as well as live excavation sites along a long coastal strip of the Mediterranean. This means that beauty spreads as far as the eye can see and the smell of history is thick in the air. There are 13 permanent exhibitions on display featuring art, crafts, statues, ruins, artifacts, maps, and more.
5. Aspendos: An Evening of Theater
Viewed from the upper gallery, a traveler's sense of just how vast and well-preserved the Roman amphitheater of Aspendos truly is hits home. Today, the theater features the annual Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival, with international collaborations between opera and ballet companies from across the globe. However, during Roman rule and periods of conquer, the ancient city played a battle stage to Persian navies and Alexander the Great himself.
1. Old City Marina: Board a Boat with a View
Also known as the Kaleici Marina, the old city's harbor features more than quietly docked boats waving gently and waiting to be sailed. There are many local restaurants that provide stunning views of the marina, where travelers can rest up and enjoy fresh seafood. Board one of the boats, manned by commercial crews ready for hire. Choose from private, luxury boats, or public boats that offer shorter, 2 hour trips ideal for visitors. Take advantage of the elevator shuttling visitors from the main street level down to the harbor, which features a viewing platform for a truly panoramic view.
2. Hadrian's Gate: Entering A Wrinkle In Time
The gates of Hadrian is a stunning monument dating back to 130 CE, built to commemorate the visit of Emperor Hadrian. Besides being a beautiful relic, Hadrian's Gate marks the entrance to Kaleici, Antalya's charming, historic quarter. The beautifully constructed gates used to be a part of the city's outer walls and proves that history is more than just words in a book - that ancient citizens once lived here, whose monuments have survived the test of time. The gates are connected to two towers, built independently in different eras, during the rules of Seljuk sultans.
3. Duden Falls: Feeding Into the Mediterranean Sea
Located just 7.5 miles northeast of the city of Antalya, this picturesque collection of waterfalls are more than just natural wonders. They are a haven for local wildlife and birds that nest by the water, and the Lower Düden Falls feed directly into the bright blue Mediterranean Sea. The group of waterfalls are part of a local recycle water station and feed into artificial cascades and irrigation trenches facilitating the distribution of water to the region. To view the waterfalls up close and personal, visitors can take a boat trip from the Antalya harbor and visit the surrounding park.
4. Antalya Müzesi: Putting the "Muse" in Museum
With over 5,000 works of art covering an area of over 7,000 m², the grand Antalya Archaeological Museum is not only one of Turkey's largest museums but its richest as well. It features a combination of exhibition halls, gardens, and open air galleries, as well as live excavation sites along a long coastal strip of the Mediterranean. This means that beauty spreads as far as the eye can see and the smell of history is thick in the air. There are 13 permanent exhibitions on display featuring art, crafts, statues, ruins, artifacts, maps, and more.
5. Aspendos: An Evening of Theater
Viewed from the upper gallery, a traveler's sense of just how vast and well-preserved the Roman amphitheater of Aspendos truly is hits home. Today, the theater features the annual Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival, with international collaborations between opera and ballet companies from across the globe. However, during Roman rule and periods of conquer, the ancient city played a battle stage to Persian navies and Alexander the Great himself.
1. Old City Marina: Board a Boat with a View
Also known as the Kaleici Marina, the old city's harbor features more than quietly docked boats waving gently and waiting to be sailed. There are many local restaurants that provide stunning views of the marina, where travelers can rest up and enjoy fresh seafood. Board one of the boats, manned by commercial crews ready for hire. Choose from private, luxury boats, or public boats that offer shorter, 2 hour trips ideal for visitors. Take advantage of the elevator shuttling visitors from the main street level down to the harbor, which features a viewing platform for a truly panoramic view.
Activities & attractions in Antalya
Where to Eat in Antalya
Mermerli restaurant sits overlooking a small bay, serving both traditional and turkish dishes. A typical sit-down meal will cost you between 50-60tl.
When to visit Antalya
Antalya experiences very hot and humid summers, meaning that the best times to visit are from April to June and September to November. These times are also out of season and tend to be cheaper for tourists.
How to Get to Antalya
Plane
The Antalya International Airport is 13km outside of the city. Direct tickets from Europe are around 300euros in the peak summer season.
Train
There are currently no trains servicing Antalya.
Car
The D400 highway services most of the Mediterranean cost from Fethiye in the West all the way through Antalya to Gazianteppe in the East.
Bus
The Serik Otogar is located in the Kepez district and can connect you to other cities within Turkey.
Airlines serving Antalya
Where to stay in Antalya
The Eski Masal Hotel is close to the beach and right in the center of the popular Kaleici historical district. Prices start at 930tl a night.
Popular Neighborhoods in Antalya
Kaleici – This area features both historical architecture and the center of Antalya's nightlife scene.
Lara – This area has the highest concentration of luxury hotels and is popular for a stress-free, all-inclusive family vacation.
Belek – Also a resort town, but more adult focused and with a mountainous green landscape.
Where to stay in popular areas of Antalya
Most booked hotels in Antalya
How to Get Around Antalya
Public Transportation
Trams, buses and minibuses (dolmus) are the most common form of transit. A reusable AntalyaKart transport card can be bought for 5tl and topped up with money credit as necessary.
Taxi
Taxi tariffs start at 3tl and will generally cost you around 10-15tl per journey within the city center.
Car
Rental cars can be picked up at the airport or downtown for around 150tl a day.
The Cost of Living in Antalya
Shopping Streets
Shop at Kaleici bazaar for traditional textiles, pottery and other souvenirs. MarkAntalya has a more traditional mall set up, with recognizable brands and fixed prices.
Groceries and Other
The main grocery stores in Antalya are Migros, Sok and Carrefour. A dozen eggs will cost you around 6tl.