Antalya: old harbour, beaches and Roman cities

Why go

Antalya combines a proper city with an easy beach holiday. You can spend the morning among Roman theatres, the afternoon on a pebble beach and the evening on a terrace above the harbour. With direct flights from much of Europe and the Gulf, it is also one of the simplest places in Türkiye to reach.

Kaleiçi, the old town

**Kaleiçi** is the walled historic centre, a maze of Ottoman houses, boutique hotels, cafés and bougainvillea. Enter through **Hadrian's Gate**, a triple arched Roman gateway built for the emperor's visit, and wander down to the **old harbour**, where boats leave for coastal trips. The **Yivli Minaret**, with its fluted brick tower, is a city symbol, and the **Kesik Minare** stands on a site that was a temple, a church and a mosque. Stay late: Kaleiçi is at its best in the evening.

Museums and waterfalls

The **Antalya Museum** is one of the best archaeological museums in Türkiye, with superb statues from Perge and a hall of carved sarcophagi. The **Düden Waterfalls** come in two parts: the upper falls in a city park, and the lower falls that plunge straight off the cliffs into the sea, best seen from a boat trip out of the old harbour.

Beaches

**Konyaaltı** is a long pebble beach west of the centre with mountain views, a seafront park and many cafés. **Lara Beach** to the east is sandy and lined with large all inclusive hotels. Small swimming platforms below the cliffs near Kaleiçi, such as **Mermerli Beach**, are good for a quick dip in town.

Ancient cities nearby

Some of Türkiye's greatest ruins are a short drive away. **Perge** has colonnaded streets and a huge stadium. **Aspendos** has one of the best preserved Roman theatres anywhere, still used for performances. **Termessos**, high in the mountains, is a wild city of tombs and a theatre with a view, and is a real hike. Further east, **Side** combines a beach resort with a seaside temple of Apollo.

Further along the coast

West of Antalya, **Olympos** and **Çıralı** offer beach, ruins in the woods and the eternal flames of the **Chimaera**. **Kaş** is a lovely small town for diving and boat trips to the sunken city of **Kekova**. East, **Alanya** has a castle on a headland and a lively resort scene.

Getting around

A modern tram runs through the city and to the airport area, and buses and dolmuş minibuses go almost everywhere. Use metered taxis. Day tours are the easiest way to reach Termessos and to combine Perge and Aspendos, and buses link Antalya with Kaş, Fethiye and Alanya.

Where to stay

**Kaleiçi** has small boutique hotels in old houses, ideal for couples and short city stays, though cars cannot reach most of them. **Konyaaltı** has mid-range hotels and apartments near the beach and the museum. **Lara** and the resort towns of **Belek** and **Kemer** are where big all inclusive hotels with pools and kids' clubs cluster, good for families who want everything on site.

Food

Try **piyaz**, Antalya's own white bean salad with tahini, served alongside grilled meatballs, and cool off with **şalgam**, a tangy turnip juice. Fresh fish and meze are best in the harbour area or in local spots away from the main tourist strip.