Sunrise hits the copper domes of Kaleiçi as wooden gulets slip quietly out of the harbour and the smell of simit drifts along the old Roman walls. Shopkeepers sweep their stoops beneath trailing bougainvillea, a muezzin calls over the stone rooftops, and gulls ride the thermals above the indigo outline of the Taurus Mountains. That early quiet, salt in the breeze, jasmine in the air, is where our latest Antalya travel guide begins. We’ve noted every flavour, shortcut, and lesson so you can land ready to explore.
Last Updated August 2025
While you’re here, don’t miss our other articles like Top Turkish Dishes, Turkey travel guide, or our pocket guide to Didim.
QUICK FACTS
| Item | Details |
| Currency | Turkish Lira (₺) |
| Language | Turkish (English widely understood) |
| Time Zone | TRT (UTC + 3) |
| Sunshine | ≈ 300 days a year |
| Voltage | 230 V / 50 Hz (Type C & F plugs) |
| Tap Water | Safe in city limits; locals buy bottled in the hills |
| Airport Code | AYT |
| Peak Sea Temp | 29 °C in August |
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
- Skim the tables for pocket data—bus costs, phone numbers, seasonal temps.
- Pick sights that match your vibe (history buff, beach bum, foodie, all three).
- Screenshot the FAQs so you can settle tram fares or dress codes on the go.
TOP 9 SIGHTS IN ANTALYA
- Hadrian’s Gate – Marble triumphal arch raised in 130 CE. Bring a coffee at dawn to watch light pour through the vaults before the tour coaches rumble in. Free, always open.
- Kaleiçi Old Town – Ottoman mansions, Roman ramparts, miniature marina, and cobbles lined with copper-smiths. Hop between antique shops by day; nurse a honey-coloured efes on the parapet at sunset.
- Düden Waterfalls – Two separate spectacles: Upper Düden thunders through a mossy gorge; Lower Düden drops 40 m straight into the Med. Upper park 08:00-18:00, entry ≈ ₺45.
- Aspendos Theatre – Perfect acoustics echo through a 15 000-seat Roman arena still used for operas. Summer hours 09:00-19:00; ticket ≈ ₺340.
- Perge Ancient City – Colonnaded main street, half-moon stadium, bathhouse mosaics, and a Byzantine basilica. Gates open 08:30; last entry 18:30; fee ≈ ₺300.
- Termessos – Eagle-nest ruins perched 1 000 m up Güllük Mountain. Pack water, trek shoes, and low expectations for phone signal.
- Konyaaltı Promenade – Two-mile waterfront with bike path, skate zone, and sunset corn grills. Families chill here, students strum guitars, nobody judges.
- Tunektepe Cable Car – Seven-minute glide to a 605 m viewpoint. Café at the top serves cheap tea and jaw-dropping panoramas. Last descent 19:00.
- Antalya Museum – One of Türkiye’s finest: Bronze swords, Hellenistic marbles, and Lycian sarcophagi arranged with bite-size captions in English.
NEIGHBOURHOOD CHEAT-SHEET
| Area | Vibe | Best For | Coffee ₺ | Night Noise |
| Kaleiçi | Storybook lanes behind city walls | Couples, boutique stays | 60 | Moderate (bars shut 01:00) |
| Lara | High-rise resorts on golden sand | Kids’ clubs, water-slides | 55 | Low (hotel shows) |
| Konyaaltı | Seafront flats & live-music bars | Budget beds, sunsets | 50 | Lively weekends |
| Belek | Golf greens & mega-spas | All-inclusive luxury | 70 | Hotel-only |
| Döşemealtı | Pine-scented hills | Cool nights & vineyard visits | 45 | Quiet |
WHERE TO EAT IN ANTALYA(OUR FORK-TESTED PICKS)
- 7 Mehmet — Meltem Mah., Atatürk Kültür Parkı, No 201. Since 1937, still the benchmark for slow-cooked lamb tandır, smoky aubergine salad, and pomegranate-molasses dressing. Ask for the seasonal off-menu dish. ☎ 444 0 707
- Paşa Bey Kebap — 1319 Sk. No:4 D:1, Muratpaşa. Paper-thin lahmacun, pepper-charred kebabs, and a pickle platter that resets the palate. ☎ +90 242 244 96 90
- Lara Balık Evi — Gençlik Mah., Tevfik Işık Cad. No:8. Sea-view deck; choose your fish on ice, have it grilled, fried, or baked in rock salt. House mezze arrives unasked—but welcomed. ☎ +90 242 229 80 15
- Vanilla — Barbaros Mah., Hesapçı Sk. No:33. Kaleiçi stone townhouse with a tiny open kitchen turning out duck confit with quince glaze beside miso-aubergine croquettes. ☎ +90 242 247 60 13
- Şişçi Ramazan — Faralya Cd. No:14. Plastic stools, open grill, zero pretence. Order two skewers of şiş and an ayran; your wallet will hardly notice. ☎ +90 242 238 41 65
Street-Bite Cheat Sheet: grab gözleme (hand-rolled flatbread stuffed with spinach & feta) at any market, try dondurma (stretchy ice-cream) on Atatürk Caddesi, and hunt down cart-popped roasted chestnuts on cool evenings.
BEACH-BY-BEACH NOTES
| Beach | Sand / Pebble | Best For | Amenities | Insider Nugget |
| Konyaaltı | Shingle | Prom sunsets & cycling | Showers, lockers, cafés | Ferris wheel fires up after dark |
| Lara | Soft amber sand | Water-sports & kids | Jet-ski, parasail, eateries | Catch sand-sculpture festival in summer |
| Olympos | Mixed | Backpacker chill | One shack, shade pines | Swim out to ancient jetty piles |
| Phaselis | Fine sand | Ruins + swims | National-park kiosk | Snorkel around Roman breakwater |
| Çıralı | Sand & turtle nests | Silent nights | Sunbeds, zero clubs | Campfire shows the Chimera flame |
| Kaputaş | Turquoise cove | Day-trip photos | Umbrella rental | 190 limestone steps—pace yourself |
| Adrasan | Long shallow shelf | Paddling toddlers | Kayak hire, cafés | Dawn paddle board = glass-flat water |
GETTING AROUND ANTALYA
Public Transport
Grab a reusable Antalyakart at tram stations or airport kiosks. Tap on, tap off; city rides ₺25, suburban up to ₺60. Live maps, top-ups: https://antalyakart.com.tr
Dolmuş Minibuses
Routes painted on windscreens; flag down anywhere. Pay driver in coins; yell your stop a block early. Perfect for Olympos (line marked “OL”).
Taxis & Apps
Meters start ₺25 then ₺25/km. Official cabs are yellow, numbers on doors. Call Kaleiçi rank (+90 242 248 51 11) or use BiTaksi for card payments.
Bikes & Scooters
Orange-and-white AntBIS cycles dock along Konyaaltı. Download app, scan QR, ride coastal path for peanuts.
Boats & Cable-cars
Daily catamaran hops to Kemer (1 h). Tunektepe cable-car whisks you to a 605 m lookout in seven minutes.
AI-POWERED TRAVEL HACKS
- Photograph a Turkish-only menu, ask your favourite LLM for dish names explained in plain English with chilli ratings.
- Feed ChatGPT today’s UV index plus your skin type; schedule sunscreen re-ups automatically.
- Drop your live location pin during a surprise downpour and request three indoor attractions within a ten-minute radius, instant rainy-day plan.
- Paste the tram timetable photo and let the model highlight the next departures in bold so you growl less at tiny print.
SEASONS AT A GLANCE
| Season | Temperature | Vibe | What We Loved |
| Spring (Mar-May) | 18-24 °C | Orange blossom scent, green Lycian Way | Pedalling between olive groves without baking |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | 30-35 °C, sea 29 °C | Sun-soaked beach days, balmy nights | Open-air cinema in Kaleiçi park |
| Autumn (Sept-Oct) | 24-30 °C, sea 26 °C | Quieter sands, harvest stalls | Pomegranate fresh-press at roadside |
| Winter (Nov-Feb) | 10-17 °C, sea 18 °C | Snow-topped peaks behind palms | Day-ski at Saklıkent then back to the coast for calamari |
ESSENTIAL NUMBERS & FREE APPS
| Service | Contact | Comment |
| Emergencies (all services) | 112 | Multilingual, 24 h |
| Tourist Police (Kaleiçi) | +90 242 243 10 61 | Passport help & lost-property reports |
| Antalya Training & Research Hospital | +90 242 249 44 00 | 24 h A&E, good English |
| Taxi Dispatch Kaleiçi | +90 242 248 51 11 | Card rides via BiTaksi |
| Antalya Airport Info | 444 9 298 (add +90 outside Türkiye) | Flight updates |
| Free Wi-Fi Map | “Wi-Fi Türkiye” (iOS/Android) | 5 000+ public hotspots |
48-HOUR TASTER ITINERARY FOR ANTALYA
Day 1:
Morning — Kaleiçi wander, museum visit, pomegranate juice on the harbour wall.
Afternoon — Tram to Konyaaltı, beach dip, bike the seafront path.
Evening — Sunset rakı at Lara Balık Evi, stroll Hadrian’s Gate lit after dark.
Day 2:
Morning — Bus to Perge for columns and mosaics.
Lunch — Şişçi Ramazan kebab stop on return.
Afternoon — Tunektepe cable car, tea with a view.
Evening — Vanilla in Kaleiçi, then rooftop cocktail bar to watch yachts twinkle.
FINAL LOCAL TIP
Time your tram so you reach the Museum stop at 18:45. Walk two minutes west, perch on the Konyaaltı sea wall beside evening anglers, and watch the sun melt behind jagged peaks while guitar chords drift from the promenade. That pastel sky and sizzling horizon will replay in your mind whenever anyone mentions Antalya.
FAQs
Cards work almost everywhere, yet keep about ₺200 in notes and coins for dolmuş rides, market snacks, or power-cut card machines.
Tram line T1A: 50 min, ₺25. Taxi roughly ₺450 after midnight.
Safe in central Antalya; locals drink bottled in highland villages.
Sea hovers near 18 °C; pack a rash-vest or join the brave locals.
Phaselis: Roman baths beneath pine trees opening onto three coves with baby-calm water.
Shoulders and knees covered; women cover hair. Scarves provided at big mosques.
125 cc automatic ≈ ₺450/day in July, helmet included; international licence required.
Gözleme—hand-rolled flatbread sizzled on a convex griddle, stuffed with spinach, feta, or minced lamb. Best eaten scorching hot, folded in half, juice of a lemon wedge over the top.
