Antalya in brief
| Country | Türkiye — Antalya Province, on the Mediterranean coast |
|---|---|
| Size | Turkey's fifth-largest city, and the capital of its holiday coast |
| Language | Turkish. English, German and Russian are widely spoken along the shore |
| Currency | Turkish lira |
| Getting around | ⭐ Kaleiçi on foot; a tram across the city, and the dolmuş for everything else |
| Arriving | The airport is close — but it serves a hundred kilometers of resort coast, so take the tram or a transfer rather than a resort coach |
| ⭐ The beaches | Konyaaltı is pebbles, Lara is sand — and the city between them sits on a cliff |
| ⭐ Not the province | Side, Aspendos, Perge and Termessos are day trips, not the city |
AD 130Hadrian visits; the gate is built for him
2nd c.the Hıdırlık tower goes up on the cliff
1207the Seljuks take the city
13th c.the fluted minaret raised in brick and tile
19th c.the Kesik Minare loses its top to fire
1980sKaleiçi restored from near-dereliction
Start here
Ten sections. Antalya is a resort coast with a real city hidden inside it.
SIXTEEN PLACES, ONE PAGE EACHThe SightsEverything in the city worth a page of its own, and what each one is actually like.AN AIRPORT AT THE END OF A HUNDRED-KILOMETRE STRIPGetting AroundHow to reach the city, and how to move once you are in it.PIYAZ, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS TURKISHEating and DrinkingWhat the city actually eats, and the one dish that is properly its own.PEBBLES, CLIFFS, AND WHO OWNS THE SANDBeaches and the CoastHow swimming works in a city that sits on top of a cliff.ONE WALL, FIVE CIVILISATIONSThe Old Town and its EmpiresHellenistic footings, Roman marble, Byzantine churches, Seljuk brick and Ottoman timber, stacked.WHERE TO STAY, AND WHAT EACH AREA IS LIKENeighborhoodsFive parts of the city, and who each of them suits.THE SEASON RUNS THE OPPOSITE WAY TO A CITY BREAKWhen to ComeSpring and autumn are the point; high summer is the thing to survive.THE ANCIENT CITIES ARE OUT OF TOWNDay TripsFour Roman and Hellenistic sites within reach, and why the museum comes first.BUILT AROUND WHAT IS SHUTItinerariesFive lengths of stay, arranged so the old town gets the cool hours and the ruins get the cool months.WHAT ACTUALLY NEEDS ITBooking AheadMost of Antalya does not need booking. These are the exceptions.
Kaleiçi
Hadrian's Gate
The Fluted Minaret
Hıdırlık Tower
The Truncated Minaret
Antalya Museum
Konyaaltı Beach
Kurşunlu Waterfall
Düden Waterfalls
Karaalioğlu Park
The Clock Tower
Murat Paşa Mosque
Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque
Antalya Aquarium
Atatürk Park
The Old Harbor