The short answer
The old town, the harbor, the parks and the beaches need nothing. Museums are walk-in for most of the year. ⭐ What is worth arranging ahead is the bed, the transfer and the car.
Getting from the airport
⚠️ Worth sorting before you arrive. The airport is built around resort coaches, and if you are staying in the city rather than on the strip you are not who those coaches are for.
A car, for the ruins
Perge, Aspendos and especially Termessos are far easier with a car or a booked tour. In the city itself a car is a liability, so think about hiring for the days you need it rather than the whole stay.
Where to stay
Kaleiçi's hotels are small — converted houses with a handful of rooms each — so they fill differently from the big coastal places. If you want to stay inside the walls, book earlier than you would for a resort.
Worth arranging before you arrive
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not affect what is recommended here, and no sight page on this site carries one.
The airport transfer is the one to sort in advance, because the coaches there are built around the coast and not around the old town.
