8 AMAZING Things to Do in Antalya, Turkey (Travel Guide)

Antalya’s Old Town (Kaleici) is a very cool place. We were shocked at how cool and interesting this place is. Dating back to Roman times, Kaleici’s streets are narrow, windy, and historic, and really reminded us of what we might expect in Italy, Croatia, or Greece. The harbor at Kaleici is a beautiful place to watch the sunset, and is one of many things to do in Antalya.

But Old Town isn’t the only place to visit when you come to Antalya. You need to see some of the AMAZING waterfalls that Antalya has to offer, jump off jagged rocks into the Mediterranean sea, and spend some time in Antalya’s gorgeous public city parks. Also, Konyaalti Beach (about 20 mins from Old Town) is a must-visit.

Have we peaked your interest yet?

8 Amazing Things to Do in Antalya

Antalya is loaded with things to do – no matter what kind of person you are. If you are an adventure seeker, there are a bunch of waterfalls, cliff jumps, and hikes to do while you’re here. If you’re a history buff, visit the Old City and some of the ancient ruins that are close to Antalya. And if you just want to chill out and get some sun while you’re on vacation, this is your spot as well. There are tons of beaches and pools to relax and take in the sun of Antalya!

We recommend you rent a car when you visit Antalya for at least a day to experience all that the area has to offer. (We always rent with Discover Cars)

Here are our top things to do when visiting Antalya.

1 – Visit Kaleici (Antalya’s Old Town)

Kaleici is the historic center of Antalya, Turkey. The history of this place dates back to before the Roman Empire. Before Antalya was built up, all of Kaleici was located within the city’s walls. Nobody lives inside the city walls anymore, and not many cars are allowed inside, which make it a great place to wander the streets, do some shopping, and admire the architecture. We were here on a Monday in early May and were really able to appreciate the beauty of this place, as not many people were here. Although, we got the impression that come June, July, and August, Kaleici would be mobbed with tourists. This place really is that cool. I mean, check out the pictures from here…

➡️ Read: 18 Turkey Travel Tips for Your Upcoming Trip ✨

💡 Bonus Tip! If you’re around Old Town during sunset, a great place to just chill and drink a beer with friends is at the bottom by the harbor. The vibes were awesome and there is even a little area where you can swim if you want to! We highly recommend you check this part out of Old Town when you come to Antalya.

2 – Konyaalti Beach

For a city, this is one of the nicest beaches we have ever seen anywhere in the world. (The most impressive beaches we’ve ever seen would have to be on the Greek island of Milos) About a 20 minute drive from Old Town, Konyaalti is the gem of Antalya. You have to come here when you visit Antalya. When you’re sitting on the beach you’ll have a view of the mountains to your right, and the cliffs of Antalya to your left.

The beach is small rocks and then bigger rocks once you get into the sea, so we would recommend you bring water shoes if this hurts your feet. Above Konyaalti beach there’s a beautiful boardwalk with biking and walking paths, and tons of shops and stores. We recommend you spend a whole day here during your time in Antalya, if possible.

Parking is pretty easy as there’s a parking lot right next to beach that cost 30 Turkish Lira. We haven’t heard of anyone who has had any problems parking here.

🚗 We recommend to rent a car through Discover Cars. Book your rental car here!

3 – Perge Ancient City – Ancient Ruins from The Roman Empire

🏛️Book the best Perge Ancient City tour HERE ⬅️

This place is very cool. An Ancient Lycian settlement that later became Greek and was later controlled by the Romans. “One of the most beautiful towns in Anatolia” during the 1st to 3rd centuries AD. Visited by Alexander the Great in 334 BC.

Excavations started in 1946 by the Turkish. These ruins contain a theater, stadium, palaestra, a temple, and two churches. It’s said that during the Pax Romana in the 2nd Century this place was really built up. Tons of monuments were built during this period.

Entrance is 11 Euros per person. You can come here with a tour, or you can drive here. Parking is free. We recommend pairing this with Kursunlu Waterfalls as they are near each other.

4 – Lower Duden Falls and Duden Park

Duden Falls forms when the Duden River meets the sea. This waterfall is beautiful. We’ve never quite seen anything like this, anywhere in the world. The way the water falls off the cliff into the sea creates for a beautiful scene.

Duden Park is a beautiful green space all around the falls that makes for a great stroll at night. There’s basketball courts, tennis courts, walking pathways, and tons of tables and cafes to hang out at. Plus, the falls are lit up at night so you can easily see them. We actually recommend you visit this place at sunset or later.

Don’t miss Duden Park and Duden Falls when you come to Antalya!

➡️ Read: Renting a Car in Turkey – Everything You Need to Know ✨

5 – Upper Duden Falls

50 TL per person to enter. A beautiful park with food, drinks, picnic tables, and of course … multiple places to walk around the Upper Duden Falls. Unfortunately you can’t swim here, the current is too strong. Upper Duden Falls flows down the hill and onto Lower Duden Falls. We highly recommend you come here when you visit Antalya. If you have a car its only 10 or so minutes from the city, and if you don’t there are plenty of tours that come here.

➡️ Read: Top 10 Things to Do in Kas ✨

6 – Kursunlu Waterfalls

Kursunlu is a beautiful set of waterfalls. BUT … you can’t swim. Located about 19 km from Antalya in the middle of a forest in a very beautiful location. (about a 30 minute drive) 25 TL to enter.

There are tons of viewing terraces here and playgrounds for visitors. There is also a restaurant and tons of shops on site. The secret cave behind the waterfalls makes for a great picture.

➡️ Read: Top 12 Things to Do in Fethiye ✨

7 – Hike/Bike some of The Lycian Way

The Lycian Way runs all the way from near Antalya to Fethiye. It’s about 540 km in total. The trail connects Ancient Lycian ruins, rural farming settlements, and holiday beach towns via Ancient Roman Roads and mule paths.

If you hike the whole trail it takes around 30 days, but during your time in Antalya you can just hike a segment of the trail as a day hike. The Lycian Way is rated as one of the top long distance hikes in the world, with stunning views of the coast from mountains and cliffs.

🛌 Here are all your hotel options in Antalya 🇹🇷

8 – Lara Beach

Lara Beach is a blue flag beach, which means its one of the cleanest, most swimmable beaches in all of Europe. It does have sand (not white sand though) and has plenty of space to relax and swim.

If you only have a few days in Antalya, we recommend you skip Lara Beach and head to Konyaalti Beach instead, as this is the prime jewel of Antalya. Konyaalti Beach is much nicer than Lara Beach, trust us.

But if you’re staying near Lara or you have a car, it’s worth it to check it out once.

➡️ Read: 3 Day Istanbul Itinerary 🇹🇷 ✨

Where to Stay in Antalya

Antalya is a big place, and depending on what you want to do while you’re here, you should consider in which part of the city you want to stay very carefully, especially if you do not have a car.

Old City (Kaleici)

If you’re only in Antalya for a few days, then we recommend you stay in or near Old City (Kaleici). There are plenty of boutique hotels within the Old City walls that would be very convenient to stay in for 2-3 nights while you explore Antalya. However, if you have a car, this is not the place to stay, as only a limited amount of cars are allowed inside the Old City Walls. Once you get here, you’ll see why. The streets are very narrow.

👉 Book Your Stay in Old City HERE 🏨

Near Konyaalti Beach

If you have a car, then you could stay West of the Center of the city near Konyaalti, where there are BEAUTIFUL beaches to enjoy. (Konyaalti is one of the nicest beaches we’ve ever seen) From here, you can easily take the bus into the Old City, or drive near the city then walk.

Near Duden Park or Lara Beach

The other option is to stay East of the city near Duden Park (Lower Duden Falls) or Lara Beach. These areas tend to be more residential, but are still loaded with cafes and parks and things to do. There are a bunch of buses that can take you into the city from here for about 20 Turkish Lira.

If you don’t have a car, our tip would be to stay as close to the city as possible, as buses take long to get into the city, and the ride can be tiring each day. If you are only in Antalya for a few days, stay near Old Town. Any more than that we recommend staying near Konyaalti Beach. This area is beautiful, peaceful, and you have an amazing beach right at your doorstep.

🚗 We recommend to rent a car through Discover Cars. Book your rental car here!

Do You Need a Car to Visit Antalya?

The short answer is no. If you stay near Old Town then you’re pretty central. You can easily walk around and experience Old Town, and you can also take buses in either direction to get to Konyaalti Beach, Lower Duden Falls, Upper Duden Falls, etc…

HOWEVER, we would highly recommend you rent a car for at least one day during your stay in Antalya. It’s a lot easier to get to the cool spots with a car, and it will save you A TON of time. Plus to get to some of the ruins (like Perge Ancient City, which you definitely should visit) you absolutely need a car unless you join an expensive tour, which will cost you more than a car in the first place.

To rent a manual car you’re looking at about $15 per day and for an automatic about $25 per day. For our Turkey trip, we rented a car through Discover Cars and would highly recommend it.

Public buses do exist in Antalya, and it is possible to get to most places using them (about $1 per ride), but their schedule is not very reliable. You could be waiting for 30 minutes for a bus that might not come. Doing this will slow you down A LOT, plus renting a car in Antalya is pretty cheap, so we highly recommend it.

**Tip: You can just tap your credit card or phone (apple pay) to pay when you get on the buses in Antalya.

Sample 3 Day Itinerary for Antalya

Day 1 – Explore Old Town, Watch Sunset from Old Town Harbor

Day 2 – Lower Duden Falls, Upper Duden Falls, Perge Ancient City, Kursunlu Waterfalls (rent a car for this day)

Day 3 – Konyaalti Beach

If you don’t want to rent a car, this tour from Viator is not a bad option. They will drive you around to all the Waterfalls and give you lunch. Entrance fees are included as well.

🚌 Book this all-day tour of the sites near Antalya HERE ⬅️

Summary – Things to Do in Antalya

Antalya is a wonderful place to visit in Turkey, that is not just catered to tourists. Many Turks, Ukranians, and Russians live here which makes it a beautiful place to explore the city and blend in. Antalya is a great place to start a Turkey Road Trip as the beautiful town of Kas is only 1.5 hours away, and Fethiye is about 3 hours. I cannot overstate how amazing The Turkish Riviera is. This is my favorite area of the world – without a doubt.

Thanks for reading out guide to Antalya. Let us know how your trip goes! We have a 10 Day as well as a 2 Week Turkey Itinerary to help you with your trip!