Things to do in Antalya, Turkey A traveller’s guide to the city

Antalya, Turkey was a perfect escape from the cold Spring breeze that I was experiencing in the UK this April.

I was in search of sun and after looking at all the possible holiday destinations across Europe, Antalya, Turkey comes across as the perfect destination.

I’d never travelled to Turkey before and didn’t know a lot about the Antalya region and it looked like the perfect location for an adventure.

Before going to Antalya, I had a few warnings from friends and family wondering if it was safe to travel to Turkey. This was simply not true at all. Antalya, Turkey was safe and I never felt in danger at any moment throughout the trip.

In fact, I received nothing but warm hospitality and smiles from the local Turkish people. I felt very safe throughout my trip.

With holiday packages to Turkey at rock bottom prices, it has never been a better time to visit Turkey than now.

For UK travellers, Always seek advice from the FCO website every time you travel to look into the current up-to-date situation. This will ensure that your travel insurance remains valid throughout your trip.

I had a wonderful week exploring Antalya, Turkey and wanted to put together this traveller’s guide that is all about exploring the city and sharing my favourite spots.

Kaleici, walking around the old town of Antalya

Kaleici is the old town location in the city of Antalya. Here you can take yourself back in time and walk around the old cobbled streets as you navigate your way through marinas, mosques and old bazaars.

This was one of the big highlights that made Antalya special to me as the old town of Kaleici simply has it all and you could easily get lost for days exploring all the back alleys.

I’m going to leave some photos here and you can make up your own mind. Enjoy the virtual photography walk:

Hadrian’s Gate, the entrance to the old town

Hadrian’s Gate acts as a middle road between the old town and the new.

Easy to spot in Antalya as it’s located at the start of the main shopping street.

It’s been well preserved and for sure worth stopping off at to learn about the history of this gate. An important monument in Antalya, Turkey.

Grabbing a Turkish Tea by the Marina

One of my favourite things to do in Antalya, Turkey is to grab a local Turkish tea and take in the stunning ocean view that Antalya has to offer.

Especially when the sun starts to set and the sun glimmers across the sea it’s truly spectacular to experience.

Do as the locals do and grab a local Turkish tea, relax a little bit and take in the stunning Antalya landscape.

Duden Waterfalls is worth the visit

If you have some spare time to kill, Duden Waterfalls is totally worth the visit.

It’s a little out of the city centre but if you can rent a car for the day and visit Termessos Colosseum as well, this would make a great day trip.

It’s extremely touristy in the fact that it’s all set up like Disneyland with a ticket office and gift shops at the entrance.

If you can look around all this and head straight to the stunning falls on display, you won’t be left disappointed.

Totally worth a visit if you have some extra time and a way to reach this area as it is a 30-minute drive from the city.

Termessos Colosseum

(Go back in time and explore the old site of Termessos.)

You will have to rent a car for the day or go with a guided tour to reach Termessos Colosseum as it’s an hour out from the city centre of Antalya.

Could easily do Duden Waterfalls together in a day, which is what we did.

Take yourself back in time to when the Romans were in Antalya.

(Surrounding the national park of Antalya, totally worth the drive.)

Located on the highest point surrounded by the stunning Antalya national park, the area itself is really cool and totally worth checking out. It’s not a boring drive, that’s for sure.

All the ruins leading up to the Colosseum lay around on the ground battered up and untouched but yet still maintained and preserved.

I liked visiting Termessos for this reason that it had mostly been left untouched almost like it had been abandoned.

Try and aim to get to this place early in the morning and have the whole place to yourself.

It’s awesome to hang out here for a while and cast your mind back to what happened here once upon a time.

Konyaalti Beach area, a great hangout spot

(If you’re seeking a beach, Konyaalti is the place to be.)

Being based in Konyaalti was a nice idea as it’s only a walking distance away from the main beach.

Here you can find a number of cafes that line the strip and locate a chill local vibe here.

Nice location to soak in some sun and waves as well as grabbing a Turkish tea and watching the sunset.

Travel from Antalya city centre to Konyaalti by local bus

(You can buy top-up bus cards from many local shops around Antalya.)

Travelling by bus in Antalya is a local experience, to say the least.

For one, you won’t find any bus timetable information at any of the bus stops, and it’s very difficult to get any help from the driver.

But for around 40p per ride, what have you got to lose!

It can be an adventure in itself and sometimes I have to admit I had no idea where I was going but it all seemed to work.

Some routes only went one way on a loop so finding the bus back can be tricky.

One issue is that the bus drivers no longer accept money and you will have to buy a top-up card like the one pictured above.

If you plan on staying in the Konyaalti area, it’s rather fun and straightforward to travel around by local bus as you will only find two buses going to the city and back.

All I can say is, best of luck and have an adventure with it.

If you’re hungry and in the Konyaalti area, be sure to check out Urfa Sultan Sofrasi

(If you want to try some local Turkish food, this is your spot.)

I will admit that I ate at this place almost every day. If you’re in the Konyaalti area, be sure to check out Urfa Sultan Sofrasi.

They serve local Turkish dishes from the grill and I never had a bad dish here, all fantastic and great value for money.

The staff are super friendly too, and always felt welcome, had to give them a shout out because the food and service was fantastic.

Can’t wait to visit again sometime in the future. Turkish food is so good!

Where did I stay in Antalya? Hun Club Konyaalti

Was looking for a place to stay for two weeks and managed to find the Hun Club on Airbnb which was located in Konyaalti.

Konyaalti was around 10 minutes by bus to the city centre of Antalya, Turkey.

It was nice to be located in the area of Konyaalti as it was quiet and only a short walk to the beach.

Also, the apartment was self-catering and I like to do my own cooking and have a more home base type of stay from time to time.

You could find many affordable supermarkets close by as well. This place worked out perfectly.

Check out my YouTube video of things to do in Antalya, Turkey.