Beaches in Antalya
The most popular beaches among tourists are Lara Beach and Konyaalti Beach.
Lara Beach is located 12 km from the city center. It is great for families with children. The beach is sandy, and the water deepens very slowly.
LozzLondon, a TripAdvisor forums user, complains:
The sand is quite coarse and not great for building sandcastles! It’s also quite dirty and I’m not sure if it gets cleaned regularly.
However, lots of bloggers tell about the healing effect of Lara Beach sand. Thus, the authors of the realtyturkey blog write:
It is known that the sand is good for rheumatism.
Annually, Lara Beach hosts an international sand sculpture festival called Sandland. Each year, the organizers offer a new theme for the exhibition. In 2019, it is legends.
Since 2018, the exhibition has been open throughout the year. From November until May, it is open from 09:00 to 19:00, and in the other months — to 23:00. The entrance costs 25 Lira for an adult and 10 Lira for a child. It is cheaper to buy tickets online.
The organizers warn: in bad weather, it is better to find out the opening hours via phone — + 90 242 349 11 55 (the exhibition may be closed).
Konyaalti Beach is located 7 km from the center of the resort.
A user of the medium blog Being a Tourist in Turkey warns in his/her blog post:
It is beneficial to be careful when entering the sea from Konyaalti Beach. The sea suddenly deepens and those who can not swim need to pay attention to this issue.
Especially keep an eye on your children.
The beach and the seafloor are mostly pebble. This makes them so clean that the beach was awarded the Blue Flag. However, many bloggers strongly recommend to take the appropriate shoes as beach pebbles can get extremely hot in the sun.
In 2018, the seafront was renovated. Now, it has rubberized jogging and cycling tracks, wide areas for strolling, and children’s playgrounds.
The author of the loveantalya blog warns about prices:
At all places you can be offered sun loungers and a parasol, and prices vary according to how far down the beach you are. On average, a sun lounger costs 15 Lira (for a full day).
Lara Beach and Konyaalti Beach are both public beaches, and that is why they are free to enter.
Old Town
The Old Town or Kaleiçi is the most authentic sight in Antalya.
Keri, one of the authors of the ladieswhattravel, describes the Old Town:
Kaleici is made up of a warren of quaint cobbled streets, and even though it’s now mainly home to tourist shops, cafes and boutique hotels, it’s still an absolutely lovely area to wander around.
It seems that you can easily get lost in this maze. Actually, it is impossible.
There are a few entrances to the Old Town. The first one goes from the Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı) down the stairs to the symbol of Antalya — the Yivli Minare Mosque (Alaaddin Mosque).
The height of the Yivli Minare Mosque is 45 m — almost like a 15-story house.
The second entrance is located very close — you just need to walk a little from the Republic Square to the Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi).
Close to the Republic Square, there is an observation deck which you can reach using a free glass lift. It offers a beautiful view of the Old Town and the Kaleiçi port.
Tomas Skinner, the writer for the travelwanderlist blog, describes the third entrance:
The most impressive entrance to the Old Town is through Hadrian’s Gate, a monumental triple-archway piercing the fortified city walls built to commemorate a visit to the city by the Roman emperor.
All roads of the Old Town going down will lead you to the marina and the oldest beach in Antalya called Mermerli. Look for a sign MARINA if you want to come out to the sea.
And here are the harbor and the Mermerli Beach:
The beach is very small, with a narrow strip of coast. Part of sunbeds stands on concrete slabs.
The entrance to the beach lies through the restaurant of the same name. In 2016, this costs 14 Lira. The price includes the use of a beach umbrella, a sunbed, and drinks (tea, coffee).
In the harbor, there are plenty of boats and yachts. You can take any vessel and make a sea trip to the Düden Waterfalls. We will tell about them below.
When in Kaleiçi, you should definitely visit a hammam called Sefa. It is already 600 years old. Soap massage, steam bath + peeling will cost 160 Lira.
Shopping malls
After enjoying a beach and getting acquainted with Kaleiçi, you can plunge into shopping. But first, listen to recommendations from some travelers.
Natasha TheBohoChicatells not to forget about haggling and checking the quality of products you buy:
While shopping in Turkey, don’t forget to bargain. Tourist prices are highly marked up and there is A LOT of room for negotiation! While shopping in tourist areas, be careful to check the merchandise for any defects before your item is packed and handed to you.
Keep in mind that it is not common to bargain for food as it is rather cheap.
If you are going to make a major purchase such as a leather or fur coat, you should be fully prepared for that. Tips from Anete and Gita, the authors of the thetravelleaf, will help you not get scammed and get a good price:
- If possible find out from locals how much do they usually pay for a product you are interested with.
- Determine a price in your head that you are willing to pay and offer lower at first so you have room to go up a bit while bargaining.
- Show light interest in a product but say that the price is too high. A seller will immediately offer you a special price “just for you”.
- Once you name the price you are willing to pay for the product, don’t worry if the seller acts offended or angry. That’s just a game they play to make you feel sorry for them and have you agree to a higher price.
- Don’t worry about hurting seller’s feelings or making him lose money of the deal. They are experienced businessman and see each bargain as a challenge or a game. If he’d lose money on the sale, he’d never be willing to sell you the product.
- Don’t show your enthusiasm — as soon as the seller will see your “I got to have this” attitude, he will not give you the best price anymore.
- Show hesitation — never let a seller know that what they have is absolutely perfect for you. Act hesitant and be sure to point out any wear, scratches, or flaws on whatever you are looking at.
- Use silence — look at the product or start to think silently during the bargain. Seller will try to fill the awkward silence and will offer you a better price.
- Have a friend with you that will play being bored and trying to drag you out of the shop. That will make you seal the deal faster as seller will be willing to drop the price quicker not to lose you.
- Walk away if the price isn’t right. Seller will not want to miss a sale so he most probably will run out of the store and at that moment will throw at you the best possible price.
According to Pete, the author of the nomadicalsabbatical.com blog, it is better to check the currency carefully before paying:
We bought a leather jacket that was quoted and discussed in Turkish Lira but we were charged in Euros… and stupidly didn’t check the currency properly before paying, we only checked the amount (and there’s a pretty big difference between them). We also didn’t realise that we’d been ripped off until we were 650kms away in another city after checking the credit card statements… not cool.
Lots of travelers warn not to drink those drinks offered by salespeople. Thus, Kath, a TripAdvisor forums user, tells:
Be wary of the raki drink offered to you, two or three of those will lower your resistance.
What you should avoid buying in Antalya
In Antalya, you will not be able to get clothes of world-famous brands for peanuts. As for local manufacturers, their clothing is rather cheap. Vipfamily, a TripAdvisor forums user, recommends the Turkish brand Waikiki:
If you go into the centre of Antalya there are several branches of L.C. Waikiki, which is cheap and cheerful. Good quality everyday clothes.
Cotton sweatshirts at LC Waikiki cost from 15-20 Lira, while jeans — from 25 Lira.
Although Turkish gold is considered to be rather good, lots of tourists complain about the poor quality of golden items. Thus, a TripAdvisor forums user ellie0 tells about her experience buying Turkish golden jewelry:
I’ve learnt my lesson from buying gold in Turkey. I bought a gold eye pendant which has now fallen apart — it lasted 5 months, and bought a ring for my daughter’s birthday present which lasted only 4 months and I’ve just paid out to have it mended. These weren’t cheap items and I went to shops that were recommended.
Tom Brosnahan, the author of the turkeytravelplanner.com Turkey travel guide tells what souvenirs may lead you to jail:
It’s illegal to buy, sell, possess or — especially — export from Turkey antiquities (usually defined as carpets, coins, icons, colored tiles and ceramics, paintings, statues and sculptures, metal objects, etc.) more than one or two centuries old. Penalties are stiff, and usually include a prison sentence for serious offenses.
It is strongly recommended not to take stones from beaches and streets as a souvenir. They may also turn out to be ancient artifacts and thus be regarded as the property of the country.
Also, jewelry and other precious things valued over $15,000 must be declared.
In Antalya, there are dozens of shopping malls. We will tell about the most popular among tourists. Choose the nearest one to your hotel, as products and prices are almost the same in all of the malls:
- Migros. It is conveniently accessible if you live in the Konyaalti District or Kemer.
- Mark Antalya. It is located in the city center, just a 7-minute walk from Kaleiçi.
- Terracity. It is the largest shopping mall in Lara District.
- Ozdilek Park is located in Dokuma District.
All shopping malls are open from 10:00 to 22:00.
!By the way, a 7-minute walk from Ozdilek Park shopping mall, there is the park of the same name where Minicity Museum was relocated to. Earlier, it was located near Migros shopping mall.
Minicity contains 1:25 scale copies of Turkish architectural monuments. These are Hagia Sophia, Pamukkale, Cappadocia, and many others.
Ancient heritage
Want to see real ancient monuments? Then go to ancient ruins. There are plenty of them in Antalya neighborhoods. We will tell only about the most popular sites.
The ancient city of Perge (Perga) has two important benefits:
- It is located within a 30-minute drive from Lara Beach, in the district of Aksu.
- It has the well-preserved stadium, the amphitheater, and the thermae.
The Turkish government is even planning to fully restore Perge. In the future, the amphitheater scene will host plays, and the stadium — sporting events.
The entrance to the ruins costs 15 Lira.
Aspendos lies 35 km from Antalya city center, near the town of Serik.
You should come here in order to see an ancient aqueduct.
The ruins of Perge and Aspendos are open from 09:00 to 19:00.
Lots of statues and household goods were found during excavations in Perge and Aspendos. They are now housed in the Antalya Archeological Museum. You should definitely visit this place — it is located not far from the Old Town.
The museum is open every day, from 08:30 to 17:30. The ticket cost is 20 Lira.
Inka, the author of the diapoll.wordpress blog, describes her impressions about this museum:
The museum comprises 14 exhibition halls and includes an open air gallery where the very best artifacts and statues from the ancient cultures of Lycia, Pamphylia, Psidia and Perge have found a home. What catches the eye though is not only the size and beauty of many of the statues, but the design of the exhibition rooms.
Also, you can rent an audio guide for 15 Lira.
These are pitchers in which the dead were buried 😨
Natural sights
Düden Waterfalls
The Düden Waterfalls consist of two cascades: the Lower Düden Waterfalls and the Upper Düden Waterfalls. The Lower Düden Waterfalls are more popular because:
- they are conveniently located in the Lara Beach area, 4 km from the Sandland sand sculpture exhibition
- they are unusual as they fall from 40 m right into the sea
- they are free to see
The Upper Düden Waterfalls can be found in the Düden National Park which is located at the following address: 21. Cd., 2 Şelale, Kepez, Antalya, Turkey. The entrance here costs 6 Lira.
The Upper Düden Waterfalls are less popular, however, here, you can take a look at the waterfalls from inside a cave and take unusual photos.
The Düden Park opening hours are from 09:00 to 19:00.
Tünek Tepe mountain
Go up at the top of Tünek Tepe mountain in order to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Antalya.
The author of the loveantalya blog tells about the location of the cable car and her impressions using it:
The trip up there with the cable car starts down from Sarisu Beach. Sarisu Beach is located at the very end of the big Konyaalti beach. The trip up to the top takes about 10 minutes with the cable car. The wagon is large and with glass for all sides, so you can enjoy the beautiful view all the way round. There is room for 8 people in the carriage and it moves with the speed of 5 m / s. So do not be nervous. It goes nicely quiet. About 15 Lira per person — just as good as 2.7 Eur — or 20 Lira for 2 people. So it’s not expensive for the coolest vacation experience
The mountain offers such spectacular views of Antalya 😍
The cable car is not available on Mondays. On the other weekdays, it runs from 10:00 to 17:30, and at weekends — from 09:00.
Lycian Way
The most convenient way to reach the famous Lycian Way is from Antalya bus station.
Scott and Sylvie, the authors of the ditchthemap travel blog describe the Lycian Way and tell about how it was discovered:
The Lycian Way is a 540km trail that spans Turkey’s southwestern coastline from Ölüdeniz (near Fethiye) to Geyikbayırı (near Antalya). It’s referred to as a “cultural route” connecting ancient Lycian ruins, rural farming settlements, and holiday beach towns. Followed in its entirety, the hike takes approximately 29 days to complete and passes through 25 historical sites. The trail crosses a region of Turkey historically called Lycia. It was home to the Lycians, a sea-faring people. Some stretches are far from another soul where you literally stumble upon abandoned Lycian ruins and into remote farming villages where it feels like stepping back in time. Other sections take you through established tourist towns where admission to ruins requires an entry ticket.
One of the most significant route points is Chimaera mountain. It is famous for its natural eternal flames that have been burning for thousands of years already.
Antalya is an ancient city which is more than 2,000 years old. You should definitely allocate at least one day in order to get acquainted not only with its beaches, but also with its rich history.
