Things to do in Antalya – Antalya is known as the Capital City of Tourism in Turkey and is also called the “Turkish Riviera” due to its archaeological and natural beauties. With thousands of British tourists visiting Antalya post Covid-19, we have compiled a list of things to do and see whilst on holiday.
A Bit About The Antalya Region:
Antalya is located on Anatolia’s southwest coast bordered by the Taurus Mountains and is actually the largest Turkish city on the Mediterranean coast outside the Aegean region. Antalya is fast becoming the most popular city in Turkey and tourists from around the world are choosing this region for their holiday and discovering its fabulous array of great beaches and traditional Turkish culture.
Antalya is Turkey’s biggest international sea resort. Big development and good government funding has increased tourism over the years. 13.6 million tourists passed through Antalya in 2019.
Top 5 Areas In Antalya To Book Your Holiday
Lara Beach – Also known as the Las Vegas of Turkey with a huge strip lined with some fantastic hotel resorts. Not forgetting the amazing golden sand beach which delivers gentle waves and plenty of room to relax in the Turkish sunshine.
Belek – Also known as the Beverly Hills of the Turkish Riviera, Belek offers a glamorous 10 mile golden sand beach, amazing luxury hotels and exclusive high end restaurants. Belek also has eight champion golf course and is a great choice for luxury Turkish holidays.
Side – The Ancient city of Side is on a peninsula with two sandy beaches on either side with an untouched old town and crumbling ruins. The restaurant-lined harbour has chic boutiques which make it a popular choice for people visiting Turkey.
Alanya – Around 2.5 hour transfer away from Antalya airport, Alanya has sandy beaches, a vibrant shopping scene and very good terrace bars. Known for being the more quiet alternative to the main Lara strip of hotel resorts, hotel prices here are cheaper than in other areas but it is a fantastic holiday destination all the same! Alanya is up and coming with more hotels being built all the time. A good 5*Hotel in this region can be found for as little as £75 per night (All Inclusive)
Kemer – A cosmopolitan town in Antalya. There’s two beaches; Moonlight Bay (A Sandy beach and also a Blue Flag winner for its clean water) and another pebble beach with more deep waters. There’s lots to do with boutiques, bazaars and bars with good nightlife. There’s also a chic marina moored with boats and yachts. If you like scenery and culture, there’s National parks and mountain scenery for you to explore.
Check out our Expert Hotels Reviews for 3 Resorts in the Antalya Region:
Airport Transfers To Hotel
There are many companies offering private taxis and shared airport transfers. We recommend Antalya Transfer Club Prices are very reasonable and the service is absolutely first class. Every transfer is a private hire for you only. They only use Mercedes Sprinter custom built shuttles. Transfers cost around £35 each way to hotels in Antalya. Hotels in Alanya will cost more due to the distance from Antalya Airport. You can book the transfer online and opt to pay on the website at the time of booking, or pay the driver cash. We always choose cash payment and have never had any issues. They even WhatsApp you close to the day and confirm everything is going as scheduled. If your flight is delayed, the driver will still be at arrivals waiting for you. They monitor the flight number so always know when you are due to arrive into Antalya. We cannot stress how good this company are. Well worth the extra few £s for a relaxing transfer.
Shared airport transfer coaches are availble to book online from the UK for around £7 per person but these can take 3 x longer due to the amount of stops the coach makes at each hotel.
Things To Do In Antalya
Theme Parks / Attractions
The Land Of Legends Theme Park – Belek
The Land of Legends theme park has its own hotel resort but holiday makers can also just buy a day ticket to the theme park itself. The cost of an all day ticket is around £62 per adult and £50 per child. These can be bought online from there official website or you can book an excursion locally which will include transfers to and from your chosen hotel. This generally works out the same amount of money so we would recommend booking it locally. If you find a local excursion stand and they quote a higher price, you can just go online and purchase the tickets yourself on the Land Of Legends Website.
The Theme park has activities for everyone in the family to enjoy. There are rides for the kids and also white knuckle roller coasters for the more adventurous of us! There is also a water park (Aqua Land) which has lots of great water rides. It can get busy during the summer holidays (July-Aug) but there is still a lot of fun to be had whilst visiting this brilliant theme park.
Buggy Safari & Quad Bike Excursions
Buggy Safari’s and Quad bike excursions are available in all parts of Antalya. These can be found online or locally. We recommend not booking online as you will find many local Excursion Agents available to book through. These agents do sometimes look like they operate a second class business but we have never had issues when booking through these small local operators. You get the best deal and they know what people will enjoy and will be able to give you good advice on which excursions to choose. Prices vary from around £20 per person for quad bike excusrions and £35 for Buggy’s. Well worth a try! Generally the driver pays the full price and passangers can go with you for around £11 per passanger.
Antalya Upside Down House
The Upside Down House is a great little attraction to get some quirky pictures for the holiday album! Located at the end of the main Antalya Hotel Strip, it is around a 30 minute walk from the main hotels but you can also get there by taxi. Entry costs around £5 per person and you will get some great photos (which you take on your phone). No need to pre book, just turn up and pay at the door. The attraction is usually open until 8pm. Address: Altıntaş mah, Kardeş Kentler Cd. no 15, 07400 Aksu/Antalya.
Cable Car Ride – Top of Tahtali Mountain
Take in the views of the city, the sea and the islands in the Mountain Cable Cars. Located around 15 minutes from Antalya Centre, this attraction costs $10 USD (around £8.50) for a ride that lasts around 10 minutes. There are restaurants onsite at the top of the mountain to enjoy a meal with stunning views. Great for adults and children alike. Just one point to note, the cable cars are not air conditioned so can get hot in the summer months. Just something to keep in mind.
Pamukkale Day Tour or Overnight Excursion
Pamukkale is Turkish for “cotton castle”. It is a natural site and is famous for the carbonated minieral left by the flowing water. Over the years, this mineral has formed white water pools which are famous for their healing properties. Pamukkale is located in Turkey’s Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley. Apart from the Cotton Castle, you can also take a dip in Cleopatra’s Pool. The water is heated by geothermal activity and it is beleived to contain iron and other natural minerals which are good for the body and skin. Access to the public pool costs around £4. This will not be included in the excursion price but can be purchased at the gate when you arrive.
Daily excursions take place from all areas of Antalya. These can be haggled to around £35 per person which includes transfers and a lunch meal. There will be a couple of stops on the way for bathroom visits and a quick stop at local stalls where sellers have an agreement with the operators to keep excursion costs low. You dont need to buy anything, but just be aware, there will be at least one stop off for 10/15 minutes to browse local seller stalls.
If you are visiting Turkey, This tour is a must visit. Its filled with local culture and the area has received UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.
Much Much More….
There are many more activities and excursions to do whilst on holiday in Antalya, keep an eye out for more in-depth guides. Subscribe to our newsletter and get alerts when new articles are published.
