A city on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, Antalya is currently experiencing a massive tourism boom, with over 17 million passengers transiting to or through the city in 2024. It’s easy to get to from various cities around Europe with dozens of international flights daily. We visited Antalya for a few days to start our Turkey vacation, and these were the highlights of the visit.
Where to Stay — Delta Hotel Antalya Lara
This hotel was amazing! It’s a Marriott, adults-only hotel right on the waterfront in Antalya. While it’s not right in the old town, it’s not far from many nice things to do, it has a private swim platform with beach chairs, a huge pool, and an amazing breakfast buffet.
If you’re looking for a place to truly relax, I would highly recommend Delta Hotel Antalya Lara. One of my favorite new (to me) Turkish dishes I tried was the Menemen off the breakfast buffet – Turkish scrambled eggs with tomato and spices.
Taxis are very cheap in Antalya so getting around to the major sights was easy enough, and the area surrounding this hotel was nice to walk around, with many cafes nearby. You can also order taxis off of Uber, we never waited more than a few minutes for a ride and it was always very affordable.
Things To Do in Antalya
I really didn’t do sufficient research before our trip to Antalya, I was under the impression that it was a small beach town in Turkey from reading about it on various blogs. What I learned from going there is that Antalya is a massive city — more of a jumping off point to small beach towns like Fethiye or Kas.
While it was a really cool place to visit, I don’t think I would go back since there really isn’t a ton to do — it’s more of just a functioning city of a lot of people along the water, not a touristy destination. It’s great for a visit but not more than 2-3 days max, unless you’re venturing to another beach town to stay at a resort. We still had a great time, and these were the things we did while in Antalya.
Boat Tour
Well… this was quite the experience. A classic example of using a booking platform gone wrong, I THOUGHT I had booked us on a relaxing tour around Antalya. A calm cruise that would take us along the coast of the city to see the lower Duden Waterfalls that flow into the sea, with maybe a stop in a calm cove for a swim.
I was very, very wrong.
While that was the tour I had selected and booked, the tour company that booked us failed to inform us that trip was not yet operational for the summer (this was early May, after all) and instead they sent us on a pirate ship party cruise. Yes. A pirate ship party cruise.
While this was not what I had intended whatsoever, it ended up being a very fun and entertaining day on the water.
There was an unexpected Turkish breakfast served to us directly by the captain, a full bar with friendly bartenders, plenty of space to lounge in the sun, and we met a few other travelers during the trip. There were a few swim stops, a very delicious lunch, and thankfully they did not play the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack the entire time. Overall, it was both a good time AND a good story.
For more options for boat rentals in Antalya and all around Turkey, check out yacht and boat options on Getmyboat.
Explore Kaleici – Old Town Antalya
This is the historic district of Antalya, dating back to the Roman Empire. It is a charming area to wander around, with cobblestone streets, rug and souvenir vendors, and lots of great restaurants and bars. It’s not a huge old town; you can easily see the highlights in a few hours and enjoy a delicious meal or grab a drink with a view of the sea.
See Hadrian’s Gate
Built by the Roman Empire in around 150CE, this is a memorial gate to the emperor Hadrian and it serves as an entrance gate to the old city of Antalya. It’s an iconic spot to snap a photo before wandering around in the winding streets of the old town.
Duden Waterfalls
There are two sets of Duden Waterfalls, the upper and lower falls, that you can venture to while exploring Antalya. The upper waterfalls are more inland in the city, and it’s part of a larger park system that does require a small entrance fee. I would say it’s worth it — the falls are lovely and there are various vendors selling drinks and souvenirs around the park. You can spend a few hours wandering and enjoying beautiful views of the nature. The lower falls stream out into the sea at a waterfront park, and are also worth a visit during a walk around the city.
Visit Konyaalti Beach
This beach was highlighted as a top beach to visit in Antalya, and while it was a bit rocky, it was a nice spot to stop at and sunbathe. There were a lot of beach clubs but many weren’t yet set up for the season in early May; fortunately one was open and even let us have sun loungers for much cheaper than the peak season prices. We had some drinks and shared a gözleme — a stuffed Turkish flatbread with spinach and feta, probably one of my favorite Turkish dishes.
Eat & Drink in Antalya
Antalya Food Festival
We were lucky that this event was ongoing during our stay in Antalya because it was a fabulous opportunity to try a bunch of Turkish foods from some of the top chefs and restaurants in the city. Set up in a park right next to the old town, the Antalya Food Fest boasted hundreds of food stalls, live music, and other ongoing events. It was free entrance and all the food was extremely affordable. I realize this is a short-lived event, but check the dates of the festival when you book your trip —if the dates align, I would highly recommend checking it out!
Pastorale Restaurant
Located in the heart of the old town, Pastorale Restaurant in Antalya is not one to miss. They have a lovely back garden terrace and the food we ate here was incredible. Get the avocado salad — you won’t regret it. My beef skewers were delicious and the Turkish vegetables and cheese bake Emma had was also great. The servers are super nice and it’s a great atmosphere to enjoy a meal, away from the more tourist-centric bars and pubs nearby.
Overall, Antalya was a great spot to visit for a few days. Staying at a nice hotel was key; being well-located and having comfortable poolside and oceanside spots to lounge in made it ideal for a beach vacation. I don’t think I’d go back and stay in Antalya again, but would definitely transit through to visit other beach destinations on the Turkish Riviera.
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