Antalya


 * ''Not to be confused with Alanya, a resort 130 km further east, or with Antakya a historic city in Hatay province of eastern Turkey

Antalya is a city in Pamphylia on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, and the chief resort of the "Turkish Riviera". It's a metropolis with a population of 2.7 million in 2022, the fifth largest city in the country.

Understand
The city was named for its first documented ruler Attalos II (220-138 BC), king of Pergamon, though it was obviously settled much earlier. Attalos' life and wife resembles soap opera, and his epiphet Philadelphos - "brother-loving" - hints at insecurity over how his relationship with back-from-the-dead brother and co-ruler Eumenes II might be portrayed. He based his fleet here - there were few alternatives along this exposed coast, and Attaleia (Ἀττάλεια) grew up around what's now called the Roman harbour. It never grew large as it lacked a hinterland - it's hemmed in by mountains with difficult routes to get inland, although a fertile coastal plain extends up to the east. Early visitors included St Paul the Apostle (Acts 14: 25-26) and Ibn Battuta, who in 1331 AD recorded how Christians, Greeks, Jews, and royal court each inhabited their own walled enclave, while the Muslims lived in the main body of town all within an enclosing wall.

This relative isolation meant little fighting here, but Antalya was the prize to be handed over after conquests elsewhere: to the Seljuks in 1207 and the Ottomans in 1391. After Turkey's defeat in World War I, the harsh 1920 Treaty of Sèvres handed over tracts of the country to the Allies, and Italy gained Antalya. This was reversed, and Turkey gained its present borders, by the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.

Access was improved by road building in the 20th century, but the game-changer was in the 1970s when commercial airliners could jet tourists non-stop from northern Europe, and the political environment boosted tourist infrastructure. The city burgeoned, with development either side of Kaleiçi the old town centre, but especially east along the sandy Lara beach. Effectively this strip extends 150 km until the mountains terminate the coastal plain: it's all called "Antalya area" in tourist literature, but in this guide the easterly towns of Belek, Manavgat, Side and Alanya are described separately.

Climate is of course Mediterranean. Summers are hot, sunny and humid yet rainless. Days average 30-35°C and may surpass 40°C; nights may be muggy and sticky so you want air-con.

Winters are mostly mild, punctuated by storms, downpours and strong winds. April-May and Oct-Nov are optimum conditions for sight-seeing, and the sea remains warm late into Autumn.

By plane
Onward transport:
 * Antalyakart is the transport card you need for the tram or bus, see Get Around. Buy it at the airport.


 * By tram: AntRay Tram 1A runs downtown from two T1 stops (domestic and international) every 15 min 06:00-00:00; it doesn't serve T2. Get off at İsmetpaşa (taking 50 min) for the old town or to transfer to Tram 2. Stay aboard another 30 min for Otogar the bus station. Coming out to the airport take Tram 1A badged "Havalimanı". Tram 1B follows the same route until Yonca Kavşak then branches off to Expo.
 * Bus 600 runs from T1 (domestic) and T2 to Otogar - so this could serve as an inter-terminal shuttle and spare you a taxi. It runs every 30 min 07:00 to 00:00 with night runs around 01:30, 03:30 and 06:00. It runs via Mevlana Cd and Adnan Menderes Blv, taking about an hour to Otogar. At T1 the stop is by the blue "D" sign next to a fig tree, usually with a scrummage of other waiting passengers. Ignore the "D" outside T1 (international), which stands for "decoy" or "dupe me". Taxi touts will converge on you, saying truthfully "No bus leaving here!" and steering you towards a taxi.
 * Bus 800 runs from T1 (domestic) and T2 every two hours 06:15 to 22:15 via Barınaklar Blv in Lara (for east resort strip), cross-town to Sarısu on the west resort strip.
 * Havaş buses don't serve Antalya Airport, so for other towns such as Alanya travel via Otogar.


 * By taxi: this is the best option for Lara resort strip, which is east of the city near the airport. Official rates were last set in 2022, see Get around. A ride to city centre might be 500 TL.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul run hourly and take 12 hours via Gebze, Izmit, Eskişehir, Kütahya, Afyon, Sandikli and Burdur, for a fare in 2023 of 600-800 TL. From Ankara is 9 hours, from Izmir 6, from Adana 11 and from Konya 6. A faster route from Istanbul or Ankara is to take the YHT train to Konya, which connects with buses to Antalya.

Bus lines include Metro Turizm, Pamukkale, Flixbus (who've taken over Kamil Koç) and Varan.

Frequent buses run along the coast from Alanya, Manavgat (for Side) and Belek. Operators include Alanyalilar and Güney Akdeniz, the long-distance bus lines don't serve this short route. You could also take a dolmuş.

the bus terminal is 6 km northwest of city centre. Your inter-city ticket may include a downtown transfer, check when purchasing. Otherwise take the tram from Dumlupınar Blv 10 minutes walk east. The station is large, modern and reasonably clean, with ticket kiosks, cafes and toilets.

By road
From Istanbul follow O7 / O5 / O22 (toll) south past Bursa to pick up D200 east, then D650 south via Kütahya and Afyon, reckon 8 hr 30 min.

Hitchhiking outbound, the dilemma is to be far enough out to pick up inter-city vehicles, but not so far out that they can't stop. One spot northbound is the roundabout where D330 branches from D650. City buses 506 and 509 run to D330, for Denizli, Pamukkale, Aydin and Izmir. Ten buses run along D650 Akdeniz Blv, for Isparta, Afyon and Ankara.

Get around
Antalyakart is the plastic transport card you need for the tram or public bus. Buy it or reload it at kiosks along the tramway, at the airport and at the bus terminal; you probably need banknotes for this. The upfront cost is 35 TL in 2023, and single rides thereafter are 15 TL. A transfer within one hour of boarding is 5.50 TL.

You can also buy disposable paper cards for 6 TL, and pay 17 TL per ride. These don't allow transfers, nor can they be re-loaded, but you can load a suitable amount on purchase.

Or use contactless payment at the card-reader or turnstile: no upfront charge, pay 18 TL per ride, no transfers.

Discount cards are only available for citizens with Turkish ID, who pay a little more upfront but get cheaper rides.

By tram
AntRay Tram 1 runs from Fatih in the north of the city to the Otogar (transfer to Tram 3), Ismetpaşa downtown (transfer to Tram 2) and Meydan then northeast to Yonca Kavşak. Tram 1A there forks for Airport Terminal 1, Tram 1B continues out to Aksu and Expo. Trams run every 15 min 06:00-00:00.

Tram 2 is a heritage line, with 1950s/60s tramcars donated by the city of Nuremberg in 1999 in gratitude for all those kebabs and factory workers. It runs near the coast from the Museum (transfer to Tram 3) east to Cumhuriyet downtown (transfer to Tram 1) then south through Old Town to Zerdalilik. It's mostly single track with passing loops, and the project to double-track it has stalled.

Tram 3, opened in 2021, starts north of the city at Varsak and runs to Kepez, swinging west to Batigar (for Otogar and transfer to Tram 1), Akdeniz University Hospital and the Museum (transfer to Tram 2).

By bus
Buses go everywhere in the city, with over a dozen lines plying to the otogar (bus station). See above for Bus 600 to the airport.

Good luck finding any practical info on the city transport website. Try peering at bus stops on Google Map close to your start point and destination to find lines that run all the way.

Dolmuş minibuses ply fixed routes. In theory they're supposed to run to a schedule, not wait to fill up as in other Turkish cities. In practice an empty dolmuş will move so slowly in hope of more passengers that it may be overtaken by elderly pedestrians with zimmers.

By taxi
There are taxi stands all over the city where the drivers have their base and teapot, or you can order through online BiTaksi or iTaksi. The official rates since 2022 are flagfall 10 TL then 14 TL per km, with no separate night rate. Popular visitor destinations have price lists in euro. You can also negotiate with any taxi driver to be your private tour guide, or at least take you on an excursion: this might be a good option for Perge but pricey for Aspendos.

Walk
City centre is walkable, and using a car or bicycle here is tiresome at best.

See

 * (Turkish Üçkapılar, "three gates") is a good starting point for exploring Kaleiçi the old quarter. Built in 130 AD for the visit of Emperor Hadrian, it may have been ceremonial rather than a practical thoroughfare, as it became bricked up within the city walls. This preserved it, and it was only rediscovered when the walls crumbled in the 1950s.
 * Dervish Lodge Museum opposite the mosque used to be the home of the Mevlevihane, the "Whirling Dervishes". It's open Tu-Su 08:30-17:30, free.
 * The Clocktower (Saat Kulesi) just east of the Fluted Minaret Mosque is from the 9th century AD.
 * Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque facing the clocktower was built in the 17th century. It's named for a military commander who was appointed Grand Vizier - prime minister - in 1595 but died ten days later.
 * Karatay Medresi 100 m southwest of the clocktower was a religious school built in 1250. It's become populated by cafes and shops so it's only worth a brief look.
 * Toy Museum (Oyuncak Müzesi) is by the harbour, open Tu-Su 09:00-18:00, free.
 * Iskele Mosque by the harbour is compact, almost a kiosk.
 * have pleasant views over Old Town and the sunset.
 * Müsellim Mosque, 200 m north of Fluted Minaret Mosque, was built in 1796.
 * at the corner of Ismet Paşa Cd and 403rd Sk was built in 1485.
 * on Milli Egemenlik Cd was commissioned in 1570. It has a high dome and beautiful Seljuk calligraphy within.
 * at the end of Değirmenönü Cd ("windmill street") was built in 1590 AD.
 * Müsellim Mosque, 200 m north of Fluted Minaret Mosque, was built in 1796.
 * at the corner of Ismet Paşa Cd and 403rd Sk was built in 1485.
 * on Milli Egemenlik Cd was commissioned in 1570. It has a high dome and beautiful Seljuk calligraphy within.
 * at the end of Değirmenönü Cd ("windmill street") was built in 1590 AD.
 * at the end of Değirmenönü Cd ("windmill street") was built in 1590 AD.
 * on Lara Cd are where the Düden River plunges 40 m into the sea.

Further out

 * are where the Düden River emerges from karstic tunnels to fall 20 m.
 * was a fortified city that had its heyday in the Byzantine era from about 680 to 820 AD. The ruins are scrappy and tumbling down the hillside.
 * is a small show-cave near Akbaş in the mountains above Aspendos, visited by guided tour.
 * was a fortified city that had its heyday in the Byzantine era from about 680 to 820 AD. The ruins are scrappy and tumbling down the hillside.
 * is a small show-cave near Akbaş in the mountains above Aspendos, visited by guided tour.
 * was a fortified city that had its heyday in the Byzantine era from about 680 to 820 AD. The ruins are scrappy and tumbling down the hillside.
 * is a small show-cave near Akbaş in the mountains above Aspendos, visited by guided tour.
 * is a small show-cave near Akbaş in the mountains above Aspendos, visited by guided tour.
 * is a small show-cave near Akbaş in the mountains above Aspendos, visited by guided tour.

Do

 * Boat trips leave from the harbour. Never believe their first price offer and departure time.
 * Aqua parks are Waterhill opposite the Aquarium, and Park Aqua, Wet & Wild and Trendy Lara all east along Lara beach strip.
 * Funfair: Akturpark is next to the Aquarium, open daily 18:00-02:00. You pay per ride, no overall admission charge.
 * Football: Antalyaspor play in Süper Lig, the top tier. Their home ground Antalya Stadium (capacity 32,500) is west of the city, 1 km from the museum off İsmail Baha Sürelsan Cd. The stadium is named Corendon Airlines Park, after their sponsor.
 * Golf: head east to the next resort of Belek, which is pitching to be the Algarve of the East Med.
 * Golden Orange Film Festival is held in October, with the next 7-14 Oct 2023.

Buy

 * Useful to know: AVM means shopping centre, alışveriş merkezi, and pazarı means bazaar or market.


 * MarkAntalya AVM is the main shopping centre, 200 m east of Murat Paşa Mosque, open daily 10:00-23:00.
 * Migros stores are dotted around town, but the big one is 5M on Atatürk Blv 200 m north of the aquarium, open daily 10:00-22:00. It's also a transport hub for the west (Konyaalti) side of town.
 * Farmers Markets are on Tuesday and Saturday along 538th Sk south of the Hilton Hotel.
 * Agora and Deepo Outlet Center / Mall of Antalya are two retail parks on D400 two km west of the airport entrance.
 * Agora and Deepo Outlet Center / Mall of Antalya are two retail parks on D400 two km west of the airport entrance.

Budget

 * The downtown streets around Muratpaşa Mosque have many cheap eating places.



Drink
Lots in town centre. Names like Sheffield Pub, Edinburgh Social House and Dubh Linn tell you which demographic they're aiming for.

Konyaalti beach strip west has The James Joyce and The Barrels.

Lara town centre has Lucky Sports Bar and Patrick Irish Pub, but on the beach strip further east it's just the hotel bars.

Doluca Vineyard is next to the airport entrance.

Old Town
Lots of inexpensive pansiyons in Kaleiçi the core of Old Town and Kılınçarslan its southern extension.

Konyaaltı
This is southwest of the centre with 10 km of pebble beach, and some industry around the marina at its west end. Western package holidays don't base here, so prices are lower than in Lara.

Lara
Lara hotel strip stretches east for 20 km. Nearest to town is Şirinyalı: this is bustling but has not much beach, so prices are lower. Rates increase along the long sandy beach east from Kundu to Aksu; this is prime territory for western package deals. The access road is officially Yaşar Sobutay Boulevard but is better known as Lara Turizm Yolu. Hotels have more room to spread out further east, as far as Aksu Creek: facilities beyond there are described as the separate resort of Belek.


 * Delphin Diva is their less expensive branch just behind.
 * Delphin Diva is their less expensive branch just behind.
 * Delphin Diva is their less expensive branch just behind.
 * Delphin Diva is their less expensive branch just behind.
 * Delphin Diva is their less expensive branch just behind.
 * Royal Wings Hotel just east of Sherwood Exclusive gets mostly okay reviews.
 * Royal Holiday Palace next to Royal Seginus is similarly disappointing.
 * Royal Wings Hotel just east of Sherwood Exclusive gets mostly okay reviews.
 * Royal Holiday Palace next to Royal Seginus is similarly disappointing.
 * Royal Holiday Palace next to Royal Seginus is similarly disappointing.

Stay safe
Standard precautions about traffic, water and sun safety, care of valuables and avoiding drunks.

Antalya like any other big city has its quota of dodgy individuals, sharp-edged trash and stray dogs; but tourists have little reason to be in down-at-heel districts.

Connect
Antalya has 4G from all Turkish carriers, and the signal extends along the resort strip beyond Alanya. As of July 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Kemer southwest is part of the Antalya tourist strip. Go further south along the rugged coast of Lycia for quiet beaches and village harbours.
 * Belek to the east has golf links and luxury hotels.
 * Manavgat further east has waterfalls, but the big draw is the Roman ruins at Side.
 * Alanya yet further east has an ancient citadel perched on a crag, with beach hotels stretching either side.
 * Termessos is a ruined ancient city above the forests of the Taurus Mountains.