Mediterranean Coast
Antalya
Turquoise coast, Roman ruins & the Taurus Mountains
Antalya is the gateway to the Turkish Riviera, where the Taurus Mountains plunge into a 600 km coastline of pebble beaches, turquoise water and pine forest. Its Old Town (Kaleici) is a maze of Ottoman houses around a Roman harbor, while just outside the city you can climb the seats of the 2,000-year-old Aspendos theatre or hike the trails of Olympos and Phaselis.
Why come
Highlights of Antalya
- —Kaleici Old Town and Roman harbor
- —Aspendos Theatre (best preserved in the world)
- —Perge & Side ancient cities
- —Duden Waterfalls plunging into the sea
- —Olympos eternal flames at Chimaera
- —Beach days at Lara, Konyaalti or Cirali
What to do
Things to experience
01. Kaleici
Antalya's Ottoman old town inside Roman walls, with Hadrian's Gate, the fluted Yivli Minaret and dozens of boutique cave hotels.
02. Aspendos
A Roman theatre from 155 AD that still hosts opera every summer — acoustics so good you can hear a coin drop on stage from the top row.
03. Perge
A vast Greco-Roman city with a colonnaded street, stadium and Hellenistic gate — minutes from the airport.
04. Duden Falls
A two-tier waterfall, the lower one plunging directly off a cliff into the Mediterranean.
05. Chimaera Flames
Eternal natural flames burning out of bare rock since antiquity — reachable on a 30-minute hike near Olympos.
06. Phaselis
Three small harbors, a Roman aqueduct and the ruins where Alexander the Great wintered in 333 BC.
Good to know
FAQs
Is Antalya just a beach resort?+
No — the city itself has world-class Roman sites within 45 minutes, plus a stunning old town. Stay 3+ nights to do both.
Best beach near Antalya?+
Cirali (quiet pebble + sea turtles), Konyaalti (urban + Taurus view), or Patara (longest sand beach in Turkey, 90 min west).
Can I combine Antalya with Cappadocia?+
Yes — there is a daily 1-hour flight, or a scenic 6-hour drive through the Taurus Mountains via Konya.
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