White Garden Pansiyon
Small family guesthouse in the middle of Kaleiçi with a courtyard and breakfast in the garden. Top ratings for cleanliness and hospitality. Perfect location, everything within walking distance.
from EUR 45 / night View →
Turkey · Mediterranean · Travel guide
Antalya
Direct flights from Zurich, turquoise water, a 2,000-year-old old town, and far more than the all-inclusive resort most people book.
Photo: Alan Wang / Pexels
What does a trip to Antalya cost?
Adjust the values to your trip: the calculator updates live (EUR, converted from CHF estimates).
1,418 EUR
≈ 709 EUR per person
- Flights 535 EUR
- Accommodation 455 EUR
- Food 300 EUR
- Local transport 54 EUR
- Boat trip along the coast 75 EUR
Estimates for orientation, not booking prices. Flights and hotels vary strongly by season: current prices are behind the links below.
Money & payment: You pay in Turkish lira (TRY). The exchange rate moves a lot, which is why all prices here are given in francs and euros. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; you need cash for the dolmuş, markets and tips. Flight time: 3 to 4 hours.
Recommended hotels
Nine options in three price ranges, each among the best-rated on Booking.com.
Budget
Sabah Pansiyon
One of the most popular budget places in Kaleiçi. Shared terrace with sea views, clean rooms, very friendly owners. Handy location for the harbour.
from EUR 35 / night View →
Abad Hotel
Well-rated small hotel in a restored old-town house. Quiet location, rooftop terrace, good value for Antalya.
from EUR 55 / night View →
Mid-range
Tuvana Hotel
The best boutique hotel in Kaleiçi: four restored Ottoman houses, a lovely courtyard with pool, attentive service. One of the highest ratings of any Antalya hotel on Booking.com.
from EUR 140 / night View →
Dogan Hotel by Prana Hotels
Well-kept mid-range hotel in a historic building in the heart of the old town. Pool, breakfast on the terrace, excellent reviews.
from EUR 120 / night View →
Özkaymak Park Hotel
Large, well-rated city hotel near Konyaaltı Beach. Modern interior, pool, direct bus connection to the old town. Good for travellers who want to combine beach and city.
from EUR 105 / night View →
Luxury
Sheraton Antalya Hotel
International luxury right on Konyaaltı Beach. Large pool complex, several restaurants, spa. Dependable, very well rated. Ideal base for day trips into the city.
from EUR 300 / night View →
Mardan Palace
One of the most opulent hotels in Turkey: 560 rooms, ten pools including one with real sea sand, private beach, seven restaurants. For anyone who wants extravagance and does not need to economise.
from EUR 480 / night View →
Rixos Downtown Antalya
Modern city luxury hotel with direct access to Konyaaltı Beach Park. All the comforts of the Rixos standard, but without resort isolation. The best combination of beach and city life.
from EUR 340 / night View →
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Experiences worth your time
Kaleiçi & Hadrian's Gate
The Roman city gate from the 2nd century still stands intact in the old town. Around it: Byzantine walls, the Hıdırlık Tower and the old harbour. Most atmospheric early in the morning when the lanes are still quiet.
Düden Waterfalls
The Lower Düden Falls plunge straight into the Mediterranean. By boat you can approach the grotto from below. The upper falls lie in a small nature park north of the city. Both are worth it.
Perge & Aspendos day trip
Two of the most impressive ancient sites in Turkey, combinable in one day. Aspendos has the best-preserved ancient theatre in the world. No mass tourism; you often have the ruins almost to yourself.
Boat trip to the coves
The most beautiful coves around Antalya are only reachable from the water. Day tours from the old harbour with several swimming stops. Negotiate the price directly at the harbour.
Antalya Archaeological Museum
One of the most important archaeological museums in Turkey, with finds from Perge, Side and the whole of Lycia. The gallery of statues of the gods is exceptional. Underrated and rarely crowded.
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Food & drink
Antalya eats Mediterranean with an Anatolian backbone: tahini instead of olive oil in the bean salad, lamb from the earth oven, fish from the old harbour and oranges from its own gardens. The hotel buffets have little to do with any of this. The real cuisine is in Kaleiçi, in the lokantas around the bazaar and in Konyaaltı.
Piyaz
White beans with tahini, vinegar, garlic, onions, tomatoes and hard-boiled egg. Only in Antalya is piyaz made with tahini, and that makes all the difference. CHF 3 to 5 (about EUR 3.20 to 5.40) as a side, CHF 8 to 12 as a main with köfte.
Tip:Order it with köfte rather than on its own, and dip some bread into the tahini sauce.
Tandır Kebabı
Lamb cooked for hours in an earth oven (tandır) until it falls off the bone, served on flatbread with onions and sumac. CHF 10 to 16 (about EUR 10.70 to 17) a portion.
Tip:Go at lunchtime; tandır is a midday dish and is often sold out by evening.
Şiş Köfte
Minced-meat skewers from the charcoal grill, seasoned with parsley and paprika, served with bulgur, grilled peppers and piyaz. CHF 7 to 11 (about EUR 7.50 to 12).
Tip:Drink ayran, not beer, and the pepper on the plate is there to be eaten, not for decoration.
Hibeş
The Antalya dip: tahini with cumin, lemon, paprika and garlic, creamy and spicy, eaten with bread. CHF 2 to 4 (about EUR 2.20 to 4.30) as a meze.
Tip:Order it as your first meze; it arrives quickly and bridges the wait for the fish.
Fish at the old harbour
Sea bream (çipura), sea bass (levrek) or red mullet (barbun), grilled, with rocket and lemon. CHF 15 to 30 (about EUR 16 to 32) a portion depending on fish and location.
Tip:Ask for the price per kilo before the fish goes on the grill, and the places on the water cost more than the ones a lane behind.
Fresh orange juice
Antalya is orange country; the trees line the whole city. Freshly pressed at a stand for CHF 1.50 to 3 (about EUR 1.60 to 3.20) a glass, pomegranate juice in autumn likewise.
Tip:November to March is the season, when it tastes best and costs least.
Tahini halva with Çay
Sesame paste and sugar worked into a crumbly sweet, in Antalya often with pistachios or cocoa. A piece costs CHF 1.50 to 3 (about EUR 1.60 to 3.20), tea CHF 0.50 to 1.
Tip:Go for sunset over the sea; the view of the Taurus mountains costs nothing.
Book a food tour: Antalya
Through markets and eateries with a guide, tastings included.
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
History & background
Antalya lies on the northern edge of the eastern Mediterranean, where the Taurus Mountains drop steeply into the sea. The city was founded in the 2nd century BC by King Attalos II of Pergamon and bore his name: Attaleia. The Romans soon recognised the natural harbour and expanded it. Hadrian's Gate, today the most impressive ancient relic in the old town, was built in AD 130 for the visit of Emperor Hadrian and still stands intact. In the Middle Ages Antalya, under the name Satalia, was an important Crusader port; in the 13th century the Seljuks left behind the Yivli Minare, the fluted minaret that still defines the skyline of the old harbour. Kaleiçi, the old town, was placed under heritage protection in the 1980s and carefully restored. Today Ottoman timber houses, Byzantine walls, Roman ruins and small guesthouses alternate within a few metres of each other. Beyond the old town, Antalya is known above all as the gateway to the Turkish Riviera, but if you only stay in the resort you miss the best of it.
Insider tips
Kaleiçi: the old town as the real destination
Kaleiçi ("inner castle") is the historic core of Antalya, enclosed by Roman and Byzantine walls. Hadrian's Gate from the 2nd century is free to visit and rarely crowded, because most tourists head straight for the resort. In the quarter itself: narrow lanes, Ottoman timber houses, small cafés right by the harbour. A night in one of the guesthouses or boutique hotels in Kaleiçi is far cheaper than a resort and puts the city within walking distance.
Düden Waterfalls: free and impressive
Antalya has two waterfalls that plunge straight into the Mediterranean. The Lower Düden Falls (Aşağı Düden) are on the edge of the city and reachable by dolmuş; the water breaks over a grotto directly into the sea, and you can take a boat underneath from below. The Upper Düden Falls (Yukarı Düden) lie further north in a small park. Both are free or almost free. Far more impressive than the guidebooks suggest.
Perge and Aspendos: ancient ruins without the crowds
About 20 km east of Antalya lies Perge, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in Asia Minor: colonnades, city gate, baths, agora. Another 20 km on stands the theatre of Aspendos, one of the most completely preserved ancient theatres in the world, with a capacity of 15,000 spectators. Both sites are reachable by rental car or a cheap day trip. Drive further and you reach Side, an ancient harbour town with two temples right by the sea.
Boat trip: coves you cannot reach on foot
The most beautiful coves around Antalya are only accessible by boat. Day trips from the old harbour (Yat Limanı) call at several coves with stops for swimming and snorkelling. Do not take the most expensive offer: negotiate directly at the harbour, where prices between CHF 15 and 30 per person (about EUR 16 to 32) are realistic. If you want Konyaaltı Beach or Lara Beach, on the other hand, the bus will get you there.
Piyaz and the old harbour
Piyaz is Antalya's local speciality: a white bean salad with hard-boiled egg, onions and tahini dressing. Restaurants along the coast serve it as a side dish for CHF 3 to 5 (about EUR 3 to 5). The old harbour is touristy but worth it in the evening: sit at the edge with a çay rather than in the expensive restaurants on the water. The view of the Yivli Minare and the harbour entrance is free.
Frequently asked questions about Antalya
Is Antalya worth it without all-inclusive?
Yes, even more so. The city of Antalya with its old town Kaleiçi, the waterfalls, the harbour and the ancient sites nearby offers far more than a resort beach. Travelling independently often costs less and gives you more.
When is the best time to visit Antalya?
May to June and September to October: pleasant temperatures between 22 and 30 degrees, the sea is warm, but high-season prices are not yet in full force. July and August are hot (up to 40 degrees) and expensive. In winter Antalya is mild (15 to 18 degrees), many resorts are closed, but the city itself is still busy.
Are there direct flights from Western Europe?
Yes. Antalya is one of the few Turkish destinations with direct connections from Zurich and most major European cities. In summer several airlines fly direct, including charters. Outside the season a connection in Istanbul is common.
How do I get from Antalya to the ruins of Perge and Aspendos?
A rental car gives you the most flexibility: Perge and Aspendos combine well in one day. Alternatively there are cheap dolmuş connections to Perge (departing from the otogar). No dolmuş runs directly to Aspendos, so a guided day trip or taxi is worth it there.
Itineraries with this destination
Turkey · 3 stops
Lycian Coast
Antalya · Kaş · Fethiye
The D400 along the Lycian Coast is the most beautiful coastal road in Turkey. You drive it in ten days from Antalya to Fethiye, with swimming stops, ruins and three bases instead of packing your bags every morning.
Turkey · 3 stops
Family Holidays Antalya
Antalya · Side · Alanya
Three places, never more than an hour's drive, always a pool in the evening: family holidays on the Turkish Riviera where the children get beaches, caves and boats and you see more than the hotel complex.
Activities in the region
Events
Mar 7
Runtalya Antalya Marathon
SportRuntalya is the marathon of the Turkish Riviera: marathon, half marathon and 10 kilometres along the Antalya coast with views of the Taurus and the sea, at a pleasant 15 to 20 degrees. Flat profile, good for personal bests, with an international field from Russia, Europe and Turkey. Entry fees are around CHF 30 to 60 (about EUR 32 to 64), with online registration open until a few weeks before.
For travellers: The coast road from Lara to Konyaaltı is closed on Sunday morning; otherwise hotels in Antalya are cheap in March.
Apr 25
Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye
SportThe most important cycling race in Turkey, part of the UCI ProSeries, usually runs from the Mediterranean coast via the Aegean to Istanbul with the finish on the Bosphorus. Professional teams from Europe take part, and watching from the roadside is free. The stages pass through Antalya, Fethiye, Marmaris, Bodrum, Çeşme or Izmir, with summit finishes in the Taurus and on Babadağ above Ölüdeniz.
For travellers: Coast roads and city centres are closed for hours on stage days; book hotels in the stage towns early.
Sep ?
Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival
CultureOpera and ballet in the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world, the 2nd-century theatre of Aspendos, with room for 15,000 spectators and perfect acoustics. The state opera and ballet companies perform classics such as Aida, Carmen or Swan Lake under the open sky. Tickets around CHF 15 to 40 (about EUR 16 to 43); the programme is usually only published in early summer.
For travellers: Aspendos is 45 minutes from Antalya and 30 minutes from Side, and hotels organise transfers; bring a seat cushion, the stone steps are hard.
Oct ?
Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival (Altın Portakal)
CultureThe oldest film festival in Turkey, held since 1964, with the Golden Orange award for the best Turkish film. Premieres, competitions and open-air screenings in Antalya, with an opening parade and stars in the streets. For travellers, a chance to see Turkish cinema with subtitles. In recent years there have been political disputes and cancellations, and the programme is announced late.
For travellers: Hotels in the old town of Kaleiçi are well booked during festival week; October is one of the best times to visit Antalya anyway.
Nov ?
Ironman 70.3 Turkey Belek
SportThe half-distance Ironman on the Turkish Riviera: a 1.9 kilometre swim in the Mediterranean, a flat 90 kilometre bike course through Belek and the plain, and a 21 kilometre run past the hotels. The water is still over 20 degrees in autumn, and the course is considered fast. Entry fees around CHF 300 to 400 (about EUR 320 to 430), registration via the Ironman site; slots are usually available until summer.
For travellers: The hotels in Belek offer athlete packages with early breakfast; the roads around Belek are closed until midday on race Sunday.
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