Eviano

Turkey · Family · 10 days

Family Holidays Antalya

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.

The route, day by day

  1. Day 1 to 4

    Antalya: Aquarium, Waterfalls and the Old Town in Small Doses

    The direct flight from Zurich lands in Antalya after three hours, you collect the car at the airport; a child seat costs around CHF 5 (about EUR 5) per day, order it in advance. Four nights in Lara or Konyaaltı in a family hotel with a pool and beach, mid-range around CHF 110 for a family room, not in Kaleiçi, which has no pools. On the first full day the Antalya Aquarium with the longest tunnel in the world and the snow world, which fills a morning. On the second day the Lower Düden Waterfalls, which plunge straight into the sea, with the boat trip underneath them, and the beach in the afternoon. The third day is the old town in a small dose: Hadrian's Gate, the old harbour, a boat trip along the cliffs with a swimming stop, then ice cream and pool. The fourth day is a buffer day, or you take the cable car up Tünektepe. On to Side: 75 kilometres east on the D400, one hour, an hour and a half with the stop at the theatre of Aspendos, which children love for its acoustics.

    Tours at this stop: Antalya Aquarium ticket ↗Düden waterfall boat trip ↗Land of Legends theme park ↗

    Open the Antalya travel guide →

  2. Day 5 to 7

    Side: Antiquity in the Village, River and Canyon

    Side is the place where children like antiquity: the Roman theatre and the Temple of Apollo by the sea stand right in the village, you stroll the colonnaded street to the temple after dinner, and nobody has to sit through a guided tour. Three nights in a family hotel with a pool on the west beach or in Kumköy, mid-range around CHF 120 (about EUR 128) for a family room; the beach is shallow and sandy, ideal for small children. On the first day village and beach, in the evening the temple at sunset. The second day is the excursion day: Köprülü Canyon, 50 kilometres inland, rafting on the river is possible from about six, the calm stretches are made for families, life jackets included, trout by the river for lunch. On the third day the Manavgat waterfall with a boat trip down the wide, calm river to the mouth, then Manavgat's Monday market if the day fits. Food: leave the hotel; the village has pide and köfte that children will eat. On to Alanya: 65 kilometres on the D400, one hour, with a swimming stop at the Okurcalar beaches on the way.

    Tours at this stop: Family rafting in Köprülü Canyon ↗Manavgat boat trip and waterfall ↗

    Open the Side travel guide →

  3. Day 8 to 10

    Alanya: Castle by Cable Car, Cave and Flight Home

    Alanya has everything children need close together: a castle on the rock with a cable car, a dripstone cave by the beach, pirate boats in the harbour and fine-sand Cleopatra Beach. Three nights in a family hotel with a pool behind Cleopatra Beach, mid-range around CHF 100 (about EUR 107) for a family room. On the first day the cable car to the castle, the walls at the top, the view of both bays and the red shipyard by the harbour, then the Damlataş Cave, cool and short, ideal for midday. The second day is boat day: the pirate ships sail round the peninsula to caves and swimming stops, loud and kitschy, and children love exactly that; two to three hours is plenty. In the afternoon the Dim River, where you eat on platforms above the cold water while the children splash below. The third day is pool and packing, or the Sapadere Canyon with its wooden walkways, 50 kilometres. Return journey: 125 kilometres back to Antalya airport on the D400, a good two hours, drop the car, direct flight to Zurich. Gazipaşa airport is only 40 kilometres east but has few flights to Switzerland.

    Tours at this stop: Alanya pirate boat tour ↗Alanya cable car and castle ↗Sapadere Canyon and Dim Cave ↗

    Open the Alanya travel guide →

If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

What the route costs

Rough total per person for the whole route, mid-range, travelling as a pair. Flights and hotels vary by season; details are on the destination pages.

  • Getting there 342 EUR
  • Accommodation 535 EUR
  • Food 342 EUR
  • Local mobility 268 EUR
1,487 EUR
Total per person · 10 days

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.

Rental car for this route

A rental comparison link will follow once the partner programme is live. Until then, compare directly with the rental companies or at your arrival airport.

Tips for the route

The reverse order is better if you land in Gazipaşa, because then you start in Alanya and end in Antalya with the direct flight back. Most people fly via Antalya in both directions, though, and then it makes sense to start with four nights there, because the children need a quiet day by the pool after the flight and the aquarium fills a morning.

Hire car with children: order child seats when booking, around CHF 5 (about EUR 5) per day and seat, and check them on collection, as quality varies. An estate or SUV is worth it for the boot space. The D400 between Antalya and Alanya is four-lane and easy, with no tolls. Pack sun shades for the rear windows; the afternoon sun is low.

Hotels: book family rooms or suites in hotels with a children's pool and half board, which saves the search for a restaurant with tired children at seven. The big all-inclusive complexes in Lara and Side are not the problem but a good compromise: two nights with water slides make up for three days of outings. Mid-range here means four stars, and Turkish four-star hotels are big and good.

May, June and September are the months. The sea is 22 degrees from mid-May, outings are manageable at 28 degrees, and prices are a third below the summer holidays. July and August at 38 degrees are tiring for children under ten; outings then only until eleven. October still works at 25 degrees, but some boat tours stop running.

Eating with children is easy in Turkey: pide, köfte, rice, chips, ayran and watermelon are available everywhere, and children are pampered in every restaurant. Take snacks and water in the car; the rest stops have çay and toilets. Sun cream is expensive locally, so bring it with you. Pharmacies are called eczane and exist in every town, and the pharmacists often speak English or German.

Luggage: armbands and snorkels are lighter in the suitcase than bought locally, water shoes for the pebble beaches in Antalya and Alanya, a sun hat per child, a thin jacket for the caves and the canyon, water shoes for rafting. Apply for the e-visa separately for each child, a child's ID card is enough, and a copy of the birth certificate does no harm if only one parent is travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Family Holidays Antalya

How long should family holidays on the Turkish Riviera last?

Ten days with three bases is the honest rhythm: four nights to settle in at Antalya, then three each in Side and Alanya. Seven days works with only two places, Antalya and Side. Two weeks means more pool days, not more places, because children need repetition more than variety.

When is the best time to travel with children?

May, June and September, with 25 to 30 degrees, a bath-warm sea and prices well below the summer holidays. July and August are hot and crowded but doable if the outings are in the morning and the afternoon belongs to the pool. The Easter holidays in April are lovely, but the sea is only 18 degrees.

Do we need a hire car or are hotel excursions enough?

Hire car. Hotel excursions cost 150 to 250 francs a day for four people and follow the bus rhythm with shopping stops. An estate costs around CHF 40 (about EUR 43) per day, the drives are short and easy, and you go to the canyon or waterfall when the children are awake, not when the bus comes. Dolmuş also run between Side and Alanya, but they are a hassle with children and luggage.

What do the holidays cost per person?

Around CHF 1,390 (about EUR 1,490) per adult travelling as a couple in mid-range: flight 320, nine nights in a family room 500, food 320, hire car with child seats and fuel 250. Children pay almost the full flight but often sleep free in the family room, and entrance fees such as the aquarium and cable car are half price for children. Reckon with around CHF 4,200 for a family with two children.

Is Turkey safe and easy with children?

Yes, it is one of the most child-friendly countries there is. Children are admired and fed in restaurants and shops, hotels have cots and high chairs, and pharmacies are competent. The D400 is easy to drive, and the traffic in the towns is more loud than dangerous. Do not drink the tap water; ice cream and salad at the hotel are no problem.

Is there a shorter or longer version?

Shorter: only Antalya and Side in seven days with four plus three nights. Longer: three days in Kemer or Çıralı with the beach of Olympos before Antalya, which makes it two weeks. For children from eight, Cappadocia is also possible as an add-on, a one-hour flight from Antalya, with balloons in the morning and cave hotels that children love.

More itineraries through Turkey

Road trip · 10 days
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.
Cities & culture · 8 days
Turkey · 3 stops

Istanbul and Cappadocia

Istanbul · Cappadocia

The city on two continents and the fairy chimneys in one week: this route is the reason most people travel to Turkey for the first time, and it works entirely without a car.
Road trip · 12 days
Turkey · 5 stops

Aegean Round Trip

Izmir · Çeşme · Kuşadası · Pamukkale · Bodrum

Ancient cities, wine villages, travertine terraces and the most beautiful coves of the west coast in one loop from Izmir. Twelve days, five bases, around 800 kilometres on good roads.