The large city of Antalya is a gateway to the beaches on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. As we found though, there are many great sites in the surrounding area as well as within the city limits. So, don’t head for the beach right away. We think you should plan to stay for a couple of days to explore the best day trips from Antalya.
As with much of Turkey, the land around Antalya is a treasure trove of historic sites left by the previous inhabitants of this land. We began by exploring the ruins of Greco-Roman cities before venturing to see natural waterfalls that are only a short trip outside of the city.
Aspendos
The main feature of this 2nd century city is its theater. Considered to be the best-preserved Roman theatre in all of Turkey, this 2,000 year-old building is in remarkable condition. Part of the reason for this is that it has been continuously used and maintained since the Middle Ages. The acoustics are said to be exceptional so that even the top row can easily hear what is said on stage. We can attest to that since we overheard conversations taking place on the main floor when were in the top row of seats.
The theatre takes advantage of its mountainside location so that the seating not only climbs the slope, but those near the top get a great view of the surrounding mountains. If you don’t have a mountain view, you can admire the six-story stone wall that was once decorated with statues. It’s lovely today, but must have been gorgeous at the time.
It is so attractive in fact that one legend says that Marcus Aurelius vowed to give his daughter as payment to whomever built the most beautiful building in Aspendos. When Aurelius couldn’t decide between the newly built theatre and aqueducts, the leader said he would divide his daughter between the two architects. The theatre designer, backed away from the deal saying his daughter was too beautiful to be divided. This answer gave Aurelius the the information he needed to realize that the theatre’s architect truly loved his daughter, so she was given to him.
It is a beautiful open-air theatre and think it would be a great venue to see an opera or concert.
In addition to the theatre there are a few remains of the Roman city on the hill above the theatre including parts of the aqueduct. Most are in ruins however, and if it wasn’t for the theatre, it may not be worth a trip to Aspendos.
Entrance fee – 340 TRY ($11 USD) (As of Autumn 2023), Opening Hours – 8am-8pm
Getting to Aspendos – If you don’t have your own car it is a bit complicated to reach by public transit but if you use the MoovIt app it’s fairly straightforward. From Old Town Antalya, it will involve a tram, bus and minibus or taxi. The tram and buses take Visa, or you can buy a reloadable AntalyaKart.
Perge
Not far from Antalya is another ancient city. Perge was initially established by the Lycians during the Bronze Age, but was later controlled by the Greeks and then the Romans. As a result, the remains of this ancient city include mostly Roman artifacts, but there are a few remnants from the Greeks.
Outside the city walls is a large stadium with seating for 12,000. Built in the 2nd century, it is said to be the most intact stadium in all of Turkey. Below it we found the remains of stables that would have been used during the gladiator days.
Also outside the city walls is the theatre. Although not in as good condition as the Aspendos Theatre, it is still a great site. Wrapped around the side of the stage are friezes representing wars between the gods and giants.
The theatre is across the street from the main site, so don’t lose your ticket when walking between them.
Once inside the city walls we were surprised at how planned this city appeared to be. Although it is in ruins, marble and granite columns still line the city’s three main streets. This allows you to visualize how it may have once looked. Some columns still have their elaborate Corinthian capitals on their tops.
One of the most impressive features in the city is the 5-6th century mosaic flooring still visible in one of the buildings. In addition to this, some of the elevated sidewalks still have the remains of ceramic tiles. These tiles indicate that they were sidewalks for foot traffic and not roads where chariots would travel.
At the end of one street is a beautifully carved nymphaeum, water nymph, in front of a long pool. If you wander around the ruins you can still find quite a few roman baths, aqueducts and fountains. Scattered on the ground are pieces of walls with beautiful relief carvings. Seeing what’s left of this city made us wish we could go back in time to see it at its best. It must have been spectacular.
Entrance fee – 250 TRY ($8.25) (As of Autumn 2023); Opening Hours – 8am – 8pm
How to get to Perge – The historical site is located 23 km from Antalya. If you have a car take Highway D400 for a quick drive. It’s also quite easy to reach by tram and you can find the route on MoovIt app. The tram and buses take Visa, or you can buy a reloadable AntalyaKart.
It’s possible to visit Perge and Aspendos on the same day, even by public transit.
Düden waterfalls
The Düden River has two falls that are worth visiting.
Düden Upper Falls – Located in a nature park, the upper falls are surrounded by tall, green cliffs and drop into a calm pond about 20 m below. A short, easy walk takes from the park ‘s entrance to edge of the pond where you have nice views of the falls. From there you can also climb up through a cave to see them from above. This route is wet and slippery though, so be careful.
The park is a bit of a spectacle with a lot of vendors selling food and trinkets. There are even photographers offering to take your picture with their pet parrot. It was surprising that the park was much busier than the fantastic historical sites that are not far away. Even with this busy atmosphere, it is a nice waterfall to visit.
Entrance Fee – 60 TRY ($2 USD); Opening Hours – 9am to 7:30pm
Getting to Düden Upper Waterfall – If you don’t have a car you can reach the upper falls by taking bus 66 or dolmuş MK80 from Antalya’s Old Town.
Düden Lower Falls – After being impressed by the upper falls we went to the coast to watch Düden River plunge into the Mediterranean Sea. At this end it forms a lovely waterfall that splits into at least 10 separate channels as it cascades over to cliff. There are a few spots in Düden Park that allow excellent sight lines of the falls. For those who want a closer look you can take a 2-hour cruise in a pirate ship from Antalya’s Harbour.
Entry is free. The viewpoint is in Düden Park which is accessible 24 hours a day.
Kurşunlu Falls
If you’re visiting Antalya during the spring, this may be a nice spot. A tall cliff covered in greenery has a few separate cascades falling off its top. When we visited in the autumn though, the waterfall was quite dry.
Entrance Fee – 28 TRY ($1 USD); Opening Hours 8:30 am – 6:45 pm
Getting to Kurşunlu Falls – You can reach the falls from Old Town Antalya by metro and minibus (dolmuş) or from Perge by dolmuş. The tram and minibuses take Visa, or you can buy a reloadable AntalyaKart.
Antalya
Antalya is the largest city in the region and we had planned to spend as little time as possible there. As it turned out though, it has a charming Old Town with a beautiful harbour so we extended our stay and enjoyed our time in Antalya.
The city sits on the edge of the Mediterranean and was once a Roman settlement before being controlled by the Seljuks and then Ottoman. As a result there are a few historical sites from the different reigning Empires.
Roman Harbour
The best feature of Antalya is its historical harbour. Dubbed Roman Harbour for the Roman wall that provides a backdrop. Today the busy harbour is filled with tour boats with small cafes along its perimeter. The best views of this great spot are either from the Roman seawall that protects the port, or from viewpoints on the cliffs high above.
Across the bay are the peaks of the Western Taurus Mountains.
Beside the harbour is Mermerli Beach. It isn’t really a beach, but rather a bunch of sun chairs on wooden platforms in the water. It was very busy and unappealing to us.
Yivli Minaret Mosque
The fluted Yivli Minaret was converted from a church tower to a minaret by the Seljuk Dynasty in 1230. We first encountered their architecture when we visited Erzurum and then again in Konya. The minaret is important to the city’s identity and is the symbol of Antalya. The tall brick tower originally had blue tiles, as decoration but now are most gone. Beside it is the oldest multi-domed mosque in the city, but it is 130 years younger than the minaret. The surrounding vegetation makes it difficult to see, but you can just spot the old domes between the trees.
Beside the minaret are a few buildings that demonstrate how diverse the dynasties were that ruled Antalya. The Seljuk built Dervish Lodge Museum is a stone building with domed roofs and is beside a conical roofed tomb. Next door are two towers that are the remains of the Roman city wall. We caught a picture of one tower as an old city tram passed by.
Hadrian’s Gate
One of the original entrances to the old city was Hadrian’s Gate. It is a lovely three-arched gate which has parts of the city wall on either side. The gate was built in the 2nd century BCE to mark the visit of Emperor Hadrian to Antalya. Sections were rebuilt by the Seljuks much later. As we found out it’s a favourite spot for selfie-takers so patience may be required to take a picture without anyone posing in front of it.
Old Town
Above the Roman Harbour is where you’ll find the majority of Old Town (Kaleiçi). Stoll along the cobblestone streets that meander their way between historic Ottoman stone mansions and roman ruins. Most of the old mansions now have new fronts and are used by boutique hotels, cafes and pubs.
Lara Beach
If you’ve come to Antalya for the beaches, you’ll likely think you want to visit Lara Beach. Although we aren’t real beach goers, we thought we should check out this popular sport. Unfortunately, it was quite disappointing. It was our first Turkish beach and is covered in very coarse, granular sand and a lot of litter.
The best part for us was seeing a part of Turkish life. Beside the beach, barbecue pits and picnic tables were filled with families sharing a meal on a Sunday afternoon.
Getting to Antalya
The large city of Antalya has one of the busiest international airports in Turkey. The city is also easily reached from major cities in Turkey by bus. The airport and bus station are both quite far from Old Town but you can take a tram that goes right to İsmetpaşa Station in Old Town.
Getting around Antalya
Public trams, buses and minibuses are very easy and efficient to get to most sites in the city. Purchase a one-time use or reloadable AntalyaKart that is valid on all public buses and trams.
When to Visit
April to November are the best months to visit, but July and August will be very hot and busy with tourists.
Where to Stay and Eat in Antalya
Most of the tourist hotels and restaurants are located in or near Old Town. The streets across from the Dervish Lodge Museum have a lot of shops and restaurants. It’s very close to the tourist zone, but seemed to be used more by locals than tourists.
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To read more of our adventures in Turkey, click here.
Coming Next – The Best of Kaş
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85 responses to “Best Day Trips From Antalya”
Your travelogues are fabulous, Maggie!
Thank you Indira!! Maggie
J’ai visité Antalya il y a des années, c’est éblouissant
C’est magnifique n’est-ce pas?! Maggie
Another excellent informative post. The old city of Perge especially appealed to me, I love to walk in a place like that and imagine everyone who has walked there before me 🙂
So do I and Perge is an easy one to let your imagination take over 😊
Such a beautiful variety to see! I always forget how much land the Romans conquered. I’d love to see a concert or play in one of their old theaters. I love the waterfalls too, great shots!
Their area was massive. You’ll be seeing a lot of Roman ruins for the rest of our Turkey posts, they had a strong foothold there for many centuries. 😊
Ah now we’re in more familiar territory! We visited most of these places, in fact looking at the photos of Aspendos theatre and aqueduct is like flicking back through our own posts! Unfortunately we didn’t see much of Antalya itself though – it was our next destination when Erdogan shut everything down for COVID, in November’20. You’re right though, Aspendos and Perge absolutely set the mind reeling, and picturing just what life was like in the heyday of these cities, they must have been proud, majestic places.
Perge was the first Roman ruin we saw in Turkey that really still looked like a city. We found it so fascinating that we seemed to go through all of the chapters in history as we travelled through the museum of Turkey.
I would visit here mainly for the archeological relics and architecture. Also, it would be lovely to see a performance at the Aspendos theatre.
It would be an amazing venue for a concert. 😊
Thank you for this fascinating article and its wonderful images: you have made me revisit places I visited a few years ago
Thank you Luisa!! Maggie
As ever, you’re more than welcome, dear Maggie
The 2,000 year old theatre in Aspendos is amazing and so are the ruins in Perge. Lara Beach was such a contrast, but beautiful and clean. The Roman Harbour and Kurşunlu Falls-lovely! This was a wonderful photographic tour of this part of Turkey! 🙂
Thanks Nancy, there’s so much to see in Turkey. Glad you’re enjoying our tour 🙂 Maggie
I love the sight of the striking theatre. This a truly marvellous place and such a well-preserved structure for its age, a real treat for those who love exploring ancient ruins and learning about the past. Just by looking at your photos, I can almost feel the golden ages, wealth and splendour of the Roman Period. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day, Mggie xx
The Greeks and Romans did have a way of flaunting their wealth didn’t they. You can just imagine how they must have looked at the time. Thanks Aiva! Maggie
Turkey’s wonders never end!
Oh my goodness – the amphitheatre is truly something special. Wow – and ooks like you had it to yourselves. The waterfall also looks stunning, and the roman harbour is also picturesque. As always, thank you for showing us so many off the main tourist trail spots to explore!
This one too was in spam! It was amazing that such incredible sites were basically empty. So much to see in Turkey spreads out the tourists I guess! 🙂
What a fabulous location for Aspendos theatre. I think we did once consider Antalya as a holiday destination. Not for the beaches, but the old town looks charming. As usual you’ve done all the work, finding the best spots for us, Maggie.
Antalya is a great city close to many historical sites. We’re glad we gave time to explore. Maybe you’ll still make it there 😊
while scrolling down i had to ask myself where everybody be at? but getting to the bottom, i sees they all abandoned the theatre in favour of the beach 😉
🎭 v 🏖️
-✧✦☆❖◈❋✤☆✦-∞-♡-∞-✦☆✤❋◈❖☆✦✧-
Yes, exactly. We couldn’t believe it, but I guess there are so many Roman ruins in Turkey, that the locals don’t bother with them 🙂
Bonus! At least then you got the place to yourself Maggie!
Yes it was amazing!!!
This was so interesting and your photos are gorgeous. What a beautiful place to visit.
Thank you, we really enjoyed Antalya. Thanks for your comments 🙂 Maggie
Such history and beauty in those countries. The theatre is not unlike the Roman Colosseum. As for the brown sand, I’m used to that. I my country Jamaica we have certain parts of the island with white sand and others with brown. I grew up in the parts with brown, so I’ve come to love it. Great trip!
It was more the coarse, muddy sand and litter that turned us off, but we’re not huge beach goers anyway. The historical places made up for it though 😊
What a great virtual tour, Maggie!! Beautiful pictures!!
Thanks Jypthi!!
Even though I travelled extensively through Turkey I am still astonished at the range of historical ruins and artifacts. It is so culturally rich and a true crossroads of modern and ancient. Very enjoyable post. Cheers.
What a great assortment of places to pop off to in the area with the variety of a little of everything. I am always so amazed by Roman ruins and how well they must have been built to last for so long. Beautiful coasts, charming towns, and fantastic architecture- it seems Turkey is the place to be 🙂
It is a great city that is so close to so many fabulous spots. Turkey has an endless supply of amazing places 😊
So interesting, Maggie. I wonder what treasures will be left from us thousands of years from now. Will our construction and craftmanship hold up?
I know, I doubt they’ll look as fabulous as the ancient ones, but I guess maybe the first computer will be fascinating 😊
Thank you for this great travel adventure journal account to a great list of superb locations.
Düden Park looks amazing. The waterfalls are gorgeous! Did I read that right? A trip down the lower river is courtesy of a two hour cruise on a Pirate ship? How fun!!
The Roman Beach photos are spectacular.
Just a general observation/question.. Any thoughts on why this area even their ruins are so well preserved? Two millinea old mosaics and tiles are usual very hard to identify. These items were in spectacular shape not to mention the Theatre and Roman Baths.
As always a great and informative read. I enjoyed it very much much. Thank you Maggie.
Yes you did read that correctly! A pirate ship cruise! I guess pirates were quite prevalent here so they’ve carried on the tradition and decorate their tour boats as pirate ships.
I think most of these sites are still in quite good condition because they were abandoned and covered in earth rather than ransacked and burnt to the ground by enemies. Just wait until you some of the mosaic floors we found in other sites!
That’s awesome to keep up the tradition.
Okay, that makes perfect sense, I will look forward to the mosaics in other areas. Thanks again Maggie. Great sharing as always.
As always a wonderful post! I love the mix of history and also some nature with the waterfalls. X
Thanks Anna, it’s funny that it wasn’t more busy, but everyone heads straight to the beach. Somehow this comment was in my spam folder. WP Games!!
WOW Maggie. You never cease to amaze us with your awe-inspiring photos and narration from your travels. Delightful!!! 😍📸😘
Thanks Kym!! There are so many amazing places in Turkey we were awestruck much of the time 😊 Have a great weekend!
Awesome. You too have an adventurous, and FANtabulous weekend Maggie! Cheers! 🥂🥰💖
Wow!! That Roman theatre in Aspendos looks magnificent! It’s incredible how engineers from the past could build something with such good acoustics. The great views were certainly a big plus. As for Perge, I wonder why the ancient structures seem to be not too well-maintained given the spectacular remains of the city.
I know, why can’t they built amazing acoustics in all of the theaters today if they could do it 2000 years ago! I think Perge had more invasions from Arabs before it was abandoned and that might be why it doesn’t have much left.
Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome 😊
Looks like there’s a nice range of options of day trips from Antalya depending on your interests whether it be exploring Roman ruins, chasing waterfalls, or enjoying the views of the water. Your pictures are beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Linda
There’s quite a bit to do, it’s too bad most people head for the beaches. Thanks Linda!
The old town is spectacular. Plus, if you need, I dunno, a tissue or something, and you don’t have one, you just reach out your window and borrow one from the neighbor across the street!
I know I’m viewing it from a 21st century lens, but the Marcus Aurelius legend has me steaming: It’s important that his daughter go to the one guy because he clearly loves her so much, but he treats his daughter as property. Not very loving, dad! 😠
I know! I was really tempted to rewrite the legend!! And today they are cute Boutique hotels where you can share tissues with guests in the next hotel 😊
Oh, almost forgot. That amphitheater is FABULOUS! Makes Rome’s Colosseum look like a pile of rocks. Just kidding, but only sorta.
It is fabulous!
Another stellar post Maggie. There is so much history in this part of the world. I do agree with you on the platform beach. Looks like a money making operation, to be sure. Have a great Saturday. Allan
Turkey is one big museum, thanks for reading Allan 😊
There’s more to see in Antalya than I thought. Thank you for these suggestions.
You’re welcome. We were also surprised by everything there is to see. 😊
A wonderful post, Maggie. This is a stunningly beautiful part of the world and so rich in history.
Thanks Leighton, there are so many treasures in Turkey! Maggie
Very interesting to read your views about Antalya Maggie as my previous thoughts were that it wasn’t somewhere that we would enjoy visiting and it would be too touristy for us. However, reading your post I’ll have to think again as it would make a good base for touring the region.
The theatre is gorgeous! Great suggestions.
Your Turkey posts are making me want to visit Turkey more and more…
Keep it in mind, there’s lots to see in Turkey!
These all look fabulous!
We didn’t do any day trips from Antalya, (but we did stay in the old town and explored there a bit, as well as the museum), so I enjoyed this look at some of what we missed. Perge reminded me very much of Ephesus, and of the ruins of a Roman city in Jordan. Lara Beach looks, um, pretty bleak.
Alison
We visited Perge before Ephesus which is good because it’s a great site, but nothing like Ephesus. Antalya’s Old Town is lovely isn’t it?! The beaches though, well their not Brazil or Australia 😊
Really enjoy visiting old stone structures – will just sit there and think about what it was like in its prime.
More amazing sites. Thanks 🙂
Thanks Rosaliene!
We too enjoyed our visits to Aspendos and Perge from Antalya. We also enjoyed our visit to Antalya Museum. Did not visit the old city.
There’s a reason it’s such a popular area isn’t there ?! Maggie
I visited Aspendos and Antalya some 10 years ago and had a great time, so I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. I remember being amazed at how intact the amphitheatre was, it’s spectacular. I didn’t get to Perge, but it also looks a really interesting place to visit.
Glad to take you back. There are so many great things to see in Turkey aren’t there ?!
[…] things to see on day trips from Kaş. Many can be done from other nearby cities and towns such as Antalya and Fethiye, but we’re glad we based ourselves out of […]
Maggie, a stupendous article and I loved the fascinating historical elements (those amphitheatres are incredible), the visit to the stunning falls, the harbour, the beach … thank you for this fully immersive tour of Turkey. I’m off to book a ticket!! 😀
Thanks Annika, there are so many amazing places to visit in Turkey. Antalya has a little bit of everything and is a great start 😊
[…] excellent day-trip adventure is to hike along the coast. There are many Lycian ruins between Antalya and Fethiye and a 520 km (320 mile) hike take you to many of them. You can do the entire Lycian Way […]
[…] Coming Next – Best Day Trips From Antalya […]
Stellar photography. How many nights do you recommend staying here?
This is great! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Wow, such wonderful descriptions and photos! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, this is a great part of Turkey. Thanks for your comment, Maggie