Antalya holidays

Holidays to Antalya take you to an historic city on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. You get a Byzantine old town, beaches backed by mountains, and an eclectic nightlife with open-air clubs.

Turkish Riviera

The city of Antalya, on the lively Turkish Riviera, comes with a cosmopolitan vibe. The promenade buzzes with chic bars and the modern marina has a host of seafood restaurants. There’s an old town, too, filled with a mix of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman architecture along with bustling bazaars. As for the beach, you’ve got a 15-kilometre stretch along this coastline.

Beach life

Antalya’s city charm is boosted by Konyaalti Beach, a sand-and-shingle stretch that’s hugged by mountains and filled with watersports. It’s 5 minutes’ drive away and you can get there by tram or by jumping on a dolmus mini bus. Lara Beach is further afield, at 40 minutes, though it offers one of Turkey’s longest stretches of sand.

Old town atmosphere

Antalya’s old town is known as Kaleici, which starts at the triple-arched Hadrian’s Gate, a Roman ruin from the 2nd century. Inside, everything is within 10 minutes’ walk. There’s Saat Kulesi, a tall clock tower with views of the Roman harbour below, and the Kesik Minare, an old minaret, built on top of a Roman temple in 1207.

Waterfalls and Roman ruins

The Upper Duden Waterfalls are one of the area’s most famous sights. Set in a park 25 minutes’ drive away, there are railed paths that take you up close to the 20-metre-high falls. Or at the Roman ruins at Perge, half-an-hour away, there are tours of the acropolis and old bathing houses. And in an hour you can be at Aspendos, site of one of the world’s best-preserved Roman amphitheatres.