Antalya area Holidays

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Holidays to the Antalya area are a mixed bag. Nature gave the Turkish Riviera pristine beaches and a rich green interior, while nurture gave it glamorous marinas and bespoke hotels.

Coastal scenery

Good looks are in the Antalya area’s genes. This region, in Turkey’s south-west corner, boasts a 400-mile sweep of white-sand beaches and secluded coves. And the coast is backed by olive groves, avocado plantations and the pine-clad Taurus Mountains.

Turkish Riviera

Over the years, nature has been given a helping hand, and the Antalya area is now one of Turkey’s most upmarket regions. In fact, it’s often referred to as the Turkish Riviera. In resorts like Side, the coastline is complemented by a yacht-filled marina and avenues of designer boutiques. In Belek, immaculate golf courses sidle up to the sand. And in Lara Beach and Kemer, hotels come with a luxury label.

Traditional Turkey

For all the Antalya area’s glamour, it’s easy to experience the region’s traditional side. In Antalya town, for example, the backstreets are brimming with bazaars, Ottoman architecture and restaurants serving up sizzling kebabs. Elsewhere, Side has its fair share of historical sites. The Roman baths, Byzantine basilica and Temple of Apollo are just the start of the story here.

Turkey’s southern sands

The shores of the Antalya area are strung with beaches. If you’re staying in Lara Beach or Belek, expect lively sweeps of coast freckled with cafés and watersports centres. In smaller towns like Kemer and Alanya, meanwhile, the pockets of sand are hemmed by forests and come with a little more towel space.
The big beach

Lara Beach tends to draw the biggest crowds in the area. The park behind the sand is prime barbecue and picnic territory, and family-sized benches are scattered among the pine trees. You can often buy bottles of water and freshly cut watermelon from locals looking to make a bit of cash.
The secret beach

Moonlight Beach in Kemer runs parallel to picturesque Moonlight Park – a huge expanse of pine and cedar trees. It’s a peaceful patch of sand, which tends to attract in-the-know locals rather than hordes of holidaymakers. Walk along the shore, and you’ll eventually come to a marina brimming with Turkish cafés and seafood restaurants.

Bargain Buys

The markets in the Antalya area are among the best in Turkey. Side’s Manavgat Market, which takes place on a Monday from 8am, is one of the biggest. Haggle your way around the leather, jewellery and clothes stalls, and you’ll find some great designer copies – in particular, wallets and handbags. Antalya Town’s Saturday Bazaar, meanwhile, is the place to head for fruit and veg in every colour of the rainbow.
Mid-Range Buys

For bespoke jewellery and ornaments, don’t miss the Sunday Folks Bazaar in Kemer – you’ll find it opposite the bus terminal. Over in Belek, there are a good number of stores offering quality embroidery and furnishings. For something that’ll remind you of your trip, pick up a hippy-esque dream catcher or a necklace adorned with the symbolic evil eye – Turkish residents swear it wards off bad spirits.
Designer Buys

For the best jewellery stores and big-name fashion outlets, Antalya town’s Konyaalti Caddesi and Isiklar Caddesi avenues hit the mark. Over in Lara Beach, you’ll find glossy shopping malls like the Laura Market, which heaves with high-end department stores and designer boutiques.

Laid-back evenings

Antalya town’s old quarter knows a thing or two about romantic nights out. Stroll down any of the cobbled paths within the vast castle walls and you’ll come across tavernas turning out giant platters of meze by candlelight. Lara Beach and Belek are pretty sedate, too, with a handful of bars, hotel shows and acoustic singers providing the bulk of the after-dark entertainment.
Lively evenings

Side leads the way when it comes to nightlife in the Antalya area. The nightclubs lining its harbour don’t close until the early hours. For stylish cocktail bars and a buzzy atmosphere, meanwhile, check out the harbour-side joints in Alanya. Casablanca and The Doors are popular haunts, with the latter known for its live rock music.

Gozleme

This is the Turkey’s answer to a Cornish pasty. Hand-rolled pastry is stuffed with fried aubergines and cooked over a griddle, before being served with dollops of cool, creamy yoghurt. There are tonnes of variations of the dish – other popular fillings include spinach, feta cheese and mushrooms.
Mussels

Unsurprisingly, seafood is a mainstay on menus across the Antalya area. You’ll be able to sample everything from barbecued swordfish to lemon-soaked calamari while you’re here. A popular Turkish seafood dish is freshly plucked mussels, stuffed with pine nuts, herbed rice and currants.
Testi kebab

You can’t visit Turkey without getting your teeth into a sizzling kebab, and this is the Antalya area’s twist on the national classic. Tender chunks of lamb, crunchy peppers and juicy tomatoes are sealed in a jar and cooked over hot coals, and then the jar is cracked open and prepared for serving.
Piyaz

Piyaz is made from beans, hard-boiled eggs and vegetables, all of which are tossed together with onion, parsley and sumac. Traditionally, it’s served as a meze dish, but in the Antalya area, it’s often offered as a main course along with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Raki

It’s rumoured that Greeks knock back around 60 million litres of raki a year. This clear brandy is made from grapes and raisins, and it’s flavoured with anise, which gives it a liquorice-like taste. Sip the sticky liquid slowly after your main meal to aid digestion.

Places To Stay In Antalya Area View all places to stay

Alanya

The city of Alanya, on Turkey’s southwest coast, grew up around a fortified harbour and castle. These Medieval buildings are perched on a rocky peninsula that splits the town’s sandy beach into two. A cosmopolitan mix of lively bars runs along the waterfront and you’re an easy drive to the area’s top sights, too – the Roman ruins at Side and the famous waterfalls at Manavgat.

Kemer

Town, country, beach, mountains – this resort in southwest Turkey has got a bit of everything. In the centre, you’ve got boutiques, bazaars and bars, together with a chic marina moored with jet setters’ yachts. While further out, there are Roman ruins and national parks. Make tracks for Mount Olympos, and you can catch a cable car to its peak for a panoramic view of it all.

Belek

Belek is the Beverly Hills of the Turkish Riviera, drawing an exclusive international crowd to its shores. The beachfront is a parade of upmarket hotels and exclusive restaurants, backed by golf courses. And behind these undulating fairways are the tree-lined boulevards of Belek town, where there’s plenty in the way of cafés and shops, plus a thriving bazaar on Saturdays.

AT A GLANCE

Tuck into fresh seafood in Side’s upmarket marina
Wander around Alanya’s Medieval castle
Hike through the region's pine-cloaked countryside

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Weather

TEMPERATURE (°C)RAINFALL (mm)

WHEN TO GO

The Antalya area basks in hot sunshine in the summer, with temperatures hitting average highs of 33°C during July and August. It’s lovely and warm in spring and autumn, too, with the mercury hovering around the 24˚C mark.

Latest Deals

Price per person

Kentia Apartments, Side 11 June 2019, 3 nights London Stansted

£ 256
Self Catering
Sun Beach Hotel, Side 18 June 2019, 3 nights London Stansted

£ 304
All Inclusive

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Things To Do View all

Side International Culture and Art Festival

Side's summer festival is more Glyndebourne than Glastonbury. It puts on free, open-air concerts by international musicians…
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Get active on Belek’s beach

Belek beach goes to town on its watersports. There’s an energetic line-up of water-skiing, wakeboarding and jet-skiing, though…
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Mix it up on the dining front

In Belek, most of the places to eat are in the hotels. The good news is they’re open to all and the food is top notch, from…
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Imagine ancient Perge

Before he hit the road back in 46AD, St Paul gave his first sermon in Perge. And while it’ll take a bit of imagination to…
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Hike the Koprulu Canyon

Threading through the mountainous Koprulu National Park, this 14-kilometre canyon lies just north of Belek. Don your hiking…
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Have a night in at Belek

Staying in is the new going out. At least it is in Belek, where the nightlife revolves around the hotels. Most have cabaret…
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Scale Alanya’s ancient fortress

Alanya’s castle is an unmissable landmark, and well worth a closer look. The fortress walls up to it are studded with 140…
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Get a history fix in Side

The Time Team crew would have a field day in Side – it may be a modern town, but beneath the glossy exterior it’s stacked…
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Top 5 resorts in Antalya Area

1

Alanya
2

Belek
3

Kemer
4

Lara Beach
5

Manavgat

Top 5 hotels in Antalya Area

1

Liberty Hotels Lara Beach

From £629
2

TUI MAGIC LIFE Waterworld

From £604
3

TUI BLUE Palm Garden

From £547
4

Hotel Baia Lara

From £630
5

Eftalia Aqua Resort

From £580

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Antalya area Holidays

Coastal scenery

Turkish Riviera

Traditional Turkey

Things to See and Do in Antalya area

Turkey’s southern sands

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Gozleme

Mussels

Testi kebab

Piyaz

Raki

Places To Stay In Antalya Area View all places to stay »

Alanya

Kemer

Belek

AT A GLANCE

Weather

WHEN TO GO

Latest Deals

Things To Do View all »

Top 5 resorts in Antalya Area

Top 5 hotels in Antalya Area

Where we go in Antalya Area Show on a map »

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