Antalya Travel Guide — Kaleiçi, Aspendos, Perge & the Roman Coast

This Antalya travel guide covers Kaleiçi old town, Aspendos, Perge and the Düden waterfalls, how Antalya fits a Turkey itinerary, what a private cultural trip costs and when to go.

Last updated: June 2026 · Reviewed by Fatih, TFT Founder · TURSAB-licensed tour operator

Why Antalya Matters — a Roman Coast Behind the Beaches

Most visitors know Antalya as a beach-resort city, but its real depth is the layer underneath: a walled Ottoman old town, some of the finest Roman ruins in Turkey and a first-rate archaeological museum. Kaleiçi, the historic core, sits inside Roman walls around a horseshoe harbour, with Hadrian’s Gate still standing from AD 130. Out on the plain are Aspendos, the best-preserved Roman theatre anywhere, and Perge, a sprawling Greco-Roman city. For travellers who want history rather than a sun-lounger, Antalya is the cultural high point of Turkey’s south coast.

We run Antalya as the Mediterranean leg of our 10-day private Turkey tour and 14-day private Turkey tour, never as a beach-package stop. Guests are based in Kaleiçi, a short walk from the harbour and the gate, and a licensed guide handles the Aspendos and Perge ruins, the museum and the Düden waterfalls. It links naturally to Cappadocia and the Aegean by short domestic flights.

Prefer a ready-made plan? Plan My Private Antalya Tour — a proposal with the right base in the old town, ruin timing and a quoted starting price arrives within 24 hours.

Our 2-Day Antalya Cultural Itinerary

This is how we run the Antalya leg on our 10-day and 14-day private tours — two nights in Kaleiçi, the old town one day and the great ruins the next.

With an extra half-day, we add the mountain ruins of Termessos or the Kurşunlu waterfalls nature park.

Antalya-Inclusive Tour Packages

Antalya is not sold as a standalone tour — it is the Mediterranean leg of our longer private circuits. Starting-from prices are per person, twin share, and include private transfers, domestic flights, a licensed guide and every entry ticket.

Top 8 Things to Do in Antalya

1. Kaleiçi Old Town

Half a day. Antalya’s restored Ottoman quarter, a maze of wooden mansions, boutique hotels and cafes inside the old Roman walls, wrapped around a horseshoe harbour. Walkable end to end, with Hadrian’s Gate, the Kesik Minaret and the clock tower along the way.

2. Aspendos Roman Theatre

1.5 hours. Built in the 2nd century AD and still used for concerts, Aspendos is the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world, with its full stage wall intact and seating for 7,000. Half an hour east of the city; the acoustics from the top row are remarkable.

3. Perge Ancient City

1.5 hours. A vast Greco-Roman city with a long colonnaded street, a stadium, Roman baths and a monumental gate. Many of the statues in the Antalya museum were dug up here. Open and sunny, so it’s best in the morning.

4. Antalya Archaeological Museum

1–1.5 hours. One of Turkey’s finest museums, with Roman statues, sarcophagi and the gods of Perge displayed hall by hall. A cool, shaded stop that makes sense before or after the ruins.

5. Düden Waterfalls

45 minutes. Two sets of falls on the Düden river; the lower falls plunge straight off a cliff into the Mediterranean, best seen from a short boat trip or the clifftop park. An easy, scenic break between the ruins.

6. Hadrian’s Gate

20 minutes. A three-arched marble gate built for the emperor Hadrian’s visit in AD 130, the grand entrance into Kaleiçi. One of the best-preserved Roman gates in Anatolia, and a natural start to the old-town walk.

7. Kurşunlu Waterfalls Nature Park

1 hour. A shaded waterfall and walking trails in pine forest a short drive from the city, with a pool and a small canyon. A calm, green alternative to the open ruins on a hot day.

8. Termessos Mountain City (optional)

2–3 hours. A dramatic ruined city high in the Taurus mountains, never conquered by Alexander the Great, with a theatre perched over a gorge. It involves an uphill walk, so we add it for travellers who want the wildest of the ancient sites.

Honest tip — culture over coast. If history is what you’re after, stay in Kaleiçi, not the Belek or Lara resort strips. The resorts are built for beach packages and sit a 45-minute drive from the old town and the ruins; Kaleiçi puts you a short walk from Hadrian’s Gate, the harbour and the best restaurants.

Honest tip — heat and timing. The big ruins at Aspendos and Perge have no shade, so in summer we start by 07:30 and keep the museum for the afternoon. Pack SPF 50+, a hat and water, and wear closed shoes for the uneven Roman paving.

When to Visit — Antalya Travel Guide by Season

Antalya gets around 300 days of sunshine, but the open ruins have no shade, so cultural timing matters. April–May and September–October are the sweet spots.

Antalya fills quickly as the Mediterranean leg of our multi-day tours. Travelling in the spring or autumn windows? Message us early to lock in flights and old-town hotels. Check Antalya Tour Availability →

Where to Stay in Antalya — Kaleiçi, Not Belek

For culture-focused travellers we recommend Kaleiçi every time. It puts you within a short walk of Hadrian’s Gate, the Roman harbour, the old-town mosques and dozens of restaurants. We do not book the Belek or Lara resort zones on our cultural itineraries — they are built for beach packages and sit a 45-minute drive from the historic centre.

Kaleiçi Architecture & Local Dining

Kaleiçi itself is the architecture stop: a dense quarter of 18th- and 19th-century Ottoman wooden mansions, many now restored as boutique hotels and restaurants, threaded between Roman walls, Seljuk minarets and the old harbour. A slow wander is half the pleasure of Antalya.

Local Dining in Antalya

Food here is Mediterranean and citrus-bright. Expect grilled fish and meze on the harbour, piyaz (the local white-bean salad), şiş köfte and the candied fruits Antalya is known for, with oranges and pomegranates from the surrounding plain. There are dozens of family-run places in Kaleiçi, and our guides book a table near each day’s route so a meal never eats into your ruin time.

Before You Arrive — Antalya Travel Tips

Footwear & Clothing

You walk uneven Roman paving at Aspendos and Perge and cobbles in Kaleiçi, so closed-toe shoes are best. Light, breathable clothes suit the warm months; a light layer helps on winter evenings. No special dress is needed except to cover shoulders and knees inside the old-town mosques.

Sun Protection

The big ruins are open and shadeless, so SPF 50+, a hat and sunglasses matter, with at least a litre of water per person in summer. Early-morning visits are far more comfortable and far less crowded.

Getting Around

Antalya airport (AYT) is about 20 minutes from Kaleiçi, and the old town is walkable once you’re there. The ruins are spread across the plain, so a private vehicle and guide make the difference between one easy day and a long one. We handle all of it on tour.

Tipping

Restaurant tip: 10–15%. Guides: USD 20–40 per day per family. Drivers: USD 10–20 per day. Hotel housekeeping: USD 5–10 per night.

Our Antalya-Inclusive Private Tours

• 10-Day Private Turkey Tour — Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and the Antalya coast, all domestic flights included, with two nights in Kaleiçi. From USD 3,490 pp. The natural way to add Antalya to a full Turkey trip.
• 14-Day Private Turkey Tour — the whole country at an unhurried pace, adding Gallipoli and more of the Mediterranean coast around Antalya. From USD 4,450 pp.

Antalya Tours — Frequently Asked Questions

Plan Your Antalya Culture Trip with Turkey Family Tours

At Turkey Family Tours, we have built the southern leg of Turkey itineraries for 1,200+ families who wanted the ruins and the old town rather than a resort. Share your dates through the Plan My Trip form — within 24 hours we return a fully costed proposal with a base in Kaleiçi, ruin timing for Aspendos and Perge, and domestic flights included.

Before & After Antalya — the Southern Link

Antalya sits on Turkey’s south coast, reached by a short domestic flight, so it slots in after the Aegean and Cappadocia near the end of a longer trip.

• Before — Cappadocia: a short flight south to Antalya after the balloons and valleys. See the Cappadocia Travel Guide.
• Before — the Aegean: Ephesus and the Pamukkale terraces sit west of Antalya and pair naturally with it on a longer loop. See the Ephesus Travel Guide and the Pamukkale Travel Guide.
• Within — the full circuit: Antalya is the Mediterranean leg of the 10-day private Turkey tour from USD 3,490 pp and the 14-day tour from USD 4,450 pp.

Planning a full Turkey trip? Start with the master Turkey travel guide, then tell us your dates and we will place Antalya in the right spot on your route.