This beautiful coastal city has flourished in recent years, attracting visitors who previously passed through en route to the Turkish Riviera. Antalya has preserved its historic district, Kaleiçi, whose backstreets are lined with magnificent Ottoman-era mansions and remains dating back to the Emperor Hadrian. Its Roman harbour has been modernised over the years, with a well-balanced mix of the old and new.

Climate & best time to visit Turkey

Turkey is a huge country, and its climate varies widely from region to region as well as seasonally. For sightseeing holidays to Istanbul and the most important ancient and medieval sights, and for active walking holidays, the best times to visit are spring (April-May) and autumn (October-early November) when days are generally warm and sunny but not uncomfortably hot. Rainy spells and cloudy days are possible, however, in spring and autumn, so the best months for a sun-and-sea holiday on the Aegean or Mediterranean coast are June to end September. Resort areas are most crowded from June until the end of August.

Telephone/mobile phone

International dialling code: +90

Telephone

Making calls with a public telephone requires either a telephone card or special tokens (“jettons”). They are available at post offices and kiosks.

Mobile Phone

GSM 900/1800. Using your own mobile phone with a SIM card from your home country may result in high roaming fees. It is more affordable to use Turkish SIM cards; they are available for purchase from several shop. The primary network operators are Turkcell (turkcell.com.tr), Aycell Aria (avea.com.tr), and Telsim Mobil Telekomuniksyon (telsim.com.tr).

Key Areas

The Old Town, Kaleiçi, has a plethora of shops along its narrow streets, selling everything from jewellery to electronic goods. The old harbour, Ataturk Boulevard and Konyaaltı Beach are other key areas, with souvenir shops, department stores and modern malls.

Markets

Antalya has several local fruit and vegetable markets. The best traditional bazaar is İki Kapılar Hanı, in old Kaleiçi; mainly aimed at tourists nowadays, it’s still brimming with atmosphere and worth browsing the crowded archways. It’s open daily until late.

People greet one another with a handshake. Turkish people are very hospitable. Visitors should show respect for Islamic customs and traditions.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings, such as hospitals, shopping centers, sports stadiums, movie theaters, theaters, restaurants, bars, clubs, cafés, and on public transportation.

Main emergency number: 112

Food & Drink

Mains water is chlorinated in towns and cities, but it is advisable to drink the widely available bottled mineral water. If a water source bears the words içilmez, it is not potable; sources labelled içilir or içme suyu are safe to drink. Milk is pasteurised. Eat only well-cooked meat and fish. When it comes to street food, common sense is advised; eat food that is freshly cooked and ideally, has been prepared in front of you. During the summer Turkey can experience temperatures up to 40°C so carry a bottle of water to avoid dehydration.

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.

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