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Antalya – a brief overview
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.
The site is now another popular hub, home to a yacht marina and stylish shops. With several excellent museums, great eating options and a happening nightlife scene, Antalya is one of the most popular destinations along Turkey’s western Mediterranean coast.
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Top 10 sights in Antalya

Kale Kapısı
07100 Antalya
Turkey
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Antalya’s pedestrianised main square stands at the edge of the old quarter, Kaleiçi. Its iconic landmarks include an old stone clock tower and a statue of King Attalus II, the city founder.
Yivli Minare
07100 Antalya
Turkey
Tel: +90 242 343 2760
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Opening times:
Various
The elegant symbol of Antalya is a finely fluted minaret, towering 40m over its adjacent complex, which includes a 13th-century mosque, monastery and art gallery.
Antalya Museum
07050 Antalya
Turkey
Tel: +90 242 238 5688
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Opening times:
Tue-Sun 0900-1930 (Apr-Oct)
Tue-Sun 0830-1730 (Nov-Mar)
This archaeology museum contains an impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman artefacts; the marble sculptures in the Portraits Hall and the Hall of Gods are its star attractions.
Karaalioglu Parkii
07100 Antalya
Turkey
Tel: +90 242 247 7660
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Soak up the stunning views over the harbour from this hilltop park on the southern edge of the city. Standing guard over the park’s flowerbeds is the second-century fortified tower, Hidirlik Kalesi.
Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Camii
07100 Antalya
Turkey
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Opening times:
Various
This 18th-century mosque is one of the city’s finest, decorated with intricate Koranic scriptures on its northern facade and interior.
Suna-Inan Kıraç Kaleiçi Museum
07100 Antalya
Turkey
Tel: +90 242 243 4274
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Opening times:
Thu-Tue 0900-1200 and 1300-1600
Ottoman-era customs are brought to life in tableaux in this little museum, from Henna bridal rituals to the skills of itinerant barbers, plus a superb collection of ceramics from Cannakale.
Aquapark
Antalya
Turkey
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Opening times:
Tue-Sun 0800-1800
Cool off in one of the largest waterparks on the Turkish Riviera, with a veritable flood of activities, including a wave pool, flumes, frothing rivers and a lagoon. Shuttle buses run to and from the city and nearby resorts.
Hadriyanus Kapısı
07100 Antalya
Turkey
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Hadrian’s Gate is one of the most important monuments in the historic district; the three columned arches were built to mark the emperor’s triumphal visit in AD130.
Yat Limanı
07500 Antalya
Turkey
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The Roman-era harbour has been redeveloped as a yacht marina, but still retains some of its original fortifications and is a delightful site for an evening stroll.
Kesik Minare
Antalya
Turkey
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Lopped off part way up, the ‘Broken Minaret’ has suffered from damage, destruction and several changes of use throughout its nearly 2,000-year history. The remaining trunk still stands as one of the most distinctive buildings in the historic district.
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Country Information
Country overview
For sheer diversity, it’s hard to beat Turkey. The country seems to exist in multitudes – of people, of natural landscapes, of cultures. It is a land of vast open spaces, massive mountain ranges, fertile valleys and rugged coastline, fast-growing cities and sleepy villages, bustling neon-lit seaside resorts and unfrequented beaches. Traces of the region’s eventful history abound in its numerous archeological sites, the most famous of which are Pergamon and Troy.
The heart of Turkey beats in Istanbul: Its attractions – Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques and colorful bazaars – draw tourists from all over the world. Visitors will also appreciate the wonderful diving spots and bathing beaches to be found on the country’s Mediterranean and Aegean coasts.
Geography
Turkey borders the Black Sea and Georgia to the northeast, Iran and Armenia to the east, Iraq to the southeast, Syria and the Mediterranean to the south, the Aegean Sea to the west and Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest. Asia Minor (or Anatolia) is the name given to the peninsula that forms a bridge between Europe and Asia.
Two east-west mountain ranges, the Black Sea Mountains in the north and the Taurus in the south, enclose the central Anatolian plateau, but converge in a vast mountainous region in the far east of the country.
General knowledge
Key Facts
Population: 82 million (2018)
Capital: Ankara
Language
Turkish is the official language.
Currency
New Turkish Lira (TRY; symbol YTL) = 100 New Kurus (Ykr). Notes are in denominations of YTL200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of YTL1 and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 New Kurus.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style plugs with two round pins are used.
Public holidays
Listed below are the public holidays for the period January 2020 to December 2021.
Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given below are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Ramazan Bayramı, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Ramazan Bayramı itself. Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı may last up to several days, depending on the region.
2020
Yılbaşı (New Year’s Day): 1 January 2020
Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı (National Sovereignty and Children’s Day): 23 April 2020
Emek ve Dayanışma Günü (Labour Day): 1 May 2020
Atatürk’ü Anma (Commemoration of Atatürk) and Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı (Youth and Sports Day): 19 May 2020
Şeker Bayramı/Ramazan Bayramı (Feast of Sugar/End of Ramadan): 24 to 26 May 2020
Demokrasi ve Millî Birlik Günü (Democracy and National Unity Day): 15 July 2020
Kurban Bayramı (Feast of Sacrifice): 31 July to 3 August 2020
Zafer Bayramı (Victory Day): 30 August 2020
Cumhuriyet Bayramı (Republic Day): 29 October 2020
2021
Yılbaşı (New Year’s Day): 1 January 2021
Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı (National Sovereignty and Children’s Day): 23 April 2021
Emek ve Dayanışma Günü (Labour Day): 1 May 2021
Atatürk’ü Anma (Commemoration of Atatürk) and Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı (Youth and Sports Day): 19 May 2021
Şeker Bayramı/Ramazan Bayramı (Feast of Sugar/End of Ramadan): 14 to 16 May 2021
Demokrasi ve Millî Birlik Günü (Democracy and National Unity Day): 15 July 2021
Kurban Bayramı (Feast of Sacrifice): 20 to 23 July 2021
Zafer Bayramı (Victory Day): 30 August 2021
Cumhuriyet Bayramı (Republic Day): 29 October 2021
All information subject to change.
Flight and accommodation
Nightlife in Antalya
The Old Town comes alive after dark, with a huge range of venues, from trendy nightclubs to romantic cocktail bars.
Konyaaltı Beach is lined with massive outdoor discos, which attract a lively young crowd.
Dem Lik
Antalya
Turkey
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This laidback café is a favourite of city students, with local bands playing live at weekends.
Kale Bar
07100 Muratpaşa
Antalya
Turkey
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Sip your pricey cocktail slowly and soak up the sea views from this romantic patio bar.
Club Ally
07100 Muratpaşa
Antalya
Turkey
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This gigantic harbourside club features an industrial-scale sound system pounding out electronica across its open-air dance floor.
Jolly Joker Saloon
Savaş Cd No:4
Fener/Antalya
Turkey
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This hard-rocking bar appeals to a local crowd, with dancing to DJ sounds and occasional live bands.
Antalya Cultural Centre
Antalya
Turkey
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The city’s chief arts institution hosts opera and ballet performances, as well as the annual Golden Orange Film Festival.
Flight and accommodation
Restaurants in Antalya
Dining out in Antalya can be a satisfying adventure, with imaginative fusion cuisine restaurants as well as traditional street kebab stalls.
Open-air cafés and bars line Antalya’s harbourside and historic Kaleiçi, with cheaper options across Ataturk Caddesi in the business district.
Seraser
Antalya
Turkey
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Price: Expensive
Consistently dishing up the finest food in the city, in a romantic Ottoman-style mansion.
Club Arma
Antalya
Turkey
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Price: Expensive
Great seafood in a stunning clifftop setting overlooking the harbour.
Sim
07100 Muratpaşa
Antalya
Turkey
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Price: Moderate
Traditional home-cooked Turkish soups and salads in a lovely old family home.
7 Mehmet
07030 Antalya
Turkey
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Price: Moderate
Good-value mezes at this large restaurant make it a popular choice for groups.
Il Vicino Pizzeria
Tuzcular Mh.
Muratpaşa
Antalya
Turkey
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Price: Cheap
Enjoy delicious stone-baked pizzas and Italian ice cream at this garden restaurant in the Old Town.
Flight and accommodation
Calendar of events
International Antalya Children’s Festival
Children’s groups from around the world come to Antalya to participate in delightful performances, beginning with a huge parade. Folk dances, choral music, marching bands, circus acts, ballet shows and gymnastic displays are all part of the entertainment, held around Turkey’s Children’s Day.
Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival
Turkish and international opera and ballet companies, including Antalya’s own State Opera and Ballet, stage magnificent productions in the spectacular setting of the ancient Aspendos Theatre. Watching a world-class performance in this 2,000-year-old open-air amphitheatre is both mesmerising and unforgettable.
Red Bull Sea to Sky Enduro Event
Hardcore Extreme Enduro riders battle it out on motorbikes over three days across three types of terrain: beach, forest and mountains. Pros and amateurs join the competition, which rises from sea level to 2,365m, tackling highly technical trails over rocks, rivers, roots and sand.
All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.
Flight and accommodation
Hotels in Antalya
As a major tourist destination, Antalya has ample accommodation to suit all budgets, from large resorts to exclusive boutique hotels in period mansions.
The nicest area to stay in is Kaleiçi, with its quieter, car-free streets.
Su Hotel
07050 Antalya
Turkey
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Category: Expensive
This large, beachside hotel oozes cool modern style, with top-notch sports facilities and a spa.
Limak Lara De Luxe Hotel & Resort
Lara
Antalya
Turkey
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Category: Expensive
This luxury resort hotel just outside the city combines traditional Turkish hospitality with first-class modern facilities.
Rixos Downtown
07050 Konyaaltı/Antalya
Turkey
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Category: Moderate
This large modern hotel has good business amenities, as well as a pool, restaurants and bars.
La Paloma
07100 Antalya
Turkey
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Category: Moderate
This converted Ottoman-era house is tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood, with lovely inner rooms overlooking the pool.
Ninova Pension
Hamit Efendi Sok. No:9
07100 Kaleiçi/Antalya
Turkey
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Category: Cheap
This friendly guest house in the old district has tastefully furnished rooms and an inner garden.
Flight and accommodation
Best time to visit
Today: Friday, 15.01.2021 05:00 UTC

partly cloudy
temperature
8°C
wind direction
northwind speed
0 mph7 days forecast
Saturday
16.01.2021
15°C / 12°C
Sunday
17.01.2021
15°C / 12°C
Monday
18.01.2021
11°C / 6°C
Tuesday
19.01.2021
11°C / 5°C
Wednesday
20.01.2021
12°C / 7°C
Thursday
21.01.2021
11°C / 6°C
Friday
22.01.2021
12°C / 8°C
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.
In developing ski areas such as Uludag near Bursa and Palandoken near Erzurum, the best time to visit is between December and April. Temperatures in and around Istanbul can vary from well below freezing in midwinter to above 40°C (104°F) in summer. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts experience the hottest summers, with highs of 45°C (113°F), but midwinter temperatures can be as low as -5°C (23°F). Mountainous Eastern Turkey has the most extreme climate of all, with winter temperatures as low as -43°C (-45F) and highs up to 38C (100F). The climate of the central Anatolia is also extreme with summer highs of 40°C (104°F)and winter lows of -25°C (-13°F). The Turkish State Meteorological Office (www.mgm.gov.tr) provides a day to day, region by region online weather forecast.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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absolute max | absolute min | Ø absolute max | Ø absolute min | relative humidity | Ø precipitation | days with deposit > 1mm | sunshine duration | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan | 23 °C | -4 °C | 14 °C | 6 °C | 69 % | 238 mm | 10 | 5.3 h |
Feb | 25 °C | -4 °C | 15 °C | 6 °C | 68 % | 191 mm | 10 | 5.7 h |
Mar | 27 °C | -1 °C | 17 °C | 8 °C | 65 % | 102 mm | 7 | 6.8 h |
Apr | 32 °C | 3 °C | 21 °C | 11 °C | 68 % | 48 mm | 5 | 8.1 h |
May | 38 °C | 6 °C | 25 °C | 14 °C | 68 % | 28 mm | 3 | 10.1 h |
Jun | 41 °C | 11 °C | 30 °C | 19 °C | 63 % | 9 mm | 1 | 11.6 h |
Jul | 44 °C | 14 °C | 33 °C | 22 °C | 58 % | 5 mm | 1 | 12.1 h |
Aug | 44 °C | 13 °C | 33 °C | 22 °C | 60 % | 2 mm | < 1 | 11.7 h |
Sep | 42 °C | 10 °C | 30 °C | 19 °C | 58 % | 13 mm | 1 | 10.2 h |
Oct | 38 °C | 5 °C | 26 °C | 14 °C | 62 % | 70 mm | 4 | 8.1 h |
Nov | 32 °C | 0 °C | 20 °C | 10 °C | 67 % | 150 mm | 6 | 6.5 h |
Dec | 23 °C | -1 °C | 16 °C | 7 °C | 70 % | 223 mm | 10 | 5.0 h |
year | 44 °C | -4 °C | 23 °C | 13 °C | 65 % | 1078 mm | 58 | 8.4 h |
Flight and accommodation
Telephone & Internet
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).
Internet
There are internet cafés throughout Turkey, even in small towns and rural villages.
Free Internet access via Wi-Fi is possible in many busy tourist spots as well as in almost all hotels (including even small guesthouses and budget hostels), many restaurants, bars and cafés. When using public Wi-Fi networks, it is a wise precaution to ensure encryption of all passwords, credit card details and banking credentials entered. Use of a VPN app or security software to check the safety of a hotspot is recommended.
Flight and accommodation
Shopping in Antalya
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.
Shopping Centres
Migros, just off Konyaaltı Beach, is one of the biggest malls in Turkey, with more than 100 department stores, restaurants and a multiplex cinema. Another mall worth checking out is Deepo (Serek Caddessi 309), near the airport, which has huge range of Turkish and famous international brands, as well as cinemas, cafés, and even a prayer room and ice rink.
Flight and accommodation
Travel etiquette
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.
Clothing
Casual clothing is acceptable everywhere, but beachwear belongs on the beach.
Tipping
A service charge is already included in hotel bills, but cleaning staff and porters expect a tip. A 10 percent tip is customary at restaurants, and taxi fares should be rounded up.
Flight and accommodation
Health
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.
Other Risks
Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended. It is recommended that travellers visiting rural areas, get a rabies vaccination as this may be found in dogs, cats and other animals throughout the countryside. Turkey has very low risk of malaria, with the risk increasing towards the Syrian border in the south east of the country, but keen trekkers may want to stock up on supplies of insect-repellent.
Flight and accommodation
Visa & Immigration
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.