As a sunny Mediterranean city, Antalya offers countless activities for its visitors. You can convert your treatment into an unforgettable holiday experience. Here are some examples to consider. Discuss them and much more with your private tourist guides provided free of charge by Acardent Clinic.
The site is accepted as the first settlement of Antalya. It is surrounded by high walls at some certain parts which are picturesque. Narrow alleys are worth walking and it’s a good choice to see St. George Greek Orthodox Church in the vicinity. Old houses remaining from the 19th century are being used as restaurants, hotels and tourist amenities today, offering an authentic atmosphere. Some of old mansions are served as pubs too. Old town is a good option for safe nightlife in the city.
Two streets surrounding the old town are namely known as Atatürk and Cumhuriyet literally means, father of Turks (surname of the founder of Turkish Republic) and the Republic. Citizens of Antalya spend their leisure time strolling through these streets. Textile and souvenir shops might be good options for travelers to stop by. Do not forget to try Turkish coffee in one of the coffee houses along the way. This part is also a good place to get in touch with local people.
It was the only port of Antalya city centre in old times. Greeks, Romans, Seljuks and Ottomans benefited from the port by means of trading. After construction of new commercial ports, old one was converted into a small marina hosting only yachts and fishery boats. Day-long excursions or shorter yacht tours are available for internal and foreign tourists. Old Tophane Tea House overlooking the marina has magnificent Mediterranean scenery with a restful atmosphere.
As one of the largest aquarium complexes in the world, Antalya Aquarium offers inspiration, entertainment and education all together at once. Subsequent to experiencing the 40 thematic aquariums, you encounter the biggest tunnel aquarium of the world with 131 meters in length and 3 meters in width. Moreover, by making snowballs from real snow in Snow World and Ice Museum, you can embark on a journey among the most poisonous, colorful and interesting species of the world in tropical reptile house; WildPark. You can shove off the world seas with multi-dimensional movie technology in Oceanride XD Cinema.
Antalya is renowned for its world-class sandy beaches. Two hundred of them were awarded with blue flags registering their quality. Sunbathing and swimming are a must-do in Antalya. Konyaaltı beach is one of them and so easy to reach that located in the city centre. In 2017, the walking trail behind the beaches was restored and renewed providing excellent recreational areas. Bulks of facilities such as restaurants, cafes, ice cream parlours, vitamin bars and etc. serve for day-long visitors.
Antalya has one of the largest archaeological museums in Turkey. It houses thousands of artifacts excavated around Antalya region. They are exhibited in its thirteen respective sectors. Fossil remnants, prehistoric utensils and pieces belonging to Archaic, Hellenistic and Roman epochs are aligned in chronological order in the museum. It is suggested to be visited with a professional interpreter so as to get a better understanding.
Tünektepe is a 620 m high hill in the city centre. Antalya Metropolitan Municipality built a cable car facility in 2017, reaching the top from sea level. The track is 1700m long and it takes 10 minutes to get to the summit. This is a perfect spot for those who want to have a bird’s eye view of the city. Hot and cold drinks are sold in a state-owned cafeteria at the top of the hill for reasonable prices. Please note, you need an Antalya Transportation Cart to embark the cable car.
Antalya’s three waterfalls offer breathtaking panoramas for their visitors. The first waterfall is 20 km away from the centre. Its landscape and coolness are gorgeous especially during hot summer months. Other two waterfalls belong to the same stream that is Düden. One of them is 10 km away from centre and second one is in Lara district, pouring in Mediterranean Sea. All these three can be seen in a day with a private car.
Perge Ancient City should be visited in sake of its Hellenistic and Roman remnants. Unlike many other ancient cities, Perge has a spectacular stadium which is an indicator of distinctiveness and status in its own time. Moreover, the city hosted one of the most important Christianity characters i.e. Paul of Tarsus. He gave sermons in Roman cities on his journeys arranged via Perge ancient city.
Aspendos theatre was built in the 2nd century AD by Romans. It is a perfect example of its kind with the capacity of 20.000 spectators. It is the best-preserved theatre all over Turkey and really in good condition. It is known that gladiator fights are held in Aspendos. During Seljuk’s domination in Antalya it was used as a pavilion by sovereign sultans. You should hear stories related to Aspendos Theatre and Aspendos Aqueduct from locals.
Side is among a few cities in Anatolia opening its gates to Alexander the Great without any struggle. Later on, Alexander the Great established a mint here. Besides, in the 6th-century authorities of Rome constructed a metropolitan church in Side and it demonstrates the significance of it for Roman Empire. For sure, the most important artifact in Side is Apollo Temple. It was a prophecy centre in ancient times, today is a symbol of Antalya city in newspapers and magazines.
Phaselis is a perfect spot where the sea and ancient ruins connect. It is not possible everywhere in the world that you swim meanwhile explore the ancient ruins remaining from old times. Daily yacht tours departing from Kemer district, give breaks at the ancient ports of Phasalis suggesting indescribable hours of swimming experiments. Just like all ancient cities Phasalis also requires a museum pass even just for swimming.
Köprülü Canyon National Park is at the middle of many natural beauties in a fertile valley. It continues for 14 km along with the Köprü River, reaching a maximum height of 400 m. It is perfect for hiking, camping and exploring ancient ruins of the region. As Turkey’s most preferred water sports area it is full of tourists especially coming for rafting. Daily excursions depart from city centre to national park for rafting lovers
Saint Nicholas Church is located in Demre district of Antalya. Nicholas was a church father in the Roman city Myra and was invited first ecumenical Christian council by Constantine the Great. His children love causes him to be known as Father Christmas. His church was a precious pilgrimage centre in Roman times. A former pilgrimage church is being served as Saint Nicholas Church Museum under the administration of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Alanya is a seaside resort town on the easternmost edge of Antalya. It is nearly as big as Antalya city centre and provides amenities to its visitors. It is a huge touristic hub with its long sandy beaches, fish restaurants, contemporary hotels, bars and discos. Due to its strategic position in Mediterranean Sea it has been a stronghold for different powers as a port town in the middle ages. Eventually, vicinity is rich in terms of historical sites too.
Kaş is a lovely town on westernmost edge of Antalya. It means literally “eyebrow” and gets its name describing shape of the town under the backdrop of high cliffs behind. The area is perfect for relaxing and enjoying the blue waters of Mediterranean Sea. Paragliding, canoeing, jet skiing and diving are most popular water sports preferred by visitors. Ancient ruins of Lycian civilization are scattered around the town for interested individuals.
Acardent Clinic – Airport: 30 minutes
Acardent Clinic – Lara (hotels district): 25 minutes
Acardent Clinic – Beaches: 25 minutes
Acardent Clinic – Old town: 20 minutes
Acardent Clinic – Shopping centre: 15 minutes
Notifications