Top Things to Do in Antalya: Your Ultimate Guide to Beaches, History, and Adventure!

Antalya is one of the most popular destinations to visit in Turkey each year and it is understandable as to why. It has a range of activities to do and a lot of day trips. It also caters to people who are more relaxed as the weather is genuinely good so you can just lounge around outside in the sun. When I visited, I was not only amazed by the sites, I also had a big love for the stray dogs and cats. The locals seem to treat the strays very well. I think it is a positive representation of the people there if they are able to look after the animals, it really shows their character. There are so many different things to do here, from tours to beaches to theme parks, the list is long !That being said, here are some of the top things to do in Antalya.

Beaches

There are quite a few beaches located around Antalya, which makes it good when looking for a place to lounge around. Most of the ones I went to were not overly busy which was good. As Antalya is quite a bit place, you mainly just need to google ‘beaches near me’ and a list will come up. However, here are some good ones I know of.

Konyaalti beach

This beach is around a 30 minute to 1 hour walk from the main city centre (depending how fast you walk). I didn’t mind doing this walk as the weather was nice, however, it is possible to get a taxi or uber. The beach is relatively wide with a small park located close by for kids. If you don’t want to lay on the beach, there is a bit of greenery that people also lie on. Whilst I was there, I went to the Roxy beach club. We had to of course pay, but it was nice to lounge on the beds and could get drinks too.

Lara beach

Another beach we looked at going to was the Lara Beach. It is a sandy beach, but a bit far from city centre. You can get the taxi or Uber if you are located near the centre. However, it it seems to be located nearer to a lot of the all inclusive hotels, so make sure you check before going!

Adalar Beach Club

This is not a beach per se, but the image below on the left was taken here. It has lounge beds on a terrace for you to relax on. There is a ladder for you to climb down into the sea. It was quite small, but secluded which was nice. The water is protected by some large rocks so it is like you have a private section in the sea to yourself.

History

If you are more of a History person, you can spend some time walking through the old town in Antalya. It is a beautiful street with lots of unique shops and restaurants. If you would like to learn more about the history, then you can always head to the Antalya Archaeology Museum.

If you would like to venture out, I would highly recommend booking a tour to Pamukkale. This is located a couple of hours from Antalya, but it totally worth it. It is a very famous and popular tourist destination as it has natural white pools as well as the famous Cleopatra pools.

Adventure

Now time for my favourite section, Adventure!! There are lots of tours for you to do here in Antalya that bring out a more adventure side.

Antalya has several waterfalls to visit on a boat tour. Here you can see the natural beauty of the surrounding city and enjoy the scenery.

If you want to go a bit further out, book a tour to Suluda Isalnd, also known as the Turkish Maldives for its clear blue sea. You will be able to get a bus to the boat and then enjoy the day lounging around. Make sure you bring a lot of suncream as it can get very hot in the middle of the ocean and you do not want to burn.

Lastly, you can visit the Land of legends. This is a theme park and you can spend the whole day here. I personally chose not to go as I had booked a 2-day tour to Cappadocia instead. However, I have heard great things about the amusement park and do want to visit it one day.

If you are looking to book some activities, you can try booking in person, or use website such as get your guide. Just a heads up, a lot of trips take up most of the day and have an early start!