Antalya travel blog — The fullest Antalya travel guide for first-timers

Antalya is an autonomous and the 5th most populous city in Turkey. The city is located on the Mediterranean coast, south of Turkey and is a popular tourist destination, dubbed the “Tourism Capital of Turkey”, attracting around 30% of international visitors to the country. So, is Antalya worth visiting, what to do in Antalya and how to plan a perfect budget trip to Antalya for the first-time? Let’s check out our Antalya travel blog (Antalya blog) with the fullest Antalya travel guide (Antalya city guide, Antalya guide, Antalya tourist guide) from how to get to Antalya, best time to come, where to stay, best places to visit, what to eat and top things to do in Antalya to find out the answer!

Antalya is very important to the Turks and many other countries because it plays an important role in trade from Asia to the Mediterranean Sea, but the great thing is not in the meaning of the city but in Antalya itself. The trading port of a time now gives visitors a special feeling, lightness and relaxation.

The city of Antalya has a typical Mediterranean climate with dry, hot summers and warm winters, the number of tourists is increasing because they can come to relax at any time of the year. Besides, the ubiquitous presence of traditional Turkish baths, unique cuisine and distinctive flavors that cannot be found anywhere else.

Antalya travel blog: Overview of Antalya

Located on the southwestern coast of Anatolia (aka Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia), bordering the Taurus Mountains, Antalya is Turkey’s largest city on the Mediterranean coast with over 1.3 million people in the metropolitan area. Located next to the beautiful bay, Antalya was found around the 1st century BC. As soon as he discovered this land, Attalus II Philadelphus said that this was indeed Heaven. Today, it is the 5th largest city and also the second largest tourist destination in Turkey from all over the world after Istanbul. Sunset in Antalya is a magical image that anyone wants to see.

I don’t know since when, indigenous people have flocked to Antalya, tourists from all over the world eagerly flocked to Antalya to visit, admire and gradually turn this city into a tourist capital with the ability to attracts up to 30% of visitors to Turkey, becoming the 5th most populous city in the Asian-European country with more than 1.3 million people living here (according to statistics from 2022).

Antalya was established around 150 – 135 BC, founded by King Attalus II of the Pergamon empire under the name Attaleia. After its establishment, the city has always been densely populated and under great influence and influence from the culture, history and economy of the Roman empire, the Roman Emperor – Hadrian once left his trace Antalya by the triumphal arch bearing his own name (Hadrian’s Gate), which was renovated and became the entrance to Kaleiçi old town. In addition to Rome, Antalya was also influenced by Byzantine, Seljuk, Ottoman empires, as well as modern day of Turkey.

Like many other coastal cities, with busy and bustling trade activities over thousands of centuries, Antalya culture not only contains traditional Turkish culture but also blends many other cultures to create a colorful, friendly Antalya, giving all visitors the feeling of being in their homeland with the culture, history, cuisine… very close and familiar.

Or there are colorful gift shops, lively streets and bars that attract tourists. Historical works bearing the imprint of Byzantine or Ottoman Empires, etc. are well-preserved. Festivals, streets with old houses or beautiful beaches… All of these are reasons why you should at least once in your life pamper yourself with this paradise.

Harmony between nature & history in Antalya: The most interesting thing about Antalya is that the city is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and is located on the Silk Road, and is an important seaport of Asia Minor, so Antalya has natural beauty and cultural interferences of cultures, special history.

When to come?

Today, Antalya is one of the most popular resort cities in Turkey and in Europe. In the summer, Antalya welcomes many tourists to relax, in the winter with a mild climate, this place becomes a place to welcome German, Russian or Nordic tourists to escape the cold. But there is no really peak season that makes the city crowded with tourists because Antalya is a new place on the international tourist map.

Most of the year, Antalya is covered with brilliant yellow sunshine and cool air due to the incessant sea breezes blowing from the Mediterranean to the mainland, so travel experts recommend visitors to come here around April to October every year to enjoy cool, pleasant sunny days.

Late winter, early spring (May onwards) is when Antalya’s weather is warm and sunny, the trees are green, the orchards are full of fruit, sometimes you can also see herds of cows, sheep and goats leisurely grazing on green grass. It’s a bustling modern city with luxurious shopping and entertainment centers next to historical heritages and thousands of years old architecture. That’s why, Antalya is always likened to the “tourist capital” of Turkey.

However, if you want to stay in Antalya for a long time or you hate frustrating hot days, remember to avoid to go this city in the summer, the summer weather of the tourist capital is extremely easy to make you upset and tired.

Antalya travel guide: How to get to Antalya?

You can getting to Antalya by some means of transport such as by air, by train, bus, self-driving car or even by boat.

Plane

International Antalya Airport is about 14 km from the city center, and you can traveling to the center by Havas airport shuttle bus numbers 600 or 800 but they are not really suitable for passengers with bulky luggage or taxi. You can take flights of Turkish domestic airline Onur Airlines to reach Antalya from all big cities of Turkey and also other international destinations. Some other airlines such as Turkish Airlines, Thomas Cook, The Sun Express, or Condor… also offer cheap flights from and to Europe (UK, Austria, Germany, Switzerland or Italy).

To find the best suitable routes as well as cheap tickets you can hit Google Flights, Skyscanner, or Kayak to find.

Bus

Anatlya is quite easy to reach by bus from everywhere across Turkey. The routes of E87, D400, D650 with the final destination is Antalya Bus Station.

From Istanbul bus stations Esenler Otogar, and Alibeyköy Otogar, you can easy take a bus to Antalya. The traveling time is around 11 or 13 hours. Some bus firms operating routes such as Pamukkale Turizm, Metro Turizm, and Isparta Petrol Turizm.

Boat

Due to a port city, you also can reach by boat with many ferry services to Antalya. However, almost all tourists come here via Rhodes island of Greece, dock in Marmaris and then continue take a bus to Antalya. To find a ferry as well as schedule you can refer here.

Antalya travel blog: Where to go, what to do in Antalya?

Antalya Archeology Museum

Address: Bahçelievler, Konyaaltı Cd. No:88, 07050 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 8:30AM–8PM

Possessing 13 artifact galleries and an outdoor exhibition area, the Antalya Archeology Museum is a great place to showing the city’s rich history. At the center of a vast peninsula, many ancient artifacts are collected around the vicinity and brought back to the Antalya museum, with more than 5,000 artifacts and works of art that reflect the local identity and perspective through the periods.

When visiting the museum, you will witness Antalya from the Stone Age to Rome, and see many influences of dynasties and cultures that have profoundly influenced this land. The entrance fee is 30 TL.

If you like to do some meaningful visits in the city, the Antalya museum is also an extremely interesting destination. There are more than 10 antique galleries here arranged according to separate themes to help visitors easily admire the antiques according to their liking such as the subject of statues, the theme of ceramics, the furniture in the house. family, work tools…

With a large list of antiquities and an extremely large hall, visitors can take half a day to visit all of them. The antiques are displayed solemnly, the lights are bright, and the description of the antiquities in English is easy to understand to help visitors observe and learn about the antiques more conveniently.

If you are a history buff and want to explore the cultures of Turkey, don’t forget to visit this massive museum in Antalya. It houses thousands of artifacts unearthed from the coast of this country. There are more than 5,000 works of art on display in periods, with English captions that are easy for tourists to learn.

Some rooms are full of pottery, animal galleries date back to the Stone Age, and countless artifacts cannot or have not been displayed. The large number makes visitors overwhelmed, in a spacious and airy space with more than 7,000 m2. But the most prominent of which is the statue of Perge, the exhibition area includes paintings assembled from Seleukeia.

Antalya travel blog: Hadrian’s Gate

Address: Barbaros, Hadrian Kale Kapısı, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey

Originating in the Roman Empire more than 2,000 years ago, this temple gate is one of the main and most important gates leading into the old town of Kaleici. It is divided into 3 aisles with arches, sturdy columns all built of marble, showcasing sophistication and elaborate sculpture, commemorating the visit of the emperor Hadrian to the city of Antalya.

Greek theatre of Termessos

Address: Bayatbademleri, 07800 Döşemealtı/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 8:30AM–5PM

A very famous stone work in Antalya that you will deeply regret if you do not visit before leaving the “Tourism Capital” is the Termessos theater. Although over the years, the theater has lost its splendor and magnificent like the day it was built, but the ruins are still present on the high mountain north of Antalya.

Located in the north of the city, it was formerly an ancient theater built for performing arts. The theater has a stage area, above are rows of seats made of stone, from the highest point can still be heard below. And zoom out to see the vast landscape of nature. In addition, there are temples of goddess Artemis, Emperor Hadrian, and surrounding ancient buildings.

The rows of terraced seats, doors, and stage of the theater were quietly lying there, despite the wind and rain, as if trying to preserve the memory of a glorious time, a time when the theater was still full of visitors. There were noble aristocrats, there were also common people, and there were also lowly slaves whose were looming around the theater.

Pamukkale “Cotton Castle”

A natural landscape that visitors will “Mouth A, Eye O” unable to close their mouth when seeing is Pamukkale cotton castle. It’s the same series of steps as at the Termessos theater, but it’s not the hard stones covered with the dust of time, but the white limestone steps and the blue stream flowing from one step to another. create a magnificent waterfall, beautiful like paradise.

It is one of the tourist attractions that attracts visitors to Antalya the most. The impressive beauty of the white layered limestone steps created, when the water on the stream flows down to form stunning small clear blue pools. From a distance, it looks like it is covered with snow, so it is also called a cotton castle. Visitors coming here not only check in with the unique lake but also soak in the fresh hot springs.

Every year, millions of tourists come here to admire the scenery, take a hot spring bath and, of course, have no shortage of luxurious “check-in” moments. Each spot in Pamukkale can make a unique highlight for your photo.

Roman Harbour

Address: Selçuk, Ayazma Sk. No:206, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey

Also known as the Old Harbor, this place was formed when Antalya was under the domination of the Roman Empire, with its important position, this place became a busy trading port. Today, the harbor is home to countless yachts.

I enjoyed Turkish beer, green mussels sprinkled with delicious lemonade by the sea. Surely the experience of watching the sunset here will give you a feeling of absolute relaxation.

Antalya travel blog: Waterfalls

Dubbed the kingdom of waterfalls, Antalya owns dozens of picturesque waterfalls. The most famous one is Manavgat with 40m width and less than 5m high, falling loud with white foam from the Taurus mountain. Although not a tall waterfall, but the flow is very strong and Manavgat waterfall is considered one of the symbols of Turkey.

Besides, there is also the majestic Duden waterfall located about 10km from the center of Antalya city. I cannot leave Antalya until I have been to the Duden waterfall. As a city located on a high cliff above sea level, with rivers flowing into the sea, Duden waterfall formed as a natural mark dotted on the city. The sunrise here has a beautiful light, here I can also spotting planes landing at Antalya airport every 5 minutes. It is about 20 minutes away from the city center by taxi. Make sure to arrive before the sun rises for the best photos.

The waterfall is formed from the Duden River with the main waterfall Upper Duden 15m high, 20m wide and at the end of the river flowing into the Mediterranean Sea to form the second waterfall Lower Duden. This is a colorful picture of nature, with turquoise water, green leaves and white bubbles.

Kaleici Old Town

Not too impressed by the old town of this coastal city, because the architecture looks somewhat restored. Many restaurants and souvenir shops have sprung up to serve tourists, making the old town lack its rustic charm. But the most visited place of the old town must be Hadrian’s gate where the whole neighborhood begins as mentioned above.

This place is like a maze for you to walk and explore. Villas built in Ottoman architecture are covered with white and red roofs along the cobblestone streets. This neighborhood is home to many boutique hotels, souvenir shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Tourists come here both to enjoy the scenery and live in the traditional sounds.

In addition, this old town in Antalya also has a mosque built in Roman architecture with a towering tower. In particular, the clock tower is built entirely of stone, on the top there is a flag, 4 clock faces with ancient scripts. Of the 80 buildings built around the city, it alone remains, as an eloquent witness of the history here.

And an indispensable experience when coming to Kaleici is to sit at the shops and cafes in the port area. From here, enjoy food, sip some wine while watching the sunset with beautiful boats passing by. In the evening, walk on the paved road to enjoy the cool breeze, chat around the beautiful small streets with ancient and rustic houses. Or immerse yourself in folk music on the street.

It is quite interesting that from Kaleiçi, you can take a boat or cruise tour to the Lower Duden waterfall in just 45 minutes, bring your swimsuit, and swim comfortably by this magnificent waterfall.

Near Kaleiçi, there is a small port overlooking the sea, including the mountains in the distance, sitting outside restaurants and cafes near the sea, you can drink wine, enjoy a romantic dinner while watching Beautiful sunset covering the peaceful and beautiful beach.

Karaalioglu Park

Address: Kılınçarslan, Park Sk., 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey

If you do not like to see the sea from the small port near Kaleiçi, you can go to Karaalioglu Park, which also has great sea views but also has rows of stone benches scattered throughout the Karaalioglu grounds, visitors just need to choose their one favorite seating position, sit back and watch the sea all day without disturbing anyone, especially, the seat is completely free.

Coming to Karaalioglu at night, lucky visitors can also immerse themselves in the tune of love songs and folk songs performed by local bands and traveling artists.

The Ancient City of Myra

About 140km from the city of Antalya, Myra is an ancient town located located in Antalya’s Demre County in the ancient Lycia region, now Antalya of Turkey. When the city of Myra was founded is not known, only known that it was formed in the 1st century BC. Myra was also one of the six leading cities of the Lycian League in antiquity (Xanthos, Tlos, Pinara, Patara and Olympos).

Coming to Myra, you will be overwhelmed when admiring the open-air theater built in 200 BC with intact stone steps that can accommodate up to 12,000 spectators. You can also visit another ancient structure, the church of Saint Nicholas, a familiar destination for pilgrims and also one of the most precious architectural heritages of the Byzantine empire that remains today. But the most impressive in Myra are the stone tombs distributed in two main areas: one is in the cliffs west of the open-air theater dating from the 4th century BC, the other is along the river Myros , also known as river cemetery. The richness of Myra is also thanks to the alluvial deposits from the Myros River. The tombs are carved layer after layer into the rugged rock, making the whole cliff look like a mysterious ancient castle.

Antalya Aquarium

Address: Arapsuyu, Minicity and Hillside Su Hotel eastern corner of Konyaaltı Beach, Dumlupınar Blv. No:502, 07200 Konyaaltı/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 9:30AM–8PM

As the largest tunnel aquarium entertainment complex in the world, Antalya Aquarium has 40 themed aquariums with 131m in length and 3m in width. Not only can you admire the marine species in the aquarium system, you can also visit the wildlife park to see reptiles, you can also enjoy playing in the Snow World and unique ice museum, take pictures with Hollywood background and end the trip with full and delicious meals served at restaurants and cafes in the amusement park.

Koprulu (Köprülü) Canyon National Park

Address: Bozyaka, 07550 Manavgat/Antalya, Turkey

Covering an area of ​​366 square kilometers, Köprülü National Park is the ideal place for you to experience the lush green beauty of Antalya. It has the Köprülü canyon 400m deep and extends up to 14km along the Köprü river. Around the canyon are forests of cedar, pine, and green cypress dotted with famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, creating a breathtaking scene. This is the ideal place for trekking, camping or for an even more exciting experience you can go rafting on the Köprü river.

Antalya blog: What and where to eat?

Below are the best dishes worth trying in Antalya

Antalya’s famous Dondurma ice cream (Battered ice cream)

Many visitors have given countless praise words of encouragement to Dondurma ice cream as they roam the streets exploring the city of Antalya. This dessert looks like the other popular ice creams you know but it’s more viscous with the salep ingredient found in the ice cream and so thick and chewy that you’ll need a knife and fork to cut it but the taste is so delectable.

Once try Dondurma, you will immediately put it in the list of the best ice cream that you have tried. Ice cream is widely sold on the streets of Antalya, visitors can buy it in any street while walking.

Locum and Baklava

In addition to Dondurma, Antalya’s tourist streets are filled with Turkish pastries that you should definitely try once in your life. Locum and Baklava are two familiar traditional confections and sweets in any city of Turkey, but if you want to know the taste of Antalya’s own candy and sweets, you should buy and try to feel it.

Tulumba

After Locum and Baklava, find and try Tulumba, a popular dough pastry in the tourist capital made with a unique monosodium glutamate. The shape and size of the cake varies by store, but it is usually cut into small sticks. The taste is great when eaten when the Tulumba is fresh out of the oven, do not buy cakes that have been baked for a long time because the Tulumba flavor will fade over time.

Pişmaniye

Antalya cuisine also “names” another dessert worth choosing as Pişmaniye, which is the most sold pastry in cafes and street food vendors. It is shaped like a candy, but has more ingredients and is mainly Turkish “specialty” nuts such as pistachios, sesame seeds…

If you are looking for the most authentic Turkish Pismaniye, you should head to the Kaleiçi old town in Antalya, the chefs here specialize in preparing this dessert according to an ancient recipe, the taste of the traditional Pişmaniye is guaranteed to be so delicious that you will not regret it for having to go all the way to Kaleiçi to find it.

Restaurants you should visit when coming to Antalya city

You are not satisfied with sweet confectionery in Antalya yet? Coming to these famous restaurants, you will surely fall in love with the cuisine of this beautiful tourist city right away.

Gizli Bahçe

Address: Selçuk, Karadayı Sk. No.5, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 8AM–12AM

The first restaurant we want to recommend is Gizli Bahçe, which literally means “Secret Garden”. The restaurant is located on a high cliff, facing the Mediterranean coast with a large view for visitors to have extremely romantic dinners on the romantic seaside.

The restaurant specializes in traditional Turkish dishes, but the menu also features many famous delicacies, cooked according to international recipes. In the evening, the restaurant also plays live music for guests to dance, play and relax comfortably.

Antalya tourist guide: Blue Parrot

Address: Yeni Mah. Barbaros Cad. Cebeci Atlantis Sitesi Alti No. 2 Mahmutlar, Alanya Turkey

Blue Parrot restaurant is a great choice for families with large space, often chosen to hold big parties, the restaurant is also equipped with a giant plasma screen that often broadcasts sports events for you, your family to watch more vibrant and exciting matches.

The restaurant menu is also very diverse, in the morning the restaurant serves delicious English breakfasts, in the afternoon is the time for salads, light desserts and in the evening is a feast of savory Turkish cuisine specialties.

China Garden Restaurant & Bar

Address: Bahçeli Evler Mah. Konyaaltı Cad. Atatürk Parkı İçi, 544 Ada, 07100, Turkey

If you want to enjoy delicious Chinese cuisine, go to China Garden, the restaurant has a beautifully designed terrace area. Peking duck is the most famous dish of the restaurant that you should try when coming here, crab soup, hot biscuits made from shrimp and spicy chili sauce are also worth a try.

Seraser Fine Dining Restaurant

Address: Selçuk, Paşa Cami Sk. No:14, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 4PM–12AM

Enjoying the fragrance of the green garden and the spacious space on the windy Mediterranean coast is the reason why many diners return to Seraser Fine Dining even though the price here is not cheap. In a delicately decorated space surrounded by ancient Kaleiçi stone walls, each dish brought to you is an elaborate work of art from form to content. Seraser Fine Dining is a restaurant and bar of Tuvana hotel that is open all day and night with an indoor space that can accommodate 80 diners, and an outdoor garden that can accommodate 100 diners.

Şemsiyeli Butik (Umbrella Street)

Address: Tuzcular, 2. İnönü Cd. No: 14, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey

Not far from the bazaar of Kaleiçi (Antalya Merkez), just a few hundred meters from Hadrian’s Gate, is a place that no visitor wants to miss to experience the street food space as well as a great check-in point for dining under colorful umbrellas. And the perfect food to enjoy in these lovely streets is the traditional Turkish Kebab. Enjoying a fragrant fish sandwich or a slice of tender grilled lamb and then leisurely strolling around shopping for lovely handmade items is ideal for a beautiful day in Antalya.

Anis restaurant on this Umbrella Street is famous for its Turkish Pizza, or lahmacun – Arabic pizza, güveç stews and traditional Kebap dishes.

Sibel’s Four Seasons Cafe & Restaurant

Address: Merkez, 159. Sk. No:3, 07990 Kemer/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 8AM–12AM

Sibel’s Four Seasons Cafe & Restaurant impresses visitors with its slate architecture, impressive mountain views, and especially food made with fresh farm produce from the owner’s farm is not far away. This is the ideal stopover before and after trekking the majestic Lycian Taurus mountain. Sibel’s Four Seasons Cafe & Restaurant will treat diners with a menu of soups, Mezzes (appetizers) and special dishes that change daily. The restaurant also organizes trekking tours to explore nearby destinations. Coming here, you should enjoy the restaurant’s famous icli köfte minced meat pies, Beycik salad and goat meat stew in claypot.

Vanilla Lounge

Address: Selçuk, Uzun Çarşı Sk. No:33, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 10AM–1AM

Vanilla Lounge is Antalya’s most famous restaurant just a few steps from Hadrian’s gate. True to the philosophy that the restaurant pursues, it is a place to satisfy all tastes based on cooking techniques that are both classic, modern and full of creativity. You can go from amazement to amazement as you experience all kinds of world flavors at Vanilla Lounge which features appetizers and even main dishes in Thai-style. And Vanilla Lounge’s menu is also inspired by Italian cuisine. All made with the freshest, local, seasonal ingredients.

Ship Inn Marina Restaurant&Bar

Address: Liman Mahallesi, Liman 2 Cadde, 07130 Konyaaltı/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 11:30AM–12AM/Saturday, Sunday: 10AM–12AM

If you are a cheese fanatic, and crave a quiet space away from the tourist spots of Antalya, you can’t miss Ship Inn Marina – a restaurant with a modern style and unique cuisine which presents the diversity of Turkish culinary flavors. The restaurant overlooks the immense lake covered with green trees, nearby is the Setur Antalya marina. Taste traditional Turkish dishes such as yörük (pan-fried veal chops) or grilled meatballs, or let yourself be “immersed” by a menu filled with salads, pizzas, baked foods, seafood, and countless other dishes. Special dishes in the style of Ship Inn are transformed with cheese. The restaurant is about 17km from Antalya city center, about 10km from Atalya Aquarium.

Antalya guide: Shopping in Antalya

Here are good places to shop and best shopping malls in Antalya where you can buy souvenirs and other gifts.

TerraCity

Address: Fener, Tekelioğlu Cd. No:55, 07160 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 10AM–11PM

Rated by visitors as one of Antalya’s best shopping malls, Terra City is like a must-see for travelers on a journey to discover the Mediterranean city, nearly 8km from the city center. 150 stalls selling products of famous brands such as Burberry, Armani, Michael Kors, Adidas and Hugo Boss along with 30 restaurants and amusement parks for children will make visitors not want to leave.

Shemall Shopping Center

Address: Fener, Tekelioğlu Cd. No:3, 07160 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 10AM–10PM

A bit smaller than other shopping centers in Antalya, SheMall Shopping Mall only has about 70 stores. But this place has a special attraction because it regularly organizes cultural events and attractive shows that make visitors come here to have a different shopping experience. In addition, you can also buy quality books, novels, and magazines in English at D&R Books.

Antalya Migros Shopping Center

Address: Arapsuyu, Atatürk Blv. No:3, 07070 Konyaaltı/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 10AM–10PM

Considered as one of the affordable shopping places, Migros Shopping Center gathers 10 stores from many mid-range brands such as 5M Migros, Zara, Mudo, LC Waikiki, Boyner, Mudo with integrated cinema and countless number of restaurants and fast food stalls. From the Migros mall, you can enjoy views of the Mediterranean Sea and the majestic Beydağı mountains.

Markantalya Avm

Address: Tahılpazarı, Kazım Özalp Cd. No:84, 07040 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 10AM–10PM

Located in the busy tourist center in the heart of Antalya city, Markantalya Avm shopping center is an ideal shopping and entertainment area located on an area of ​​more than 5 hectares, with the convergence of 155 famous brands, international coffee shop, restaurant chains and modern cinemas. MarkAntalya is only 2km from the center of Antalya, more than 3km from Kaleiçi old town and a few steps from the famous Murat Paşa mosque.

Deepo Outlet Center

Address: Altınova Sinan, Serik Cd. No:309, 07170 Kepez/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 10AM–10:30PM

If you want to shop freely without worrying about your wallet running out quickly, this is the ideal place. Deepo Outlet Center is the largest outlet center in the Mediterranean region with 80 stalls and stores, 5 cinemas, 15 restaurants, coffee shops, and many utilities spread over an area of ​​4 hectares. Enjoy 365 days of discount, shop at the original price at Deepo Outlet Center and you will get bargains from countless famous brands such as Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Koton, Hotic, Vakko, Mavi Jeans, Colins, or Miss Sixty.

What to buy?

Gülizar Carpet Kilims Gallery: Turkish rugs

Address: Tuzcular, Uzun Çarşı Sk. No:17, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 9AM–8PM/Sunday: 10:30AM–7PM

Walking around the old town of Kaleiçi, you will come across very eye-catching traditional Turkish handmade tapestries (Kilims). A tablecloth, a square rug with intricate embroidery will be a precious gift when visiting Antalya. Stepping into Gülizar Carpet Kilims Gallery, you will feel overwhelmed by the colors, patterns and details on the embroidered products that are hung all over the walls, covered with tables and chairs. It can take many hours for visitors to fully explore the a wide range of the products here. Gülizar Carpet Kilims Gallery is also highly appreciated by many visitors for its affordable prices, enthusiastic, cute staff and friendly owner Mehmet Bey. You can learn a lot about the history of this traditional product and what it means to the people of Antalya.

Osmanli Sultan Carik: Handmade leather goods

Address: Barbaros, Hesapçı Sk. No:14, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 9AM–8PM/Sunday: 10:30AM–8PM

This is a famous and very popular handmade leather goods and jewelry store in Antalya in the central area very close to Hadrian’s Gate. The beautifully crafted collection of bags, purses, shoes, flip flops, and boots in cowhide or buffalo skin will leave you spellbound, although handmade leather goods never come cheap.

Nil Tekel Shop (Pottery)

Address: Yeşilbayır, Atatürk Cd. No:70, 07190 Döşemealtı/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 8AM–1AM

Pottery was born in Turkey several centuries ago. If you are far away, it is difficult to bring back the elaborately heavy pottery items, but just look at the Nil Tekel Shop’s ceramic collection of all shapes, sizes, and colors, it also makes your trip much more enjoyable. In Turkey there are about 300 pottery workshops across the country.

Silver Harmoni: Silver Jewelry

Address: Andifli, İbrahim Serin Cd. 12 A, 07580 Kaş/Antalya, Turkey
Hours: 9AM–12AM

Silver Harmoni’s handmade silver jewelry will make you fall in love with its sophistication and intricate. Crafted from silver combined with gemstones and crystals, Silver Harmoni’s silver jewelry is a precious souvenir, crystallized from the love between Karen Henry from Australia and Yusuf Gökben from Turkey. Although born and raised in Istanbul, Yusuf was fascinated by the beauty of Kas and Antalya, so the two decided to settle down and open a silver handmade jewelry shop here. Silver Harmoni products receive praise from almost every visitor who visits.

Where to stay?

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Concorde De Luxe Resort (Agoda, Booking)
• Crowne Plaza Antalya, an IHG Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• Swandor Hotels & Resorts – Topkapi Palace (Agoda, Booking)
• Sherwood Exclusive Lara (Agoda, Booking)
• Delphin BE Grand Resort (Agoda, Booking)
• Ramada Plaza Antalya (Agoda, Booking)
• Hotel Su (Agoda, Booking)
• Nirvana Cosmopolitan (Agoda, Booking)
• Akra Hotel (Agoda, Booking)

Check out more top and best hotels in Antalya on Agoda.com or Booking.com

Tips to visit Antalya

Below are do’s and don’ts when traveling to Antalya.

• Mosques in Turkey are very popular and Antalya is no exception, if you come to these mosques to visit, don’t forget to take off your shoes before going inside and keep quiet during your journey to discover artistic beauty of the mosques.
• In addition, before entering the church, pay attention to wear discreet, non-revealing, light-colored clothes to avoid disturbing the followers and possibly endangering your own safety.
• If you are a person who likes to take pictures, please take arbitrary selfies but do not take pictures of local people on the street, if you want to take pictures, ask for their permission and absolutely do not arbitrarily take pictures of women wearing black shawls, this behavior is prohibited and if you violate it, you may face very severe punishment.
• Coming to Turkey, after dining at restaurants, don’t “tip” to the service staff by adding 5-10% of the total amount of the bill, do not give the tip directly to the staff, this behavior not suitable in Turkey.
• If you want to buy clothes or jewelry in Antalya, it would be unwise to go to the shops and roadside stalls because they are not of good quality, buy them at reputable supermarkets and shopping centers.
• When shopping at traditional markets, retailers remember to bargain, do not ask for a discount because they will not give you a discount, but if you go to a large supermarket, you may get a discount.
• Buying things at the market, remember to bring cash with small denominations to easily pay the seller because many sellers pretend they don’t have change to “force” you to buy things at a high price when they are sure the items they sell “monopoly”.
• Most of the famous attractions of the city are easily accessible by bus, you can also use a taxi service but discuss the price before starting the trip as many taxis do not have meters.
• Alcohol beverage is prohibited on the street, should only be drunk in certain places such as bars and restaurants, but you may not find alcohol on many restaurant menus if coming to the tourist capital on important religious celebrations.
• Like many other Turkish cities, tap water is not safe for health, so it’s best to buy drinking water at stores and supermarkets.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Antalya you can refer to

• Perge, Aspendos, Side, and Kursunlu Waterfalls Day Tour from Antalya
• Kekova Sunken City, Demre, and Myra Day Tour from Antalya
• Fire of Anatolia Show at Gloria Aspendos Arena
• Antalya Aquarium Ticket
• Pamukkale Day Tour from Antalya
• From Antalya or Kemer: Suluada Island Boat Trip with Lunch
• Antalya: City Tour including Waterfalls and Cable Car
• Antalya: Full-Day Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour & Lunch
• Quad Bike Fun in the Taurus Mountains
• From Antalya: Perge, Side, Aspendos & Waterfalls Guided Tour
• From Antalya/Kemer: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour with Lunch
• Antalya City Tour and Duden Waterfalls Visit with Boat Trip
• Kemer Full-Day Scuba Diving Adventure
• Koprulu: Canyoning, Rafting, and Zip Line Adventure
• From Antalya: Taurus Mountains Full-Day Jeep Safari

Read more Turkey guide here. And 8+ best things to do in Antalya here.