Last updated: September 2026
Antalya holidays offer a uniquely compelling combination: a magnificent ancient city, two completely different beaches, and some of Turkey’s most impressive Roman ruins, all wrapped in 300 days of Mediterranean sunshine per year.
The old town of Kaleici is one of the Mediterranean’s finest historic centres. Roman harbour walls, Byzantine churches, narrow Ottoman streets and boutique hotels occupy a promontory above the sea, with Hadrian’s Gate — a perfectly preserved triumphal arch dating from 130 AD — marking the old town’s main entrance.
Antalya holidays suit first-time visitors to Turkey, city breakers wanting culture alongside the beach, families looking for a large, well-connected resort, and couples who want variety and excellent food alongside their sea and sunshine.
Antalya holidays deliver more variety than almost any other Turkish resort. This is a working city of 2.6 million people with a sophisticated food scene, world-class museums and a vibrant cultural calendar — as well as excellent beaches and easy airport access.
Antalya Airport (AYT) is the busiest international airport in Turkey and receives direct flights from virtually every UK airport throughout the summer. Transfers into the city centre or to the beach resort areas take between 15 and 30 minutes.
The climate is exceptional. Antalya receives more than 300 days of sunshine per year. The sea reaches 28°C in August and remains warm enough for swimming well into October. Even in November the city is mild and pleasant for sightseeing.
Value for money is strong. Restaurant meals, local transport and entrance fees to ancient sites all cost noticeably less than comparable destinations in Greece or southern Spain.
Antalya holidays also provide the best base on the Turkish Mediterranean Coast for day trips to major ancient sites — Aspendos, Perge, Termessos and the Duden Waterfalls are all within 45 minutes by road.
Kaleici is the crown jewel of Antalya holidays. The old town occupies a rocky promontory above the sea, enclosed by Roman and Byzantine walls that have stood for nearly two thousand years.
Hadrian’s Gate, built to honour the Roman Emperor’s visit in 130 AD, remains perfectly intact. Its three arched bays and carved marble decoration make it one of the finest surviving examples of Roman triumphal architecture anywhere in the world.
The Roman harbour at the foot of the old town has been beautifully restored and now houses restaurants and cafes. The view back up to the city walls from the harbour is one of the most memorable in Turkey.
Narrow Ottoman streets wind between restored mansions, boutique hotels, jewellery workshops and carpet shops. The area has an authentic atmosphere despite its popularity. It is easy to spend a full day exploring Kaleici without leaving its walls.
The Antalya Museum, a short walk west of Kaleici, is one of Turkey’s finest archaeology museums. Its collection spans the Bronze Age through to the Byzantine period and includes exceptional Roman statuary from Perge.
Antalya holidays offer access to two very different beaches, giving visitors real choice depending on their preferred style.
Konyaalti Beach stretches west from the city for 7 kilometres. It is a broad pebble and shingle beach backed by dramatic views of the Taurus Mountains. The water is exceptionally clear and the beach is well-organised with sunbed rental, cafes and water sports facilities.
Konyaalti is popular with local residents and Turkish domestic tourists. It has a lively, authentic atmosphere and is easily reached from the city centre by tram or dolmus.
Lara Beach, east of the city, is Antalya’s sandy beach option and home to the famous hotel strip. Lara Beach holidays are based around large all-inclusive resort complexes right on the sand. Transfers from the airport take just 15 minutes.
Between the two beaches, the city centre offers shopping, restaurants and cultural attractions that make Antalya holidays genuinely different from a standard beach-only resort break.
Antalya holidays put visitors within easy reach of three of Turkey’s most impressive ancient sites. Each offers a completely different experience.
Aspendos, 47km east of Antalya, has the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world. Built in the 2nd century AD, its tiered seating held 15,000 spectators and its stage building stands virtually intact. The theatre still hosts concerts and opera performances.
Perge, 18km east of the city centre, is a vast Roman city with a colonnaded main street, public baths, an agora and a stadium. The carved marble statuary removed from Perge is now displayed in the Antalya Museum.
Termessos, set high in the Taurus Mountains 34km northwest of Antalya, was the only city never conquered by Alexander the Great. The ruins sit at 1,000 metres altitude with spectacular mountain views. The site includes a theatre, agora, city walls and rock-cut tombs.
All three sites can be visited as day trips from Antalya on organised excursions or by hire car. Visiting Aspendos and Perge together in a single day is very manageable.
Antalya holidays offer excellent day trip options beyond the ancient sites. The Duden Waterfalls are among the most popular.
The Lower Duden Falls plunge directly into the sea from a clifftop east of Lara Beach. Boat trips pass close enough to feel the spray. The Upper Duden Falls sit in a pleasant park with walking trails and are easily reached by local bus.
Side, 60km east, makes an excellent day trip from Antalya. The ancient peninsula town with its Temple of Apollo and sandy beaches has a completely different character and atmosphere from the city.
Kemer, 40km south, is another popular excursion destination. The pine-forest setting and the ruins of Phaselis — an ancient city right at the water’s edge — make for a very enjoyable day out.
The Sapadere Canyon, a spectacular river gorge 1.5 hours east, offers a refreshing walking experience through crystal-clear cold water. It is excellent in the heat of July and August.
Antalya holidays deliver one of the best food scenes on the Turkish coast. The city has a well-developed restaurant culture serving everything from fresh fish and traditional Turkish mezze to international cuisine.
The harbour area of Kaleici has a cluster of excellent fish restaurants with outdoor seating. The mezze culture — small sharing dishes of aubergine, hummus, stuffed peppers, fresh salads and grilled meats — is well represented throughout the city.
Antalya has a lively bar and club scene centred on the harbour area and the main Ataturk Boulevard. The nightlife is considerably more sophisticated and varied than in the smaller resort towns along the coast.
Antalya holidays are well suited to families. The resort has excellent infrastructure, good English is spoken throughout, and the city offers enough variety to keep all ages engaged for a full two-week holiday.
Konyaalti Beach has a calm, shallow entry area suitable for young children. Several good waterparks operate in and around the city. The Duden Waterfalls and the Antalya Museum both work well as family excursions.
For families who want all-inclusive convenience, Lara Beach is just 15 minutes from the airport and offers some of the largest and best-equipped resort hotels in Turkey.
Antalya holidays offer excellent shopping ranging from modern western-style malls to the atmospheric bazaars and artisan shops of the Kaleici old town. The Migros and Mark Antalya shopping centres on the western edge of the city have all major international brands alongside Turkish fashion chains.
The old town’s craft quarter has jewellery workshops, hand-painted ceramics, leather goods and carpet shops concentrated in the streets around Hadrian’s Gate. Quality is generally good and the atmosphere relaxed compared to the more tourist-pressured bazaars in Istanbul.
The Antalya Museum is essential for any visitor interested in the ancient world. Its collection spans the Bronze Age through to the Byzantine period and includes some of the finest Roman statuary in existence — the carved gods and athletes from Perge alone justify a dedicated visit.
The museum is one of the top ten in Turkey.
The Suna and Inan Kirac Kaleici Museum, housed in a beautifully restored Greek Orthodox church in the old town, provides an excellent introduction to the history and culture of the Antalya region. Small, well-curated and peaceful, it is a very good complement to the main archaeology museum.
Antalya holidays benefit from the city’s substantial cultural calendar. Opera and ballet are performed at the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival each summer — an extraordinary experience in the ancient theatre. Classical music, jazz and folk music festivals add further variety throughout the season.
Antalya holidays remain excellent value compared to equivalent city and beach destinations elsewhere in the Mediterranean. The combination of world-class ancient sites, a beautiful old town, two contrasting beaches and excellent flight connections makes Antalya one of the most complete and rewarding holiday destinations in Turkey.
Antalya holidays remain excellent value compared to equivalent city and beach destinations in the Mediterranean. The combination of world-class ancient sites, a beautiful old town, two contrasting beaches and outstanding flight connections from UK airports makes Antalya one of the most rewarding destinations in Turkey.
Antalya holidays are among the most well-connected resort destinations in Turkey, with Antalya Airport receiving more international flights than any other Turkish airport outside Istanbul. The infrastructure is modern, the transfer times are short and the overall holiday experience is consistently reliable and enjoyable.
Antalya Airport (AYT) is Turkey’s second-busiest international airport and receives direct flights from most UK airports throughout the summer season. The flight takes approximately four hours.
Airlines operating direct services from the UK include TUI, Jet2, easyJet and Turkish Airlines. Charter and scheduled flights are available from airports including London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol and Leeds Bradford.
Transfers from the airport to the city centre take 15–20 minutes. Transfers to Lara Beach take around 15 minutes. Transfers to Side take 60–75 minutes. A car hire office at the airport gives access to the entire Mediterranean Coast.
| Airport | Antalya (AYT) — city centre 12km, approx 20 mins |
| Flight time from UK | Approx 4 hours |
| Time zone | GMT+3 (no daylight saving) |
| Currency | Turkish Lira; cards widely accepted |
| Best months | May–October; Jul–Aug peak season |
| Sea temperature | 22°C Jun · 28°C Aug · 25°C Sep |
| Visa | Turkish e-Visa required — apply online before travel |
| Key sites | Kaleici, Aspendos, Perge, Termessos, Duden Falls |
Search4Sun works with leading UK tour operators to find the best value Antalya holidays. Browse departures from local airports across the UK. For peace of mind when booking, always check your holiday is ABTA protected. For last-minute Antalya holiday deals, check LastMinute.com for the latest availability and rates.
Yes, Antalya is one of the best introductions to Turkey. The airport is large and well-connected, English is widely spoken, the infrastructure is excellent and the city offers both beach and culture. It is well suited to first-time visitors who want variety and convenience.
Konyaalti Beach is excellent for clear water and mountain backdrop views, though it is pebble rather than sand. Lara Beach, east of the city, is the main sandy option and home to the large all-inclusive hotel complexes. Both are well-organised with good facilities.
Absolutely. Antalya is the best base on the Turkish Mediterranean Coast for ancient site visits. Perge is 18km away, Aspendos is 47km, and Termessos is 34km. All three can be visited as half-day or full-day excursions. Guided tours are available from all hotels and travel agencies.
May, June and September are ideal — warm, sunny and less crowded than peak summer. July and August are the hottest months with temperatures regularly above 38°C in the city, though sea breezes make the beach areas more comfortable. October remains very warm and is excellent for sightseeing.
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