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Antalya is the largest city on Turkey's Mediterranean coast and the capital of Antalya Province, famous for its walled old town of Kaleiçi, its beaches and the ancient ruins of Perge, Aspendos and Termessos nearby. Founded in the 2nd century BC by Attalus II of Pergamon, it later passed to the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans.
The heart of the city is Kaleiçi, where Hadrian's Gate, the fluted Yivli Minare and the Broken Minaret stand among restored Ottoman houses above the old Roman harbour. To the west the long pebble Konyaaltı Beach runs toward the Beydağları mountains, while to the east the Lower Düden Waterfall pours off the cliffs straight into the sea.
Antalya is also the gateway to the Turkish Riviera. The Antalya Museum holds superb Roman statues from Perge, and day trips lead to the great theatre of Aspendos, the mountain ruins of Termessos and the shaded pools of Kurşunlu Waterfall. Summers are long and hot, so spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for sightseeing.
Kaleiçi is the walled old town of Antalya, spilling down the cliffs to the Roman harbour in a maze of narrow lanes lined with restored Ottoman houses, timber bay windows, courtyard cafes and boutique hotels. Wander it early in the morning, before the tour groups arrive.
Hadrian's Gate in Antalya was built in AD 130 to honour a visit by Emperor Hadrian, a marble triumphal gate with three arches and carved ceilings that once led into the walled city and is still flanked by towers. Look down at the paving, where cart wheels wore deep grooves.
The Yivli Minare Mosque is Antalya's emblem, its fluted brick minaret raised by the Seljuk Turks in the 13th century with eight ribbed shafts once decorated in turquoise tiles. Around it stand tombs and a former Mevlevi dervish lodge on a terrace above the old harbour.
Kesik Minare, the Broken Minaret of Antalya's Kaleiçi, rises above the ruins of a building that served in turn as a Roman temple, a Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque, before a fire in 1896 left the minaret truncated. Its layers of history make it a curious stop.
Hıdırlık Tower is a stout Roman tower of the 2nd century AD on the cliff edge at the southern corner of Antalya's old town, rising from a square base into a round drum. Historians still debate whether it was a tomb or a lighthouse; come at sunset for views across the gulf.
The Antalya Clock Tower stands at Kale Kapısı, built into a surviving section of the old city walls in the early 20th century and marking the main entrance to Kaleiçi from the modern centre. It is the city's classic meeting point, with Republic Square and the tram stop steps away.
Karaalioğlu Park runs along the cliffs just south of Antalya's old town, with palm-shaded lawns, flower beds, sculptures and cafes looking out over the Gulf of Antalya to the Beydağları mountains. It is the best place in the centre for an evening stroll at sunset.
Kaleiçi Yacht Harbour, Antalya's old Roman port tucked into the cliffs below the old town, is now a small marina packed with wooden gulets, fishing boats and seafood restaurants. Boat trips leave from its quay along the coast, many heading east to the Lower Düden Waterfall.
Konyaaltı Beach is Antalya's long pebble beach running west from the city centre, backed by a seafront promenade, parks and cafes and framed by the Beydağları mountains rising behind the bay. The water deepens quickly, so it suits confident swimmers and sun loungers alike.
The Lower Düden Waterfall in Antalya's Lara district is where the Düden River plunges off a cliff roughly 40 metres high straight into the Mediterranean, one of the most striking sights on the Turkish coast. Watch from the clifftop park, or see it from a boat out of the old harbour.
The Upper Düden Waterfall lies in a shady park on the northern edge of Antalya, where the Düden River drops over a broad rock ledge into a pool ringed by plane trees and a path leads into a cave behind the falling water. It is a cool escape on hot days and easy to reach by bus.
Kurşunlu Waterfall is the centrepiece of a protected nature park east of Antalya, where a forest stream spills over mossy rocks into turquoise pools fringed by pines and plane trees. A walking trail with steps loops around the gorge, and its cool shade is a welcome break from the beach.
The Antalya Museum is one of Turkey's leading archaeological museums, displaying finds from across the region, above all the superb Roman marble statues of gods and emperors excavated at Perge, including the Weary Herakles. Allow at least two hours, ideally before visiting the ancient sites.
Perge is an ancient Pamphylian city east of Antalya near Aksu, where Hellenistic gate towers open onto a long colonnaded street with a water channel, a large stadium, baths, an agora and a theatre. The site is exposed and shadeless, so bring water and a hat and go early in the day.
Aspendos, east of Antalya, is famous for its Roman theatre of the 2nd century AD, among the best-preserved ancient theatres anywhere, with its tall stage wall still standing and its seats still used for performances. Remains of the old city and a long Roman aqueduct lie nearby on the plain.
Termessos is a Pisidian mountain city northwest of Antalya inside a national park, so well defended that Alexander the Great chose not to besiege it. A steep, rocky climb leads past tombs and walls to a theatre perched above a valley, with some of the finest views of any ancient site.
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