Antalya

GPS coordinates: 36.884150, 30.705625

This article has been previously published as a part of book Antalya, Side and Alanya: TAN Travel Guide by Izabela Miszczak

Antalya is a city that is difficult not to fall in love with. Its beauty enchanted ancient authors, explorers and travellers that visited the Ottoman Empire were stunned by its charms, and even the father of modern Turkey and the first president of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, expressed his fascination in Antalya in superlatives only. On the one hand, Antalya is currently a metropolis with the population of over a million inhabitants, but on the other hand - it is also increasingly popular tourist resort with beautiful beaches and luxury hotels. What's more, in the heart of the city there is a charming historical district, and the collections gathered in the local Archaeological Museum are among the most attractive in the whole of Turkey. What will Antalya be for you? Certainly, it is a city worth a visit and checking if it actually is "the most beautiful place on earth."

Antalya
Antalya

Historical overview: 

Frequently repeated and most well-known version of the history of Antalya states that the city was founded in the Hellenistic period, around 150 BCE, by Attalos II, king of Pergamon. The city was then called Attalia, reflecting its founder's name. Over time this word was distorted and now exists as Antalya. However, a recent archaeological discovery in the district Doğu Garajı can attest to the fact that the city was founded slightly earlier, in the 3rd century BCE. This version is not surprising at all, if one considers an extremely favourable location of Antalya, conducive to its development as a port city, and the prehistoric traces of human activity found in the nearby Karain cave.

One way or another, most certainly Attalos II served the city well, expanding it and appointing it the role of the main port of his kingdom. However, Antalya did not remain under the control of Pergamon for long. In 133 BCE, the last ruler of this state died, leaving his kingdom in his will to Rome. From this moment Antalya developed as an important Roman city, attracting many traders and travellers. The most famous personality who visited it at the beginning of the first millennium CE was St. Paul of Tarsus. His journey from the northern land known as Pisidia to the port of Antalya is now commemorated by the recently mapped walking trail.

In the Byzantine period Antalya, a city with a rank of a bishopric, many churches were erected. Among these buildings, the one worth mentioning is the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in later times converted into a mosque, and now known as the Broken Minaret. It is located in the historic district, Kaleiçi, towering above the port from Roman times. From the 7th century, Antalya was the target of Arab invasions and, simultaneously, gained more strategic importance as the military outpost, guarding the southern coast of Asia Minor. In those days the city was the capital of the Byzantine military district (i.e. theme), known as the Cibyrrhaeots.

After the period of Arab raids a new threat started to loom over the lands of Asia Minor in the form of Seljuk Turks that arrived from the east and gradually conquered this land. At the end of the 11th century Antalya was captured by the Seljuk troops, but soon they were forced to withdraw. Byzantine control over the city was restored thanks to the political conditions created by the First Crusade. However, in 1118 Antalya was surrounded by areas under the control of local Seljuk warlords. The only connection it had with the Byzantine territories was by sea routes. Finally, at the beginning of the 13th century, the city was conquered by the Turks.

After sacking and occupation of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, Antalya was captured for a short period by the Italians but soon returned to the Seljuks. They made the city the capital of Teke beylik (a small ancestral kingdom). In the second half of the 14th century Peter I of Cyprus, the Christian king of Cyprus and titular king of Jerusalem he exercised control over Antalya for 12 years. The appearance of the city in the 14th century was described by the famous Arab traveller Ibn Battuta. He marvelled at Adalia, as the city was then known under this name, especially its beautiful location with a decent organisation and multicultural character.

Antalya was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1423 by Sultan Murad II. From the 15th century to the early 20th century, the city retained its multiethnic character. There were, among others, four Greek neighbourhoods in Antalya. In the second half of the 17th century, according to the Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi, there were three thousand houses in the city, and its area exceeded the ancient walls.

From the end of World War I until 1923 Antalya was occupied by the Italian troops. The city had then 30,000 residents. Following the restoration of control over Antalya by the Turkish Republic, its ethnic composition underwent a massive transformation. The Greek population that lived here for many centuries was resettled to Greece, and its place was taken by the Turks from the Balkans and the Caucasus. Until the early 70th of the 20th century, the town was actually a farming and fishing village. Since then, however, Antalya has completely changed, partially due to the tourism boom. Currently, with over 1 million inhabitants, Antalya is one of the largest and most modern Turkish metropolitan areas.

Objects in town: 

Sightseeing: 

The most important Seljuk and Ottoman monuments in Antalya are located in Kaleiçi and its immediate vicinity. If you have just a few hours in the city, you can spend time just in this area, walking along its narrow streets, visiting historic mosques and watching the mighty ramparts with the magnificent Hadrian's Gate. Pay special attention to the most important symbol of the city - the Fluted Minaret (tr. Yivli Minare), as well as to the ruins of a building known as the Broken Minaret (tr. Kesik Minare) and Hıdırlık Tower. Visit a nearby Karaalioğlu Park and the Roman harbour at the foot of Kaleiçi.

Those interested in ancient history should visit the Archaeological Museum, located on the western side of Antalya. This museum is one of the finest of its kind in Turkey, and you can spend many hours admiring the exhibits in its collections. There are indeed more museums in Antalya, among which worth mentioning are: Atatürk House (tr. Atatürk Evi ve Müzesi), the Ethnographic Museum within the Fluted Minaret Mosque complex and a private museum known as Suna-İnan Kıraç Kaleiçi Müzesi.

Local points of interest also include Toy Museum (tr. Oyuncak Muzesi), located near the historic harbour and the Museum of Furnaces (tr. Soba Müzesi). The latter, the only one of its kind in the country, has in its collections many specimens of ovens and furnaces, including the models imported from Italy and France, beautifully decorated with ceramic tiles. The facility is housed in a cylindrical structure on Şht. Binbaşı Cengiz Toytunç street (36.888370, 30.708172), north of Kaleiçi, just off the bazaar area. The museum is open daily, except Mondays, between 9:30 am and 6:30 pm, and the normal admission ticket costs 6 TL.

The latest addition to Antalya museum network is the Museum of Cinema (tr. Behlül Dal Sinema Müzesi), opened in July 2013. Unfortunately, despite a promising idea and close links Antalya has with the art of film, a visit to the museum can bring great disappointment - a modest collection of equipment and film posters does not encourage its exploration. If you want to check for yourself whether the museum creators had done a good job this venue is located in a restored Greek house, near Karaalioğlu Park and Atatürk House, at 1305 Sokak Street (36.881005, 30.709330). The museum is closed on Mondays and can be visited from 9:30 am to 12:30 and from 1:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The admission cost is 6 TL.

The raiders of historical curiosities in Antalya should find modest remains of a Roman bridge Arapsu (36.880906, 30.659346), located at the foot of the mound associated with the Greek colony of Olbia. This partially sunken bridge is located between 5M Migros shopping centre and Antalya Aquarium water park, in the western side of the city. In addition, just by the D650 route, leading from Antalya to the north-west, several Seljuk-period tombs (called türbe) are still standing.

The most important statues in the city are: the equestrian statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk standing on the Square of the Republic (36.886685, 30.703265) and a monument to the city's founder, the king of Pergamon Attalos II (36.887227, 30.705488), standing in front of the Clock Tower. In the city centre, there are numerous modern sculptures depicting many characters, including - a tea carrier, a janitor and children at play. A picturesque alley, where tourists flock to take some photos, is the 2. İnönü Sokak known as Umbrella Street because it is shaded by a lot of multi-colored umbrellas (36.886833, 30.707333).

Antalya is a convenient starting point for many excursions to the ancient cities of Perge, Termessos, Sillyon and Aspendos as well as to the Karain Cave. The famous Lycian Way hiking trail through the Taurus mountains begins in Antalya and finishes in Fethiye.

Moreover, in the vicinity of Antalya starts St. Paul hiking trail. It is a marked trail leading from Perge to Yalvaç, north-east of Lake Eğirdir. The second branch of the trail begins in Aspendos and connects with the first one in Adad - the desolate ruins of the Roman city. The total length of the route is about 500 km. The trail partly follows in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul on his first missionary journey through Asia Minor.

Visitor tips: 

Orientation

The centre of the city

Antalya is located on the Mediterranean coast, on the deep Gulf of Antalya (tr. Antalya Körfezi). The city is situated in a place where the conventional border runs between the historic lands: Lycia to the east and Pamphilia to the west. To the north of Antalya, in the depths of the Anatolian peninsula, lies a land called Pisidia.

At the heart of the city, there is its oldest part known as Kaleiçi district, perched above the historic harbour, remembering the Roman period. At Kaleiçi the main thoroughfares of the city converge. To the north of Kaleiçi stretches a commercial district of the city, whose main axis is transformed into a pedestrian Kazım Özalp street. It houses a variety of shops and the historic covered bazaar.

To the west of Kaleiçi runs in an arc of Atatürk street, leading along the historic ramparts, including the famous Hadrian's Gate. At the southern end of the street stands the Municipal Office (tr. Antalya Büyükşehir Belediyesi), located on the border of a magnificent Karaalioğlu park. In the same area, there is a museum known as Atatürk House (tr. Atatürk Evi ve Müzesi).

Going further south after 3 km you can reach the beach district of ​​Lara, extending over a distance of 12 km along the sea coast. It is the most famous cluster of resort hotels in the city. In this district, there is an exhibition area called Sandland where every year an exhibition of sand sculptures in held, and a picturesque Lower Düden Waterfall, falling from a high cliff into the sea.

On the northern side of Kaleiçi, the Street of the Republic (tr. Cumhuriyet Caddesi) passes further to the west where it takes the name Konyaaltı. At the beginning of this street, there is the Square of the Republic (tr. Cumhuriyet Meydanı), decorated by a magnificent monument erected to the first president of Turkey - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Konyaaltı Street leads towards the western districts of the city and the Konyaaltı beach. Along this thoroughfare, on the coastal side, there are many green areas and city parks.

If you go west 2.5 km from the Clock Tower standing on the border of Kaleiçi district, you will reach the Archaeological Museum. About 1.5 km further to the west there is an important intersection with the national road D400, with Migros shopping centre nearby. If, from this point, you will continue to the south-west, after 1 km you will reach the entertainment area, where there the famous marine park Aquarium, a miniature park called Minicity, and a dolphinarium are located. In the direction of the coast stretches Konyaaltı Beach, where many luxury hotels are situated.

Main transportation routes

Antalya is located on an important national route D400, which runs along the southern coast of Turkey, from the town of Datça located in the west to Adana far in the east. Further on, the same route runs through the south-eastern Anatolia to the border with Iran. For those visiting the Turkish Riviera route D400 is the main communication route, linking Antalya in the west of the holiday resorts, including - Side and Alanya, in the east. Taking this route from Antalya to the west you can reach the coast of Lycia, including such towns as Kemer, Fethiye and Demre.

On the D400 road, just to the east from the centre of Antalya, there is the most important airport in the region called Antalya Havalimanı. A little further east, in the town of Aksu, the road D685 to Isparta in the Lake Region branches off the route D400. On this route, there is Kurşunlu Waterfall, which is a frequent target of local excursions. In the village of Aksu lie the ruins of the famous ancient city of Perge.

The most important transportation junction is located to the north-west of the centre of Antalya. This a is huge roundabout where the route D400 turns south to Lycia, and the road D650 leads north, through Burdur and Afyonkarahisar to the Black Sea coast. On the road D650, 3 km further north, lies a huge bus terminal of Antalya (tr. Antalya Otogarı). It is located just 6 km from the historical centre of Antalya.

About 10 km further to the north the route to Burdur forks off, and its left branch (road D350) runs north-west to the town of Korkuteli and continues to Denizli. It is the road taken by coaches carrying tourists to the famous Pamukkale. Not far from Antalya you can turn left from this road, to get to the ruins of the ancient Termessos, or to the right - to Karain cave that was inhabited in prehistoric times.

Public transportation

In the case of the very centre of Antalya or Kaleiçi district and the adjoining area of the bazaar and the Karaalioğlu, the easiest and most convenient way is to explore it on foot. The distances here are not large, and the area is largely a pedestrian zone with very limited access for cars.

The access to more remote districts of the city as well as from the airport and the bus terminal is easy because of a well-organized public transport system. Travellers have a choice of bus and tram networks, and, additionally, there are numerous minibuses (called dolmuş in Turkey). For individuals with a larger budget city taxis wait in various areas of the city.

Tramway lines

In Antalya, there are two tram lines. The first of them, that has been in operation for many years, is traditional tramway, known as Nostalgic Tram or Nostalji Tramvay. Its route goes from the western part of town, from the Konyaaltı beach and the Archaeological Museum to the historical centre, where it stops at the main gates leading to the Kaleiçi district, and further south, along the Karaalioğlu Park to Lara beach.

Since along almost the entire route of this line there is only one track only two trams travel it, passing each other in the vicinity of Kalekapısı gate, where a double track is prepared for this purpose. Trams depart every half hour from the terminal, and the ride along the entire route, divided into ten stops, takes less than half an hour. Nostalji Tramvay runs daily from 7 am to 9 pm.

The second tram line in Antalya is actually a modern railway system, called AntRay. It runs from the north-west of the city, from the district of Fatih, through the bus terminal and the city centre to the south-eastern districts. This line provides the most convenient access from the bus terminal to the heart of the city (İsmetpaşa tram stop). AntRay has, at present, 16 stops and it runs every 15 minutes. Its schedule changes on Sundays and holidays, but essentially the tram can be used from 6 am to 11 pm.

Unfortunately, these two tram lines do not have a transit point, which would enable a quick change of the route. Two stops, located closest to each other are situated in the centre of Antalya. Here İsmetpaşa stop (for AntRay) and Kalekapısı stop (for Nostalji Tramvay) are situated less than 300 meters away.

A single ride tram ticket price for both lines is 1.75 TL. In the case of AntRay, there are also cards with QR code, enabling three rides. The code is scanned each time you enter the tram platform. Tickets can be purchased at retail outlets at tram stops, but they usually close around 7 pm, so if you plan to travel later in the evening, you might want to obtain tickets in advance.

City buses and minibuses

Almost any place in Antalya that cannot be reached by trams is accessible by a network of bus and minibus connections. In addition to the numbers of individual lines, there are extremely helpful letters visible on many buses, which denote the end stop for the particular course. For example, the letter A represents Aksu city on the east side of Antalya, K - Konyaaltı Beach and L - Lara Beach. The airport is connected to the bus terminal by the lines 600 and 202 (through the centre of the city).

Taxis

Taxi stands can be found in many parts of the city, and the most popular travel destinations have predetermined prices listed on the notice boards. From midnight to 6 am the fares increase by 50%. Before taking a taxi you should enquire about the fee. The ride from the center to the airport during the day should cost about 35-40 TL, and to the bus terminal - 25-30 TL.

Shuttle bus to the airport

In Antalya, as in other Turkish cities with an airport nearby, there are shuttle buses, referred to as Havaş. However, in Antalya, their travel route bypasses the strict historical city centre, leading from Route D400, to the bus terminal to the west of the city and 5M Migros shopping centre. Buses run every hour from early morning until 10 pm, and their departure times from the airport are synchronised with the arrivals of domestic flights. The price of one ride is 10 TL.

Restaurants

Finding a restaurant in Antalya is not difficult, as in the city centre they are situated practically everywhere. Moreover, in contrast to the situation in Alanya, where a lot of venues are geared solely to draw money from the foreigners unfamiliar with the culinary realities of Turkey, almost all restaurants in Antalya keep a high level for a decent price.

In Kaleiçi districts restaurants and bars are literally at every step. Some of them, like Vanilla on Zafer street No. 13 or Seraser Restaurant that belongs to Tuvana Hotel serve international dishes. Others, including Sim on Kaledibi Street No. 7 and Gül on Kocatepe street No. 1 specialise in traditional Turkish cuisine.

In search of cheaper restaurants head to the so-called Dönerciler Çarşısı or covered bazaar, located on the north-eastern side of Kaleiçi, on Atatürk street. In this area there are several restaurants, serving mainly the local clientele, and though they lack the particular charm of the historic district, the dishes they serve are tasty and reasonably priced. If you feel up to the challenge go to Şampiyon Kokoreç restaurant, which specialises in a dish called kokoreç, prepared from lamb intestines. You can also choose tasty stuffed clams (tr. midye dolma).

If you are after bars and nightclubs, you can check the Kaleiçiarea, where there are many pubs and wine bars, located in gardens surrounded by high walls for privacy. However, the nightlife center of Antalya is situated in the western district of Konyaaltı beach, where one can find discos, clubs and bars with a wide selection of alcoholic drinks.

Shopping

As the capital of the province, Antalya has the largest and best-stocked supermarkets and shopping malls in the region. If you are not interested in shopping on the traditional bazaar or in shops offering cheap imitations of famous brands that are abundant in all resorts on the Turkish Riviera, go directly to Antalya and its upmarket shopping options.

The largest mall in the city is TerraCity (36.852649, 30.756202), located in the Lara district, east of the centre. It is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm. The most important Turkish clothing companies, as well as many foreign brands, have their shops there. Of course, there are also drugstores, jewellers, interior decoration shops, electronics shops and restaurants. Please note that the prices in the shops of some companies are higher than their smaller branches in other districts of the city or, for example, in Alanya - a cost that you have to pay for a wider selection and a touch of luxury.

Among the other shopping centres in Antalya, it is worth mentioning 5M Migros (36.883399, 30.658131) with about 130 different shops, located in Muratpaşa district, near the Antalya Aquarium and miniature park. To the north of the historic city centre, in the district of Kepez, there is Özdilek shopping centre (36.910522, 30.677807), where you will find 100 shops, 20 restaurants, a hypermarket and a cinema.

In search of bargain prices for designer clothing visit Deepo Outlet Center (36.920508, 30.786021), the largest of its kind in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. It is located east of the city centre, close to the international airport and the road leading in the direction of Manavgat and Alanya.

The largest bazaar in Antalya is conveniently located just off Kaleiçi, along Kazım Özalp Caddesi street (36.888776, 30.704983). The distinctive landmark is enabling it to find it is a monument to the founder of the city, Attalos II. The part of this area is a historic covered bazaar, İki Kapılar Hanı, built in the 15th century.

Other services

The tourist information office operates in the Republic Square (tr. Cumhuriyet Meydanı), just west of the Fluted Minaret (36.886741, 30.704166).

A self-service launderette operates in Kaleiçi, on Hıdırlık street No. 10 (36.883335, 30.705505). There you do your laundry for a few liras and, at an additional cost, dry the entire batch.

The post office branches nearest to the old town are located on 1261 Sokak (36.886769, 30.710589) and 1267 Sokak (36.887227, 30.708907), north-west of Kaleiçi.

The easiest way to find banks and ATMs is to walk along the Street of the Republic (tr. Cumhuriyet Caddesi) and one of its extensions to the east i.e. Ali Cetinkaya street.

Getting there: 

By plane: Antalya Airport (tr. Antalya Havalimanı) is one of the most important airports in Turkey from a tourist point of view, being for many vacationers the gateway to summer holidays and the first place they see in the country. The airport was built in 1960, but the real boom of tourism on the Turkish Riviera is closely linked to its expansion in the 90s of the 20th century. In 2013, the airport handled 21.5 million passengers from abroad. The airport is located to the east of the centre of Antalya and consists of two international and one domestic terminal.

The most prominent airlines that operate from Antalya Airport are: AnadoluJet, Turkish Airlines, Corendon Airlines, Freebird Airlines, Pegasus Airlines and SunExpress. The airport is heavily busy during the summer season, when millions of holidaymakers arrive by charter flights to the Turkish Riviera. Off-season, the number of connections drops significantly, but throughout the year there are maintained connections to many European cities, including several airports in Germany.

From Antalya Airport you can also fly to several other cities in Turkey. Frequently held flights include these to Istanbul (1 hour and 15 minutes, from 60 TL), both to Atatürk and Sabiha Gökçen airports. In addition, at least once a day, there are direct flights to Turkey's capital city - Ankara (1 hour, 70 TL), Adana in the east of the country, Izmir - an important port on the Aegean Sea and Samsun - the largest city on the Black Sea coast. To fly to other Turkish airports, you need to buy a connecting flight, with a stopover in Istanbul or Ankara.

By coach: a huge bus terminal of Antalya is located on the north-western side of the city. Both long-distance coaches and local services depart from it to nearby towns such as Serik, Manavgat, Alanya and Fethiye. There are two terminals actually - interurban (tr. Şehirler Arası Terminalı) for long-distance routes and local for nearby locations (tr. İlçeler İlçeler Terminali).

Keep in mind that in Turkey there are many bus companies, so tickets should be bought directly from such an operator. After entering the station just give the name of your destination, and you will be brought to the proper point of ticket sales.

Coaches go from Antalya to most of the cities in Turkey. The most important long-distance routes are: Istanbul (12 hours, 60 TL), Ankara (8 hours, 45 TL), Adana (10-12 hours, from 55 TL), Denizli - near Pamukkale (4-5 hours, from 35 TL), Göreme in Cappadocia (10 hours, 50 TL), Konya (6 hours, 30 TL), Izmir (8 hours, 45 TL) and Samsun (16 hours, 65 TL).

The most significant local connection is the one from Antalya to Alanya (2-3 hours, 20 TL), through Manavgat (a transfer point to Side, 1.5 hours and 15 TL) and Fethiye. If you are going to Fethiye, bear in mind that there are two routes for the coaches - a short, inland one (4 hours, 20 TL) and a longer, coastal one (7-8 hours, 25 TL).

By car: Antalya is a major transportation hub in southern Turkey. Several important roads cross near the city. Of these the most important one is the national road D400, running from the west to far east of the country. It is the road taken by most of the holidaymakers, heading to holiday resorts near Side and Alanya. The same route can take you to Adana further in the east and continue until the border with Iran or if you go to the west - to the towns on the Lycian coast. The distance from Antalya to Alanya is 135 km and 430 km to Adana. Travelling to Fethiye, you can select a scenic route along the Mediterranean coast, with a length of 300 km, but the journey is painfully slow. The advantage of choosing this option is passing through important historical cities of Lycia and beautiful scenery along the way. If you are in a hurry to get to the west, the better choice is the inland route D350, with the length of 200 km.

D350 route mentioned above is a part of the European road E87, which runs through Denizli (220 km) and Izmir (460 km) to Çanakkale (760 km). After the ferry crossing to Europe, the travellers leave the territory of Turkey by this route near the city of Edirne, going to Greece or Bulgaria.

In the northern direction, there are two parallel roads from Antalya: D650 to Burdur (120 km) in the Lake District and further on to the Black Sea coast (640 km) and D685 to Isparta (130 km). Antalya is connected with the central part of the country via the D695 route, veering off the coast in the town of Manavgat and leading to Konya (340 km).

Accommodation: 

Most of the people arriving in Antalya come there as part of the holiday packages purchased at travel agencies. Most likely they will be accommodated in one of two beach districts of the city - located at Lara Beach in the east or Konyaaltı Beach in the west. The hotels situated there are actually huge recreation centres, considered the most luxurious in the region of the Turkish Riviera, and thus - usually more expensive than hotels located in Side and Alanya.

However, if you arrive in Antalya on your own, you have a much wider choice of accommodation options. Of course, you can use the above mentioned holiday centers. However, the detailed analysis of their price lists for individual tourists frequently leads to the conclusion that it is significantly cheaper to buy a package holiday from a travel agent. You must also remember that the best of these hotels are booked through a travel agent well in advance and finding a free room in summer may not be possible.

Independent travellers frequently stop in Antalya in Kaleiçi district, where there are plenty of hotels and guesthouses of various standards. In all of the following hotels and guesthouses breakfast is included in the price.

Important note: people accustomed to using online booking services can be very surprised when looking for accommodation in Turkey. Firstly, many hotels and guest houses are not present in these services at all. Secondly, and most importantly, in contrast to the hotels from Western Europe, it often happens that the rates in the Turkish hotels are higher for booking online! Take a look at the available options, check whether the hotel has available rooms, then without reserving it go to the place, and then find out about prices and conditions. In many cases, the price proposed directly will be significantly lower, even by a half of the total cost.

The best boutique hotels in Kaleiçi district, offering a comfortable and memorable experience for visitors on a bigger budget, are:

  • Tuvana Hotel - located on Karanlık street No. 18, this is one of the best hotels all over the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The complex consists of six restored houses from the Ottoman era, and in the rooms, in addition to elegant decoration, all modern facilities are awaiting the travellers. A nice addition is a swimming pool for guests and highly praised Seraser Restaurant. Prices are high - an overnight stay in a double room costs from 330 TL up.
  • Mediterra Art Hotel - Zafer Street No. 5, offers accommodation in a former Greek taverna, and guests have access to a swimming pool in the garden and a small art gallery. Prices are slightly lower - double room can be rented from 250 TL per day.
  • Otantik Hotel - located on Hesapçi street No. 14. It is another hotel decorated in Ottoman style, with tastefully, but basically furnished rooms. An on-site restaurant has a fireplace and a well-stocked wine cellar. Accommodation for two people costs from 160 TL, but you can also rent a spacious apartment for 300 TL.

In Kaleiçi district there are also many cheap guesthouses, among which you should consider stopping at the following locations:

  • White Garden Pansiyon - on Hesapçı Geçidi street No. 9. It offers simple and clean rooms, a swimming pool for guests and a tasty breakfast. The guest house has a private parking. Accommodation in a double room costs from 60 TL.
  • Sabah Pansiyon - located on Hesapçı street No. 60. This pension offers both a bed in a dorm (25 TL), and simply furnished rooms with a private bathroom (55 TL) and without a bathroom (45 TL). People expecting a higher standard can rent spacious apartments for 200 TL.
  • Mavi & Ani Pansiyon - at Tabakhane Sokak No 26. Another guest house decorated in Ottoman style, with the public areas decorated with antique furniture. The guests are offered rooms in Turkish and European styles. The hotel has a swimming pool and private parking. Double room costs from 120 TL.

It is worth remembering that Kaleiçi district is a pedestrianised zone, not available for cars, that must be left on paid parking lots located on its outskirts. If you do not want to part with your vehicle, then you can consider stopping in hotels and guesthouses located in the centre of Antalya, but outside the historic district. Among these options we particularly recommend:

  • Anadolu Pansiyon - located at the dead end of 1311 Sokak No 18, next to Karaalioğlu Park The advantage of this B&B are simply furnished but spacious rooms, private parking and a quiet environment. It is also difficult to resist the fresh breakfast prepared by the hostess. Double room costs 100 TL, and the guest house also has a large family room for 140 TL.
  • Best Western Plus Khan Hotel - located along Kazim Özalp street No. 55, practically in the largest bazaar in Antalya. It offers free parking places, a terrace with a swimming pool and views of the city, and spacious rooms with balconies. Double rooms cost from 150 TL up.
  • Metur Design Hotel - located on 1311 Sokak No. 18, the hotel is about 600 meters away from Kaleiçi and enjoys enthusiastic reviews from its guests. Unlike many hotels in the city, the rooms in this hotel are decorated in a modern style, and guests have a sizable swimming pool with sun loungers and a restaurant at their disposal. Prices for a double room start from 110 TL.
  • Ramada Plaza Antalya - Fevzi Çakmak Street No. 22, is a great hotel, just off the sea coast, while less than 1 km from the historic Antalya district. There is a spa, three restaurants and a parking lot waiting for the guests. For a double room, you need to pay at least 170 TL, and it is possible to upgrade to all-inclusive option for a significant charge.

Bibliography: 

Image gallery: 

Alaaddin Mosque in Antalya
Alaaddin Mosque in Antalya
Archaeological Museum in Antalya
Archaeological Museum in Antalya
Atatürk House in Antalya
Atatürk House in Antalya
Atatürk Statue in Antalya
Atatürk Statue in Antalya
Broken Minaret in Antalya
Broken Minaret in Antalya
City Walls in Antalya
City Walls in Antalya
Clock Tower in Antalya
Clock Tower in Antalya
Fluted Minaret in Antalya
Fluted Minaret in Antalya
Hadrian's Gate in Antalya
Hadrian's Gate in Antalya
Harbour of Antalya
Harbour of Antalya
Hıdırlık Tower in Antalya
Hıdırlık Tower in Antalya
Kalekapısı (Castle Gate), Antalya
Kalekapısı (Castle Gate), Antalya
Kaleiçi District of Antalya
Kaleiçi District of Antalya
Kaleiçi District of Antalya
Kaleiçi District of Antalya
Karaalioğlu Park in Antalya
Karaalioğlu Park in Antalya
Sandland in Antalya
Sandland in Antalya
Toy Museum in Antalya
Toy Museum in Antalya
Umbrella Street in Antalya
Umbrella Street in Antalya