A photograph of Antalya

City guide · Türkiye

Historic sites in Antalya, Türkiye

Antalya is the principal city on Türkiye's Mediterranean coast and the hub for a much wider visitor region. The compact historic core, Kaleiçi, occupies the old...

Photograph · REHBER0770 · CC BY-SA 4.0

5,798 Places
Suggested stay
3–4 days
Getting around
Walk, tram and bus

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Antalya

Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Antalya is the principal city on Türkiye's Mediterranean coast and the hub for a much wider visitor region. The compact historic core, Kaleiçi, occupies the old walled quarter above and around the Roman harbour, while the modern city spreads across the coastal plain. Major museums, beaches, parks and transport terminals sit outside the old lanes, and many famous archaeological sites associated with an Antalya trip are separate excursions along the coast or inland. Distinguish the walkable city centre from the wider province when building an itinerary.

Checked 2026-08-26

Practical information

Language spoken
Turkish
The official language of the Republic of Turkiye
Dialling code
+90
The international dialling code for Turkiye
Currency
Turkish lira (₺, TRY)
The official currency; one lira is divided into 100 kurus
Emergency number
112
One number for ambulance, fire and police
Plug type
European two-pin · 220 V
The national living guide records 220 V and European-style two-pin plugs
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified national source in the dataset

Planning a visit

November · November is mild in Antalya at 21.4°C by day, though rainfall rises to 127.7 mm.

  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: best time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: good time to visit
  7. July: recurring difficult conditions
  8. August: recurring difficult conditions
  9. September: good time to visit
  10. October: best time to visit
  11. November: good time to visit — current month
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Perge Perge
    02 45 min

    Perge

    Perga

    Perge is an ancient Greco-Roman city near Antalya, known locally as Perga. It was a significant settlement in Pamphylia and later an important city under Roman rule.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  2. Hadrian's Gate Hadrian's Gate
    03 45 min

    Hadrian's Gate

    Hadrian Kapısı

    Hadrian's Gate is a triumphal arch in Antalya's Kaleiçi district, built to commemorate the visit of Roman Emperor Hadrian to the city in 130 CE.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  3. Termessus Termessus
    04 3 hours

    Termessus

    Termessos

    Termessos is a Pisidian city on a natural platform about a thousand metres up the south-western flank of Güllük Dağı, the ancient Mount Solymos, in the Taurus range north-west of Antalya.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  4. Temple of Apollo Temple of Apollo
    05 45 min

    Temple of Apollo

    Apollon ve Athena Tapınağı

    The Temple of Apollo, locally known as Apollon ve Athena Tapınağı, is an ancient religious site in Antalya, Turkey. It stands as a significant archaeological landmark within the region's rich classical heritage.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  5. Myra Acropolis
    06 45 min

    Myra Acropolis

    Mira Kalesi

    The acropolis of Myra stands on the Demre plateau, on the mountain above the ancient theatre of the Lycian and Roman city whose early bishops included Saint Nicholas.

    • High
    • Historic site
  6. Xanthos Xanthos
    07 1 hr 30 min

    Xanthos

    Xanthos was the capital of ancient Lycia, and what survives of it stands on two hills above the plain of the Eşen Çayı, the river the Greeks called the Xanthos, in the village of Kınık in Antalya province.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  7. Patara Patara
    08 2 hr 30 min

    Patara

    Patara is the excavated remains of the harbour city that served as the capital of the Lycian League, spread across a sandy plain behind the beach at Gelemiş, in the Kaş district of Antalya province.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  8. Olympos Olympos
    09 3 hours

    Olympos

    Olympos is a ruined Lycian and Roman city lying along both banks of the Ulupinar stream where the valley meets the sea, in the Yazir neighbourhood of Kumluca district, Antalya.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  9. Phaselis Phaselis
    10 45 min

    Phaselis

    Faselis

    Phaselis is an ancient Lycian city on the Mediterranean coast near Antalya. Founded by settlers from Rhodes around 690 BCE, it became a significant port with three harbours.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  10. Kekova
    11 45 min

    Kekova

    Kekova is a small, uninhabited island of about 4.5 km² off Demre district in Antalya province. It faces the villages of Kaleköy (ancient Simena) and Üçağız (ancient Teimioussa), and in antiquity it was known as Dolichiste.

    • High
    • Historic site
  11. Simena Castle
    12 45 min

    Simena Castle

    Simena Castle is the medieval fortress built on the acropolis walls of Simena, an ancient Lycian town between Kaş and Demre that is now the village of Kaleköy.

    • High
    • Historic site
  12. Hidirlik Tower Hidirlik Tower
    13 45 min

    Hidirlik Tower

    Hıdırlık Kulesi

    Hidirlik Tower is a compact cylindrical stone landmark on the southwestern edge of Kaleiçi, Antalya’s historic old town, beside the harbour.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  13. Antalya Karatay Madrasa Antalya Karatay Madrasa
    14 45 min

    Antalya Karatay Madrasa

    Karatay Medresesi

    The Antalya Karatay Madrasa, known locally as Karatay Medresesi, stands as a historic Islamic educational institution in Antalya, Turkey. This architectural monument represents the Seljuk period heritage of the region, reflecting the scholarly traditions that once flourished here.

    • High
    • Historic site
  14. Limyra Limyra
    15 45 min

    Limyra

    Limyra is an ancient Lycian city in the Finike district of Antalya Province. Its open-air ruins introduce visitors to a settlement shaped by several periods of Anatolian history.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  15. Arycanda Arycanda
    16 45 min

    Arycanda

    Arikanda

    Arycanda, locally known as Arikanda, is an ancient Lycian city ruin situated in the mountains of Antalya Province. The archaeological site occupies a dramatic hillside position with steep terraced construction typical of Lycian urban planning.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  16. Sillyon Sillyon
    17 45 min

    Sillyon

    Sillyon is an ancient fortified settlement perched on a steep hilltop in the Pamphylian plain near Antalya. The site commands dramatic views across the coastal landscape and preserves substantial remains from multiple civilizations.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  17. Antalya Clock Tower Antalya Clock Tower
    19 45 min

    Antalya Clock Tower

    Saat Kulesi

    Antalya Clock Tower, also called Saat Kulesi, is a prominent historic marker at the edge of Kaleiçi, Antalya’s old town.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  18. Yanartaş Yanartaş
    20 45 min

    Yanartaş

    Yanartaş is a natural geological attraction in Antalya province, known for flames emerging from the rocky ground.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  19. Selge Selge
    21 45 min

    Selge

    Selge is an ancient Pisidian city situated in the Taurus Mountains north of Antalya. Founded by Greek colonists, it developed into a significant mountain stronghold in classical antiquity.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  20. Syedra Syedra
    22 45 min

    Syedra

    Syedra Antik Kenti

    Syedra is an ancient city on a hillside above Turkey’s Mediterranean coast near Alanya, in Antalya Province.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  21. Alara Castle Alara Castle
    23 45 min

    Alara Castle

    Alara Kalesi

    Alara Castle is a hilltop fortress ruin above the Alara River in Antalya Province. The castle’s character comes from its position: elevated ground overlooks the river corridor and separates the site from the province’s coastal resort landscape.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  22. Monastery of Doyran
    24 45 min

    Monastery of Doyran

    Doyran Monastery

    Monastery of Doyran is a named historical and cultural point of interest in the Doyran area of Antalya Province. Its identity is tied to this locality and to a mapped place associated with the region’s religious heritage.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  23. South Basilica of Side South Basilica of Side
    25 45 min

    South Basilica of Side

    Basilica at Side

    The South Basilica of Side is an ancient ecclesiastical ruin located in the Side archaeological zone within Antalya province. This basilica represents part of the extensive Roman and early Byzantine remains that characterize the ancient port city of Side.

    • Must see
    • Historic site

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Kaleiçi is the oldest and most compact visitor district, enclosed by remnants of the historic walls and descending toward the old harbour. Hadrian's Gate marks its eastern edge, while the Clock Tower and Republic Square connect it with the modern commercial centre. Konyaaltı Beach and the museum corridor extend west; Lara and the Düden waterfall areas lie east. The municipality's Kaleiçi map separates long, Roman-Byzantine and Ottoman-Seljuk walking routes, a useful reminder that the old quarter rewards a dedicated walk before transport is used for the wider coast.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Walk inside Kaleiçi and the adjoining central streets, then use Antalya's municipal tram and bus network for beaches, museums, terminals and outer districts. The airport, historic centre and western urban corridor are linked through public transport, but archaeological sites and resort areas across the wider province may require regional buses, organised transfers or a car. Do not treat every attraction marketed under Antalya as an urban stop. Check the municipality's current route and service information before travel because seasonal demand and works can alter practical connections.

Checked 2026-08-26

More city guides

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Antalya?

Suggested stay for a first visit: 3–4 days. The range combines Kaleiçi and the city coast with one selected archaeological or nearby landscape route in Antalya Province; it is not for the city centre alone. Use an extra day for a farther coast or mountain journey.

Where is Antalya's historic centre?

Kaleiçi is the old walled quarter around the Roman harbour. Hadrian's Gate, the Clock Tower and Republic Square mark the transition between its lanes and the modern centre.

Can I explore Kaleiçi on foot?

Yes. The municipality maps dedicated routes through the compact old quarter. Use transport after that walk for Konyaaltı, Lara, museums and other outer districts.

Are all Antalya attractions inside the city?

No. Antalya tourism commonly includes archaeological sites, resort towns and natural areas spread across the province. Treat those as separate regional journeys rather than urban stops.

What is the practical way to reach the beaches?

Use municipal tram or bus services for the urban coast, then walk within each beach or park area. Confirm the current route because service patterns can change with works and seasonal demand.