ANTALYA

Antalya is the only city on earth that was founded on sea cliffs and it presents you a mixture of history and modern life. As you can find lots of historical traces both in the city center and around the city, you can also enjoy your day and night life in our captivating bars and clubs. Also, Antalya has a spectacular nature that will definitely mesmerize you.

What to do in Antalya?

Old Town

You can agree that in many cities the best part is the Old Town. You can explore the history of the city while enjoying the renovated building of the Old Town along with many cafes, restaurants and bars. Old Town is the center of the leisure life as well. Many of the locals, including both the youth and elder people and tourists spend their times there. Even though I live far from there, this is the place where meet with all my friends and spend my leisure time 😊

There are few highlights that you need to see while you are there: (the entrance of the Old Town and the oldest structure in the city, , (the oldest minaret in the city), (the main square), , and .

Even though that seems a lot, they are all close to each other and it will take you at most an hour to see every one of them. Additionally, you will have a chance to wander in the streets which gives you a spectacular experience 😊

Waterfalls

Antalya is not only famous with its history and night life; it also has an amazing nature. The most famous waterfalls are Düden Waterfall and Kurşunlu Waterfall. You can take the public transportation to Düden Waterfall which makes it more convenient to visit. Kurşunlu Waterfall is in a park where you can enjoy the combination of water and forest, but you need a car to go there. Also, you should definitely check where Düden Waterfall actually falls to Mediterranean, it’s called Karpuzkaldıran Waterfall and it’s in the city center.

Antique Theaters

We also have a few antique theatres in the city, some of them are still in use for concerts, performances, and festivals. The most famous one of them is Aspendos Theater, you can also go there by car and you will have the chance to experience the ancient atmosphere along with the majestic building.

I also recommend you see Termessos Theatre but it’s more of a hiking spot. You need to hike for a while to reach the theatre, but I guarantee that you won’t regret it 😉

Beaches

Antalya has a long coastal side so it’s up to you to choose the one suits you. On the west, you will find Konyaaltı Beach: The beach is rocky but there are a lot of complexes like cafes, restaurants and bars in the coastline, so you might enjoy it more. On the east, there is the Lara Beach: Personally, my favorite because it’s sandy and way peaceful than Konyaaltı Beach and there are a lot of complexes as well, so you won’t find yourself in the middle of nowhere. When I say Konyaaltı and Lara Beach, don’t expect something small, they are kilometers long 😊

As another choice, you might just enjoy the sea on the sea cliffs, there are some complexes that enables you to go down and swim there. In the coast line of the sea cliffs, there is a kilometers-long park called and you can find the swimming spots there.

Additionally;

You can also visit the Antalya Museum and explore the remains of Romans, Byzantines and Anatolian civilizations. If you are interested in caves, you can check the Karain Cave, it’s on the top of a hill so you need to climb like 300 stairs but the view worths it 😊 You can also go to Tünektepe, where you can have a full-city view. Last but not least, you can enjoy your time in our amusement park Aktur Park which is close to Konyaaltı Beach.

Where to stay?

As someone living in Antalya, I would definitely recommend you stay in the Old Town because it’s located in the center, so you can easily transport everywhere from there. You can find many hostels, hotels and Airbnb’s there.

Café-Restaurant-Bar Tips

There are a few must-go’s in Antalya.

Çıtır Balık: I’m not a big fan of sea food but this place is out of the world. They make fish in breads and they have a open salad bar: Every ingredient they use it grown there, the fish is always fresh and you don’t even realize that you are eating fish because it tastes delicious. It’s in the city center, right next to the Old Town and Karaalioğlu.

Il Vicino Pizza: This place is discovered by the mentees from last semester. It gives you a cozy atmosphere, perfect for chill evenings or dates 😉 And the Italian food they make is delicious.

Terrace Café: It’s right next to Hıdırlık Tower and I enjoy going there around the sunset because the view of the sea, marina and the mountains across are amazing. It’s just a normal café with a regular service but you should check it for its view.

Castle Café: This one is next to the Hıdırlık Tower as well. However, you are on the ground, so the view is a little bit worse than Terrace Café, but it’s still beautiful and worth checking. Also, the food is better.

Leman Kültür Café: It’s one of the best located café/bars and the food there is amazing. It’s a comics magazine themed café that you can find in many cities but personally I think this one is the best in terms of their service and quality. They basically serve everything, you’ll be shocked when you check the menu. Good luck with deciding what to get 😊

Tudors Arena: Noone sleeps in Antalya! In this place that is located in the heart of Old Town, there is live music every single day. The groups performing there are usually the best and you will enjoy its cheap prices for sure. If you don’t like that place, just step outside and you will see tens of bars in the very same street 😊

I hope you have an amazing time there!

Cheers,

Gamze Öztürk