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Antalya is one of the most popular cities in Turkey for tourists to visit, but is Antalya worth visiting or is your time best spent somewhere else?
Most people who visit Turkey visit Istanbul and Cappadocia and don’t explore the rest of the country. That’s a shame because Turkey has so much to offer.
If you only have a short time in Turkey and want to add a third city to your itinerary, I think Antalya is the perfect choice.
It’s very different from Istanbul and Cappadocia and gives you a taste of the beaches and water Turkey is famous for. Antalya also has a rich archeological and history you can learn about.
I also think Antalya is a great place to start if you’re doing a trip up the west coast of Turkey like I did in 2022.
So, no whether you’re only in Turkey for a short period of time or a month or two, the answer to the question is Antalya worth visiting is yes.
Make sure you have travel insurance before arriving in Antalya.
Table of Contents
Why Antalya is Worth Visiting
Okay. I’ve told you the answer to the question is Antalya worth visiting is yes, but now I should defend that answer.
Antalya is the biggest and most popular destination on the west coast of Turkey. This means you not only have access to some of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey, but it is also very friendly to tourists.
There is excellent tourist infrastructure, great public transportation, museums, and a major airport. Many tourist cities near the beaches don’t have airport access, and you need to land in Antalya and take a bus to them.
Antalya is Beautiful
Antalya is also just one of the most stunningly beautiful cities in Turkey. The old town is breathtaking, and the cities has multiple levels to it, which means the photography is unbeatable.
The main road outside the old city (near the tram station) is elevated from the old city. You walk along it for a few minutes and then get the famous view of the beach and ocean from above.
You know. The famous photos that make people add Antalya to their bucket list.
There is a Variety of Things to Do
One of my favourite things about Antalya is that there is something for everybody. There is the water and beaches, archeology sites, waterfalls, shopping, one of the most beautiful old towns in Turkey, nightlife, and a modern city to explore.
No matter what your interests are, there is something for you.
I’m not a beach girly. In fact, I hate the water and the beach, and I spent four days in Antalya exploring everything else it had to offer and wasn’t bored for a second.
I’m a museum girly and loved the Antalya Archeology Museum. It was one of the best museums I went to in Turkey. I highly recommend you take a half day and visit it!
Another of my favourite things to do in Antalya is visiting Duden Falls. I visited in October, and there wasn’t a ton of water flowing through the falls. They were still fantastic, and I can only imagine how much better they are when there is more water running through them.
Install an esim on your phone to easily access the internet while exploring Antalya.
Top Things to do in Antalya
It’s Easy to Navigate
One of the best parts of Antalya is that it is super easy to navigate. Not only is there a major airport in the city, but there is also a comprehensive tram network. Plus it’s a very walkable city.
The only time I used public transportation was from the airport, to the bus station, and to Duden Falls. The rest of the time I was easily able to walk wherever I wanted to go.
I didn’t go to the cable car. You’d have to either go on a tour or take public transportation if you wanted to experience it. It isn’t walkable from the Old Town.
Why You May Not Want to Visit Antalya
I’ve argued so far that the answer to the question is Antalya worth visiting is yes, but Antalya may not be the right fit for everybody.
There’s a lot to love about Antalya. It’s one of the best cities in Turkey for tourists for a reason.
That being said, Antalya wasn’t my favourite city in Turkey. It was about middle of the road for me. Granted, I visited some of the best places in Turkey like Ephesus, so it’s pretty much impossible to be at the top of my list.
The only downfall to Antalya in my eyes is just how touristy it is. Especially in the Old Town. Old Town are always super touristy, but the Old Town in Antalya is next level.
Don’t get my wrong. The Old Town in Antalya is stunning. It’s absolutely gorgeous, but it just loses a little bit of it’s charm when you’re walking around and seeing burger joints and pubs rather than Turkish restaurants that you’d typically see in other Old Towns in Turkey.
It definitely felt more like it was curated for the foreign tourist rather than other Old Towns that felt like they were made for Turkish tourists and foreign tourists.
I hope that makes sense.
Now, just because it’s a little more focused on foreign tourists doesn’t mean Antalya isn’t worth visiting.
I think the pros of Antalya widely outweigh the cons of Antalya.
I really recommend you spend some time outside the Old Town wandering through the modern city to get a better idea of what Antalya is really like.
You should also take the time to find a good place to eat that has good reviews and no mention of being scammed in the reviews.
Read my full article on safety in Antalya to learn about food scams in the city
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Days Should I Spend in Antalya?
I recommend 3-4 days in Antalya. That gives you enough time to see all the major tourist attractions without being rushed.
Where Should I Stay?
I recommend staying in the Old Town. You’ll pay a little bit more than staying in the modern part of the city, but it’s more convenient and walkable to stay in the Old Town.
Is Antalya Expensive?
It’s hard to say whether or not Antalya is expensive because what expensive means to me may be affordable to you and vice versa.
That being said, Antalya is the most affordable city when comparing Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya. It isn’t the cheapest city I visited during my month in Turkey.
I paid about $35USD/night for a hotel right in the heart of the Old City. You can find cheaper hotels and more expensive hotels, but, overall, I would say compared to a lot of places in the world, Antalya is very affordable.
In fact, I found Turkey to be more affordable than Southeast Asia.
The thing that is going to be more expensive in Antalya is the food. I found Antalya had some of the highest prices for food in Turkey. Antalya and Bodrum. Probably because they’re tourist resort towns right on the water.
How to Get from the Airport to the Old Town
Luckily, Antalya has a tram line directly at the airport. You have to leave the airport building and walk a little bit to the left past a parking lot, but it’s super easy to find.
You’ll take the Antray Tram line all the way to the Old Town. The tram doesn’t go into the Old Town, but it gets you very close. Within walking distance of the Old Town.
If you don’t want to bother with the tram, you can pre-book an airport shuttle to drop you off at your hotel. It’s super affordable and convenient.
The airport shuttle is honestly what I’d recommend to my friends and family who were visiting Turkey for the first time and/or weren’t confident navigating from the tram station to their hotel.
The convenience of being dropped off right at your hotel door is hard to beat. Plus you know exactly what you’re going to pay and don’t have to worry about being scammed by a taxi driver.
Plus the shuttle is super affordable and won’t break the bank.
The Importance of Internet Safety
One of the most overlooked travel safety tips is the need to be internet safe. You rely on public wifi as a traveller, and that puts you at a high risk of having your personal online information stolen.
Even if you have an esim on your phone, you still rely on public wifi at your hotel (you’d burn through your data otherwise).
Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to have your online information stolen. Especially your banking information. You don’t want to deal with the headache of calling your bank and having your card cancelled while you’re abroad trying to enjoy a holiday.
The only way you can be internet safe when you travel is by installing a VPN on your devices.
A VPN essentially puts an invisible forcefield around your devices that makes it impossible for prying eyes to access your online information. It makes using public wifi just as safe as using your home wifi where you’re the only person who knows the password.
It’s the simplest safety measure you can take in preparation for your trip to Antalya.
My Favourite VPN
I’ve used a lot of different VPNs over my many years of travel. I hated most of them. VPNs are notorious for slowing down your internet speed, and with most VPNs you really feel a difference in speed.
I used to turn off my VPN and put my online information at risk just because the VPN I was using was so slow I couldn’t handle it.
That all changed when I discovered NordVPN. I’ve been using it since 2018 have no thoughts of ever changing.
It consistently ranks as the fastest VPN on the market, and you really feel a difference in speed compared to other VPNs. I’ve honestly never noticed a slow down in my internet with NordVPN, and my internet is just as fast as if I were using it unprotected.
You’re able to protect up to six devices with a single NordVPN account, so you don’t have to worry about having different accounts to protect your phone versus your laptop versus a tablet.
A two-year NordVPN subscription costs less per month than a single Starbuck’s latte, so you don’t have to break the bank to stay internet safe.
I always say that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect yourself with a VPN and stay safe when travelling.
NordVPN
Get the fastest VPN on the market and stay safe while travelling.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped answer the question is Antalya worth visiting. In my opinion, it is 100% worth visiting Antalya.
It’s the gateway to the stunning west coast beaches Turkey is famous for. Even if you only have a short time in Turkey, it’s worth adding Antalya to your itinerary.
Chances are it’ll be much different from the cities you’re already planning on visiting. It’ll gives you a different taste of Turkey and a different experience from the other most popular tourist cities.
Even though Antalya is very much a tourist city, it’s still worth visiting. Plus the tourist infrastructure makes it the perfect city for new travellers or solo travellers.
I don’t know anybody who has visited Antalya and didn’t have a good time. I hope you enjoy it if you choose to add it to your Turkey itinerary!
