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Top Sights and Attractions of Antalya

Best 20 Attractions to Explore in Antalya

Antalya is not only one of the greatest cities in Turkey but also one of the most picturesque Mediterranean cities. This magnificent city is a fairytale in Turkey with many natural and historic attractions. Most of the Attractions of Antalya are historic and natural sites that are very important to the history of Turkey. You need at least 5 days to explore Antalya, so bear that when planning a trip to this glamorous city.

Top 20 Attractions of Antalya

In this article, we’ve made a pocket list of Antalya’s top 20 attractions to help you design your itinerary for Antalya. Keep reading to learn more about this fascinating province and city.

  1. Kaleiçi Old City – Antalya
  2. Antalya Hadrian’s Gate
  3. Karain Cave
  4. Beach resorts of Antalya
  5. Antalya Aquarium
  6. Aspendos
  7. Antalya Museum
  8. Hidirlik Tower (Hıdırlık Kulesi)
  9. Perge Ancient city
  10. Düden Waterfalls
  11. Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque
  12. Yivliminare Mosque
  13. Olympus and the Chimera
  14. Antalya Saat Kulesi
  15. Karst Springs
  16. Parks of Antalya
  17. Pamphylia
  18. Tunektepe Teleferik Tesisleri
  19. Damlataş Cave
  20. Alanya Harbour

Kaleiçi Old City – Antalya

Kaleici is the old town center of Antalya, Turkey. The historic old town is one of the most popular attractions in this city. Kaleici, in the Turkish language, means inside the castle. This part of the city is confined to all the land areas of Antalya, which is why they chose this name.

The historical structure of the buildings in this part of the city reminds us of the time when the Roman Empire controlled the city. Walking and strolling Kaleici’s old city of Antalya will take you back to Roman times. Kaleici’s old city is not just a minor landmark in Antalya. It is a neighborhood where you can find some of the city’s main historic places, like Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque and Kesik Minare.

Kaleiçi old city – Antalya
Kaleiçi old city – Antalya

Hadrian’s Gate

Another must-visit attraction in Antalya city is Hadrian’s Gate, which dates back to 130 BC. These gates were built in honor of the entrance of the Roman emperor of that time to the city. It was a two-floor gate, and only the first floor has survived throughout centuries. Hadrian’s Gate 3 has charming arches, and the structure is inspired by Roman architecture. It is the entrance gate to the old Kaleici city.

Karain Cave

Karain Cave is another one of Antalya’s many attractions on your trip to this mysterious city. This cave is located 27 kilometers outside Antalya city at Yagca village. Karain Cave is located in the Mediterranean region of Turkey and dates back to the Paleolithic era. It is one of the oldest places you can visit in Turkey.

Karain Cave
Karain Cave

Beach resorts of Antalya

Antalya has an extensive coastline and several charming beaches, so we dare to include its most fantastic attractions. There are several beaches in Antalya, and everyone should be considered a distinct attraction, but we named all of them as a group because we couldn’t choose one as a better attraction. The beaches of Antalya offer pristine nature and are perfect places for relaxing.

Beach resorts of Antalya
Beach resorts of Antalya

Antalya Aquarium

One of the best attractions on Antalya’s list is the Antalya Aquarium. It is the world’s fifth-largest aquarium and the second-largest in Europe. This indoor place is excellent for spending quality time with your family because adults and children enjoy strolling in it. Antalya Aquarium has 131 meters of walking road covered by a tunnel of aquariums surrounding the corridors. There are also 40 themed aquariums that you can visit in Antalya Aquarium.

Antalya Aquarium
Antalya Aquarium

Aspendos

47 kilometers east of Antalya city, you will reach one of the city’s most beautiful attractions: Aspendos Amphitheater. Aspendos is a Roman Greece-style amphitheater with an outdoor area. There are numerous Roman amphitheaters worldwide, but the one in Antalya city is one of the most intact.

Another fact that makes this place unique is the large land area compared to other Roman amphitheaters. Aspendos Amphitheater could host 15000 people as the audience for a theater or a show. Make sure you visit this spectacular landmark on your trip to Antalya.

Aspendos
Aspendos

Antalya Archeology Museum

Antalya Archeology Museum is another attraction in Antalya city that you have to visit. Antalya has several excellent museums, and everyone is focused on a subject. Antalya Archeology Museum showcases most of the plastering found in the ancient city of Perg. Despite that, you can see 5,000 monuments in this museum in Mediterranean land areas. This museum showcases a rich collection of monuments that amazes everyone interested in Turkey’s history and heritage.

Antalya Archeology Museum
Antalya Archeology Museum

Hidirlik Tower (Hıdırlık Kulesi)

Another attraction in Antalya that you must visit on your trip is the Hidirli Tower. Hidirlik Tower is a 14-meter-high cylinder tower that dates back to the 2nd century. It was made under the rule of a Roman emperor. The tower was supposed to be built in a cubicle shape, but they changed the plan into a cylinder in the middle of creating it. This is one of the oldest towers in Antalya and Turkey, so visit this striking building.

Hidirlik Tower (Hıdırlık Kulesi)
Hidirlik Tower (Hıdırlık Kulesi)

Perge Ancient City

Perge Ancient City is a historic landmark 15 kilometers from Antalya in the city’s eastern part. This historic site is another attraction in Antalya that is very popular among tourists and locals. The Perge ancient city was a Greek city in Anatolia, where some ruins have remained since then. If you’re curious to see an ancient Greek city and learn about how it was, you have to visit Perge’s ancient city. Perge’s ancient city was a large and important city during the time of the Roman Empire.

Perge Ancient City
Perge Ancient City

Düden Waterfalls

Antalya has many attractions divided into two groups: historical sites and natural scenery. One of the picturesque landscapes in Antalya is Duden Waterfalls, a group of waterfalls located next to each other 12 kilometers out of the city on the northeast part. Duden Waterfalls drop directly into the Mediterranean Sea. At Duden Waterfalls’ entrance is a park where you can relax and take a break. Remember that when visiting Duden Waterfalls, you must bring hiking clothes, shoes, a cap, sunblock, etc.

Düden Waterfalls
Düden Waterfalls

Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque

Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque is a fascinating place in Antalya province and one of its many attractions. This mosque was built in the 18th century when the Ottoman Empire was in power in Turkey. The colorful tiles, glamorous architecture, and interior design of Tekeli Mehmet Pasha mosque will show you the greatness and beauty of the Ottoman Empire and its influence on the heritage of this land. Visiting Tekeli Mehmet Pasha is free, and you don’t need to purchase a ticket, but the visiting hours are limited.

Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque
Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque

Yivliminare Mosque

Yiviliminare Mosque, or the Alaaddin Mosque, is one of the main attractions in Antalya province and is thoroughly recommended for your trip to the city. Its inauguration and construction date back to the early 13th century. This Minaret was built by the order of Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad, and you can see the beauty of Seljuk architecture in this building. There’s a gallery on the last floor of this Minaret, where you can also get a panoramic view of Antalya city.

Yivliminare Mosque
Yivliminare Mosque

Olympus and the Chimera

One of the most interesting attractions near Antalya is a landmark with Olympus and Chimera villages. You will see a distinctive phenomenon in the Olympus and Chimera villages that will amaze every visitor. These two villages share a typical beach filled with ruins and vestiges from Olympus City in the Lycian era. The city was located on a river valley and the coastline of Antalya province.

Chimera is a mountain where flames of fire are coming out of the cracks between the rocks. You won’t see this natural phenomenon in any other place on earth. The flames of fire coming out of nowhere between the stones of the mountain are a jaw-dropping phenomenon that you may think you’ve left the world.

Olympus and the Chimera
Olympus and the Chimera

Antalya Saat Kulesi

Antalya Saat Kulesi is a tower in Antalya province and one of its numerous attractions on your voyage to the city. Every day, visitors see this magnificent landmark, a relic from the 19th century.

In Turkish, Antalya Saat Kulesi means the clock tower of Antalya. The name is inspired by the four clocks installed on the four sides of the tower’s walls. Eighty towers were built then, but the Antalya Saat Kulesi is the only one that has remained. Make sure you plan a short visit to this fascinating tower in Antalya.

Antalya Saat Kulesi

Antalya Saat Kulesi

Karst Springs

There’s a large limestone land area in the suburbs of Antalya city filled with kart springs. This landscape is one of the most picturesque areas of Antalya city, and it is very popular among tourists and locals for spending a pleasant day and enjoying the scenery.

The natural underground reservoirs in Karst Springs have shaped this landscape over 1.5 or even 2 million years. A green space surrounds this place, making it even more charming and ideal for an excursion. This place is also filled with waterfalls.

Karst Springs
Karst Springs

Parks of Antalya

Antalya has the perfect climate and a lot of green space on its land, most of which are parks. Several parks in Antalya are popular among locals and tourists and some of its best attractions.

Some of Antalya’s most known and crowded parks are Karaalioglu, Florya Atatürk Forest, and Koprulu Canyon National Park. If you are exhausted by the city’s historic sites and want to enjoy a pleasant time with your friends and family, you can visit the charming parks in Antalya city.

Pamphylia

The Pamphylia region is one of Antalya’s best attractions and one of Turkey’s main historical sites. Pamphylia is an ancient region in the Mediterranean part of Turkey. It is a landmark full of ruins of an ancient region where the whole land was extended from the Mediterranean to the mountain belt of Turkey called Taurus.

The historic land of Pamphylia contains many of Turkey’s cities, such as Antalya and Alanya, some ancient cities, like Perge and Aspendos, and many other towns and villages in modern and old Turkey.

Pamphylia
Pamphylia

Tunektepe Teleferik Tesisleri

Tunektepe Teleferik Tesisleri is a recreation center near Antalya and is one of its most exciting attractions. This place has so many attractions that you need at least a day to explore. You can hike this hill, take the cable car to the top, and enjoy the glamorous views.

Antalya has excellent natural features, with magnificent coastlines and mountains. At the Tunektepe Teleferik Tesisleri, you can get a perfect view over the Gulf of Antalya and go on top of the peaks of the Taurus mountain belt in this city.

Tunektepe Teleferik Tesisleri
Tunektepe Teleferik Tesisleri

Damlataş Cave

One of the most fantastic attractions near Antalya, which is underrated in comparison to its beauty, is Damlatas Cave. Damlatas Cave is more than 15,000 years old, and the stalactite and stalagmite formations have been shaped inside it for centuries.

If you are a picky traveler and want to explore Antalya’s less famous attractions, visit this spectacular cave whenever you are in Antalya. You can also get a break from the heat of summer in this exciting place.

Damlataş Cave
Damlataş Cave

Dine at Alanya Harbour

This is one of the central lands of Antalya province, and the whole city was constructed around it. Nowadays, this place is filled with restaurants and dining places where you can enjoy a pleasant meal and the perfect view and weather.

You can also get boats at this place and visit the waterfalls located on the coastline.

Final words about the best attractions of Antalya

Antalya, with its perfect climate, spectacular beaches and landscapes, an extensive collection of vestiges and relics, numerous recreation centers, etc., has become one of the ideal destinations for tourists worldwide. In this article, we named some of the top attractions to visit on your trip to Antalya.

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