If you are looking for a beautiful coastline, top hotels and good food for a reasonable budget then yes! Did you know that Antalya has more than 200 blue flag beaches so that alone makes Antalya worth visiting.
There is a lot more to Antalya than sprawling all inclusive resorts and fake handbags. Although, if you are looking for that then you have come to the right place also! Antalya has the best of both worlds. So, is Antalya worth visiting? Read on to find out more and make up your mind…
Where is Antalya?
Antalya is located on the southwest coast of Turkey situated on the Mediterranean coast. It is surrounded by the Taurus Mountains. Antalya is home to a beautiful Mediterranean coastline with many gorgeous beaches to explore. Antalya is known as “the capital of tourism” in Turkey and is a very popular holiday destination with over 400 5* hotels alone this is a huge attraction to many tourists.
When is the best time to go to Antalya?
Antalya is most popular during peak summer when many tourists from all over Europe flood to Turkey to take advantage of the sun, sand and stunning hotels. However, the peak summer is HOT! We reached temperatures of 44c during July. If you want to comfortably explore everything Antalya has to offer from the ancient ruins, adventurous activities and quiet beaches then we would recommend going between April-June and September-October. Temperatures will still be good from around 22c in April up to 32c in June and dropping down to 29c-25c in September and October.
What currency is used in Antalya?
In Antalya both Euros and Turkish Lira is accepted. We would recommend using Turkish Lira when in Antalya as you will get a slightly better rate than in Euros. We found that with Euros the numbers were rounded up slightly.
Is Antalya Safe?
Crime rates in Antalya are rated as ‘Low’ or ‘Very Low’ making Antalya a very safe place to visit. Of course, be vigilant and aware as you would travelling any other destination. However, you will feel very safe during your time in Antalya. Additionally, there is a strong and friendly police presence around Antalya.
During our stay in Kemer, Antalya I spent time walking around the town alone and felt totally comfortable at all times.
Is Antalya affected by earthquakes?
Antalya is in Turkey which is within a seismic region meaning earthquakes can be felt in Antalya. However, Antalya is in the western part of the country which usually gets fewer and less severe earthquakes than the eastern part. Although this may be true, it is worth noting that typically earthquakes in Antalya do not reach above 5.0 in magnitude. Earthquakes should not be a major concern for tourists visiting Antalya.
How to get around Antalya?
If you are looking for a transfer from the airport to your hotel then check out Holiday Taxis, we find they offer competitive rates.
It is fairly easy to get the bus around Antalya. You will need to first get a bus card from one of the little kiosks near the bus stops. The bus card for Antalya can also be used on the tram. You can download an Antalya Card App which will show you the routes and numbers. It even tells you how far away the bus is.
Antalya has two tram lines, AntRay and Nostalji. AntRay runs from the North West via the Bus Centre through Kaleici to the Airport. Nostalji runs from near to Konyaalti Beach to Lara Beach along the coast.
The most convenient way is to hire a care and drive around exploring the coast at your leisure. We use local rent car hire as they use smaller companies and often have better rates. You can check the rates below.
What is the best area to stay in Antalya?
Antalya has many popular places to stay for tourists. Many holiday-makers choose their area depending on the hotel that they like as Antalya is popular for large 5* resorts. Depending on if you are looking for a resort based holiday or to get out and explore will depend on the area that you choose.
Some of the most popular places to stay in Antalya are:
Belek Antalya
Antalya airport to Belek is only around 30minutes by car which makes Belek one of the best places to stay in Antalya. Belek is definitely the best area to stay in if you are looking for a golf holiday in Antalya. There are sixteen 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course in Belek alone. Check out the different courses here. It is also only a 10 minute drive away from the Land of Legends Theme and Water Park. So, if you are looking for Antalya golf hotels then Belek is your place!
Luxury Hotel Belek
Rixos Premium Belek is a huge all inclusive hotel in Belek with Land of Legends Access. Many restaurants, bars, pools, kids clubs, beach. Excellent reviews. Although we haven’t stayed in this hotel we have stayed in the Rixos Dubai and it was one of our most memorable hotel stays so I have no reservations recommending this hotel.
Mid Range Belek
The majority of hotels in the Belek area are large all inclusive resorts. If you are looking for something mid-range when looking for where to stay in Antalya then we would suggest booking a self-catering apartment or a villa. Fairways Villa has outstanding reviews. It is close to the beach and shops with a good pool.
Budget Belek
A two-bedroom villa a bit further from the beach seems to be the best budget option in the Belek area of Antalya. Check out Villa Alp’s it has good reviews but it does seem you would need a car.
Lara Antalya
Lara is around 20km from Antalya airport. The beach in Lara is another blue flag beach and is arguably one of the best beaches in Antalya. A large proportion of the beach is owned by hotels and is private. However, the western end of the beach is open to the public. The water is shallow which is perfect for families visiting Antalya. It is important to note that Lara is mainly full of large all inclusive resorts so it is not the best area for a B&B holiday. There are not a lot of restaurants and bars to choose from outside of the big hotels.
Luxury Hotel Lara
Lara Barut is highly rated as an ultra all inclusive. It has great family facilities with indoor and outdoor slides, pools, kids clubs but then having adults only areas too. Perfect balance! Food and drinks reviews also stand out.
Mid Range Lara
There are not really B&B hotels here that are worth recommending but a cheaper alternative to the Lara Barut but still with excellent reviews and facilities is the Baia Lara. With waterslides, family friendly rooms, swimming pools and beach. There are offers on Genius on Booking.com too. Making it an affordable all-inclusive option in Lara Antalya.
Kemer Antalya
We chose to stay in Kemer, Antalya as we were looking for a somewhere with a range of restaurants and a nice beach. Kemer is a blue flag beach with crystal clear sea. Kemer has lots of smaller hotel as well as a few larger hotels so it fit our needs perfectly. We loved the abundance of greenery, parks, pedestrianised areas, marina, beach clubs and restaurants.
Luxury Hotel Kemer
Double Tree Hilton Kemer have a fabulous all-inclusive resort in Kemer that is highly rated.
If you are looking for an ultra all-inclusive then check out the Akra Kemer. It has wonderful reviews for service, food, drinks, kids club and facilities.
Mid Range Hotel Kemer
Miyas Luxury Hotel is a highly rated midrange hotel in Kemer. It is close to the beach, shops and restaurants. Modernly decorated, clean and a good pool.
Budget Hotel Kemer
We stayed at The Wasserman Hotel down a quiet street parallel to the main road. We chose it because of the large family room, reasonable price for B&B and it has a pool.
Kaleici or Old Town Antalya
This is the capital of Antalya and the old town Kaleici is well worth spending some time in. We adored the traditional narrow, cobbled streets and abundance of bars and restaurants. The views of the coast and little beach – read our review of Mermerli Beach here – are simply breathtaking.
Things to do in Antalya for families
Antalya is full of things to do as a family. Aside from spending time in the pool or on the beach. Here are a few other things that make Antalya worth visiting:
- Land of Legends – Theme and Water Park (near Belek)
- Turkish Maldives boat trip – (we did this, can highly recommend!)
- Visit the Duden waterfalls (near Antalya town)
- Antalya aquarium
- Aspendos Antalya – visit the ancient ruins on a guided trip
- Canyoning, Rafting and Ziplining trip
- Cable Car trip (we also did this and would recommend)
If you are looking to incorporate some travel into your time in Antalya then consider a trip to Cappadocia. Something that has been on my travel list for a long time, see the hot air balloons and stay in a cave hotel. It sounds incredible!
What to do in Antalya Old Town
Antalya Old town is a gorgeous town with narrow streets, Roman architecture, coffee shops and lovely restaurants. There are many great places for seaside and sunset views. Make sure to spend time wandering the streets visiting:
- Hadrian’s Gate – the Roman gateway to the city
- Antalya Harbour – best views are from the square or Karaalioglu Park
- Karaalioglu Park – green space on the cliff with great views
- Viewing Platform in Keçili Park – a glass floor overlooking Mermerli Beach
- Sunset drink – try Marcos or Castle Bar
- Mermerli Beach – read out blog for all the information
Check out our Instagram Reel on Kaleici here.
In Conclusion, is Antalya Worth Visiting?
100% yes. There are plenty of accommodation options for all budgets. It is full of blue flag beaches and nature and adventure activities. There are plenty of family friendly activities to do. It is still a fairly cheap country to travel to. We only scratched the surface on this trip but we will definitely be back.
Read our other blogs about Antalya here:
Other Travel Destinations to Check Out
If you are looking for other family travel inspiration then check out some of the other destinations that we have travelled to:
For lots of other information check out our Destinations Page where you can explore all the places we have visited.
Disclaimer: This post Is Antalya worth visiting?, has affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.
