Day trips

Best day trips from Antalya

The Kemer coast and Side-Manavgat make for an easy half or full day out, while Alanya, the Lycian coast, Pamukkale and Cappadocia reach further and take real commitment.

Antalya and its immediate surroundings

A shorter day close to the city — Kaleiçi old town, the Düden and Kurşunlu waterfalls, and the ancient sites of Perge and Termessos just outside the centre.

Antalya: Gateway to Turkey's Turquoise Coast

Antalya city guide: Kaleiçi old town, waterfalls, beaches and nearby ruins, plus how the airport connects you to the whole Turquoise Coast.

Kaleiçi: Antalya's Old Town

A walking guide to Kaleiçi, Antalya's walled old town: Ottoman lanes, the historic harbour, Hadrian's Gate and the Yivli Minare.

Düden Waterfalls: Upper Park or Lower Cliff Falls?

Antalya has two Düden Waterfalls, not one. Here's which to pick: the shaded inland park or the cliff falls near Lara, best seen by boat.

Konyaaltı Beach

Konyaaltı Beach is Antalya's long pebble shore with a promenade and Beydağları mountain views — an easy tram ride, not a full-day trip.

Lara Beach

Lara Beach is Antalya's sandy resort strip east of the city — cliff-backed dunes, big hotels, and easy tram access. Here's how it differs from Konyaaltı.

Perge: Antalya's Best Roman Ruins for a Half-Day Trip

Perge's Roman stadium, agora and colonnaded street sit 15km east of Antalya. Here's how to visit this half-day ruin without confusing it with Aspendos.

Termessos

Termessos is a Pisidian mountain city near Antalya reached only on foot. What to expect from the climb, the theatre, and the near-total absence of crowds.

Kurşunlu Waterfall

A shaded pine-forest park with a modest stepped waterfall near Antalya — a quiet nature break, best paired with nearby Perge.

The near coast — Kemer, Belek-Aspendos and Side-Manavgat

A full day along the coast — Kemer and the Tahtalı cable car around an hour away, Belek and the Aspendos theatre a similar distance, and Side's ancient harbour with the Manavgat waterfall roughly an hour and a half.

Aspendos

Aspendos is a 2nd-century Roman theatre near Serik, one of the best-preserved in the world. Visit hours, tickets, aqueduct, and nearby sites.

Kemer, Turkey: Coastal Base for Phaselis, Olympos and the Chimaera

Kemer is a low-key marina resort near Antalya and the gateway to Phaselis, Olympos, the Chimaera flames and Tahtalı cable car.

Side

Side pairs a Roman agora and temple with beach bars on one small peninsula, an hour east of Antalya. Plan your visit.

Belek

Belek is Antalya's golf and all-inclusive resort belt, with Aspendos and Köprülü Canyon nearby for day trips beyond the beach.

Chimaera (Yanartaş): The Eternal Flames of Mount Olympos

Flames burning naturally from bare rock near Çıralı — a short uphill walk, best seen at dusk. Here's how the Chimaera actually works.

Green Canyon: Manavgat's Turquoise Reservoir Boat Trip

Green Canyon is a turquoise reservoir on the Manavgat River near Side — a day-boat trip with swimming and lunch, not the Köprülü rafting canyon.

Köprülü Canyon: Antalya's Whitewater Rafting Valley

Köprülü Canyon near Belek and Aspendos is Antalya's main rafting valley, with a Roman bridge, riverside lunch stops, and ancient Selge above the gorge.

Land of Legends: Belek's Theme Park, Water Park and Aquarium

Land of Legends in Belek combines a water park, rides and a huge aquarium — a full family day out, not a heritage stop like nearby Aspendos.

Manavgat

Manavgat is a working river town near Side, best known for its weekly market and boat trips to the waterfall and Green Canyon.

Olympos & Çıralı

Olympos's vine-covered ruins and pebble beach, and calm neighbouring Çıralı with its turtle-nesting shore, on Antalya's Kemer coast.

Phaselis

Phaselis pairs Roman-era ruins with three pine-backed bays near Kemer — a half-day trip for swimming as much as sightseeing.

Tahtalı Mountain Cable Car

How the Tahtalı cable car near Kemer works, what the 2,365m summit is really like, and when wind or cloud can close the view.

Adrasan: Antalya's Quiet Alternative to the Big Resorts

Adrasan is a low-key pebble-beach village south of Olympos, far quieter than Kemer or Side, and the main jumping-off point for boat trips to Suluada.

Altınbeşik Cave: Turkey's Deepest Lake Cave, Far Inland from Side

Altınbeşik Cave is a vast lake cave deep in a national park inland from Manavgat — remote, worthwhile, and only for a full day with a car.

Göynük Canyon: Antalya's Wading Canyon Near Kemer

Göynük Canyon near Kemer is a wading canyon, not a rafting river: wetsuits, cold water, and a short sporty walk through the rock.

Manavgat Waterfall

A wide, low waterfall on the Manavgat River with a riverside park and restaurants — best paired with a boat trip, not a standalone trip.

Selge

Selge is an isolated Roman-era ruin high in the Taurus Mountains above Köprülü Canyon, best combined with a rafting day rather than a dedicated trip.

Suluada Island

Suluada is a protected islet off Adrasan reached only by boat trip from the Kemer coast, known for its turquoise water and day-visit rules.

Tazı Canyon

Tazı Canyon near Manavgat is a dramatic gorge best seen from a clifftop viewpoint over the river, with an optional zipline — not a hiking trail.

The long hauls

The farthest day trips, each a genuine full day out — Alanya and its castle a couple of hours along the coast, the Lycian coast around Kaş and the sunken city of Kekova, and the very long departures to Pamukkale-Hierapolis and Cappadocia, often with a very early start.

Alanya

Alanya travel guide: hilltop castle, Cleopatra Beach, Dim River, Sapadere Canyon and Gazipaşa — plus how far it really is from Antalya.

Cappadocia

Cappadocia sits far inland from Antalya. Here's how to actually get there, why a day trip isn't realistic, and what the fairy-chimney landscape involves.

Kaş

Kaş is a laid-back Lycian coast port near Kalkan, Kekova and Kaputaş — better known for diving and old-town charm than for big beaches.

Pamukkale & Hierapolis

White travertine terraces and the ancient spa city of Hierapolis, a day trip or overnight stop about 3.5-4 hours inland from Antalya.

Alanya Castle: Seljuk Fortress Above Two Bays

Alanya Castle guide: the hilltop Seljuk-Byzantine fortress, walking the walls, Kızıl Kule below, tickets, timing and how it differs from Cleopatra Beach.

Cleopatra Beach, Alanya

Alanya's main sandy beach below the castle headland — how to get there, when to go, and the truth behind the Cleopatra legend.

Fethiye

Fethiye travel guide: harbour town near Ölüdeniz and Saklıkent, roughly 3-3.5 hours from Antalya, best visited as its own base rather than a day trip.

Kalkan

Kalkan travel guide: whitewashed hillside charm, boutique stays, and a quiet base for Patara, Kaputaş and Saklıkent on Turkey's Lycian coast.

Kekova Sunken City

Kekova's sunken ruins near Kaş are seen from a boat, not by swimming — here's how the region's boat trips actually work and what's protected.

Myra & Demre: Rock Tombs, a Roman Theatre and St Nicholas's Church

Myra's cliffside Lycian tombs and Roman theatre sit beside modern Demre, home to the Church of St Nicholas — a stop on the road to Kaş.

Ölüdeniz: Blue Lagoon Beach and Paragliding Over Babadağ

Ölüdeniz's Blue Lagoon and tandem paragliding from Babadağ, near Fethiye — what it actually takes to get there from Antalya and whether it's worth it.

Patara

Patara pairs an 18km dune-backed beach with quiet Lycian ruins near Kalkan — a protected loggerhead turtle nesting site, unlike resort beaches.

Lake Salda

Lake Salda is a turquoise, white-sand lake near Pamukkale, often paired with it on a long day trip rather than visited alone from Antalya.

Dim River & Cave

Dim River near Alanya: floating restaurants over turquoise water, a show cave, and a relaxed day out rather than a hike or a rafting run.

Gazipaşa

Gazipaşa is a quiet town east of Alanya with its own airport (GZP), useful as an alternative gateway to the Alanya region.

Kaputaş Beach

Kaputaş Beach is a turquoise cove between Kaş and Kalkan reached by 180+ steps, with no shade or shops on the sand. Here's how to plan around both.

Saklıkent Canyon: Turkey's Icy Gorge Near Fethiye

Plan a visit to Saklıkent Canyon near Fethiye: wooden walkways, glacier-fed water, wading tips, and how it compares to Göynük Canyon near Kemer.

Sapadere Canyon

A wooden walkway through a cold-water gorge above Alanya — cooler air, turquoise pools, and a straightforward half-day escape from the coast.

Good to know about day trips from Antalya

Day trips from Antalya fall into groups built around what's reachable, not around a fixed distance, since the region mixes a compact old town with a long resort coastline and inland sites several hours away. Antalya and its immediate surroundings — Kaleiçi, the Düden and Kurşunlu waterfalls, Perge and Termessos — make an easy half-day or full day close to the city itself. The near coast, about an hour to an hour and a half away, covers Kemer, Belek and Aspendos, and Side and Manavgat, all realistic single days by transfer or rental car. Alanya sits further along the coast and works well as a longer single day.

The Lycian coast, reaching Kaş, Kekova and Myra, makes for a genuinely long day best started early. Further Afield reaches Pamukkale and Hierapolis and Cappadocia, both long single days or better done as an overnight given the distance inland. Anyone without a car can still cover the near coast by organised coach excursion or dolmuş, while the Müzekart museum pass covers entry to Perge, Aspendos, Side, Phaselis and Myra among others, though summer weekends see the longer excursions to Pamukkale and Cappadocia book up, so reserving ahead is worth doing.

Frequently asked questions about day trips from Antalya

Can Side be done as a day trip from Antalya?

Yes — it's about an hour away, comfortably a half or full day, with time to see the ancient harbour and temple ruins alongside the beach.

Is Cappadocia realistic as a day trip?

It's a long day either way, usually with a very early departure and a late return, so many visitors treat it as an overnight instead.

Which day trip needs no car?

Kaleiçi and the Düden waterfalls — both are reachable by tram and local bus from most parts of Antalya without needing a transfer.

What's a good day trip from Antalya?

Aspendos and the Köprülü canyon together make a strong day: the theatre visit pairs well with a rafting run or a walk along the canyon.

Are any day trips harder in winter?

Yes — the Tahtalı cable car and boat trips can be affected by weather and reduced schedules, and Saklıkent's higher ground sees snow while the coast stays mild.