Antalya in 3 days: a self-guided itinerary

Start the day at the northern edge of Kaleiçi, on Kalekapısı square. The stone clock tower, part of the old wall line, and the Fluted Minaret just behind it, whose brick ribs have made it the emblem of the city, share the same frame. The minaret dates from the Seljuk period and is the silhouette you see on most Antalya postcards. Early in the morning the square is still calm and the light is soft, which makes this the best moment for photos. Note the steps and lanes that drop from the edge of the square into the narrow streets of the old town; the next stop is a walk down that way.

Wind down through the stone lanes to the small harbour cradled by the walls. For centuries this was the city's door to the sea; today boats, fishermen and old buildings leaning against the cliffs share the same view. Walk slowly along the quay and look up at how the cliffs and the walls rise straight out of the water. Boat trips leave from here along the coast towards waterfalls and coves, and you will be offered plenty of them; agree on the length, the route and whether there is a swimming stop before you board.

Climb up from the harbour and walk to the southern side of Kaleiçi. The Broken Minaret takes its name from a minaret left truncated after a fire, but the real interest is in the layers of the building. Over the centuries the same spot became a temple, then a church, then a mosque, and each period left a trace. Looking for reused stones, column fragments and arch outlines in the surrounding walls is the pleasure of this stop. Keep it short; the point is to see how old a city Kaleiçi is built on.

A few minutes' walk brings you to Hıdırlık Tower on the south-western corner of Kaleiçi. This round stone tower, left from the Roman period, stands at the edge of the cliffs looking over the bay to the Taurus Mountains opposite. Karaalioğlu Park, which begins right beside the tower, with its tall trees and seaside promenade, is the best place to cool off as noon approaches. Sit on a bench and follow the coastline stretching towards Konyaaltı; you can see the beach you will head to in the afternoon from here.

Walk from the park along Atatürk Avenue to the three-arched Roman gate at the eastern entrance to Kaleiçi. The gate was built to mark Emperor Hadrian's visit to the city, and its marble decoration is still in place. Do not forget to look at the ground under the arches: the wheel ruts worn into the stone by centuries of carts are the most tangible sign of how long the city has been lived in. The towers on either side are from different periods; up close you can see the difference in the stonework.

Re-enter Kaleiçi through the gate and have lunch at one of the small restaurants among the old courtyard houses. Antalya cooking is known for its bean salad dressed with tahini, olive-oil vegetables and meat grilled over charcoal; in season, try freshly squeezed citrus juice too. After lunch, especially in summer, going back to your hotel to rest for a few hours is a deliberate part of this plan. Walking stone streets in the midday heat is both tiring and unrewarding; save your energy for the second half of the day.

In the late afternoon head west towards Konyaaltı. Antalya Museum, with the statues excavated at Perge and the finds from Karain Cave, holds the region's most important archaeological collection; however, on the date this plan was last checked its official page listed it as closed to visitors. Check the current status at the source below before you go; if it has reopened, allow at least two hours before heading to the beach. Then go down to the long pebble beach just below the museum. The water at Konyaaltı is clear and gets deep quickly; swimming as the late sun sinks towards the Beydağları range is the best moment of the day. After sunset, take a walk along the promenade that runs the length of the beach.

Go early to Perge in Aksu, east of the city; around opening time it is both cooler and less crowded. The two round Hellenistic towers that greet you at the entrance are the city's emblem and once framed the main gate. Beyond them, walk the colonnaded street, following the water channel that runs down its middle; it fed monumental fountains, the largest baths in the region and the shops along the road. You will understand that you are in one of the most regularly planned cities of the Roman period from the way the streets meet at right angles. On the way out, do not leave without seeing the large, well-preserved stadium. St Paul passed along this street more than once, and today it is the starting point of a long-distance walking route.

Continue east from Perge towards Serik; the drive takes around forty-five minutes. Aspendos Theatre is one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world. It was built in the second century by the architect Zenon and, because it served as a palace in the Seljuk period, it has survived almost intact. Look at the facade of the stage building and at the arched gallery that runs around the top of the seating. Climb to the highest rows and listen to how a voice from the stage reaches you; you will understand the legend about its acoustics. The theatre still hosts concerts and performances during summer festivals.

Most visitors leave after the theatre; instead, climb the path behind it to the upper city. Wandering among the remains of the agora, the long basilica and the monumental fountain on the acropolis, you see the whole plain. Looking north you can pick out the aqueduct, about a kilometre long, that carried water to the city from the mountains. Legend has it the king was to give his daughter to one of two brothers, one who built the theatre and one the aqueduct; decide for yourself from up here which is more beautiful.

Along the Köprüçay river near Aspendos there are family-run places where you sit in the shade of the trees. Have trout or gözleme in the cool by the water and rest for a while. After walking two large ancient sites in the morning, this break is essential for the second half of the day.

On the way back to Antalya, turn off towards Lara. Lower Düden is where the waters of the Düden stream pour off the cliffs straight into the sea. From the viewpoints set along the cliff edge in the park beside the falls, watch the water foam as it meets the sea. In antiquity the city of Magydos stood in this area, and the falls caught travellers' attention even then. Late afternoon light turns the cliffs golden; it is one of the best times for photos.

Finish the day on the Lara coast, which runs east from the falls. The fine sand and the shallow, calm water make a change after the pebbles of Konyaaltı, and they are easier for families with children. Swim for a while, then walk along the shore and sit down for dinner.

On the last day, start with a cool morning at Upper Düden, north of the city. Here the Düden stream flows down in a wide curtain among greenery. From a natural cave-like passage behind the falls you can see the water from the other side; dripping water and mossy rocks keep it cool even on a hot day. Run by affiliates of the metropolitan municipality, the area is now used for dining, resting and walking; take a short loop on the path under the trees.

If you would rather not go to Side, you can finish the day in the lanes of Kaleiçi and at Konyaaltı. If you do go, the drive from Düden towards Manavgat takes close to an hour and a half. Side was the main port city of Pamphylia in antiquity and is built on a peninsula; its name means pomegranate in an ancient Anatolian language. The theatre stands at the narrowest point of the peninsula. Its semicircular plan follows the Hellenistic tradition, but because the upper seating rows are raised on vaults it is one of the most distinctive buildings in the region. On the stage building, look for the relief frieze telling the life of Dionysus, god of wine.

Next to the agora opposite the theatre, enter the museum set inside a restored Roman bathhouse. Built in the second century and extended in later centuries, the bathhouse was turned into a museum in the middle of the twentieth century and is known as the first museum to open in a village in Türkiye. You see Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine statues, sarcophagi and reliefs from the excavations in the domed bath rooms. The building is part of the collection too: notice the walls of the hot rooms and the openings that let the light in.

Both sides of the main street running through the peninsula are lined with restaurants; walk towards the harbour and choose a quiet place facing the sea. After lunch, move to one of the beaches on either side of the peninsula. The eastern side is usually calmer and the water deepens slowly. Resting in the shade and swimming will restore your energy before the last walk of the late afternoon.

The last stop of the day and of the plan is the temple ruins rising right at the water's edge at the tip of the peninsula. The re-erected white marble columns stand out in silhouette against the Mediterranean at sunset; this is Side's most photographed view. On the frieze fragments above the columns, look for the relief of Medusa. Sit on the rocks by the shore as the sun goes down and mark the end of three days here. Then set off on the road back to Antalya.