Why Antalya (Turkey) disappointed us
I look at the photos in this post and I think “Geez, why were we so unimpressed with Antalya?”
I’ll get to that.
But first a few images of Antalya.
Why you might like Antalya
Antalya’s biggest positive is its beautiful location on the Mediterranean. The views over the sea and the mountains down the coast are phenomenal. If you’re in Antalya and you’re on vacation for 3 -7 days that’s probably all you need. The Old town is charming and has lots of touristy stores and restaurants. Make no mistake, Antalya is a touristy beach town* (even if the closest beaches are actually a few kilometers out of town). If you come here do what most tourists do: stay in an all-inclusive down the coast, enjoy beach activities and the views, and come into town for a day of sightseeing and a nice meal looking out over the sea. If you stick to that you’ll probably be happy in Antalya.
* read on before you jump on me.
The Best Beach Hotels in Antalya
1) Akra Hotel. 5 Star luxury on Lara Beach with those incredible views. Close to town.
2) Lara Barut Collection. Another great 5 Star resort on Lara Beach.
3) Aspendos Seaside. A smaller, more economic option on Konyaalti Beach. Great value.
Why Antalya disappointed us
We’re slow travellers and we “lived” in Antalya for 4 weeks. So we have a totally different perspective on the city. We did a lot of walking, went to the gym (MCFit at MarkAntalya shopping center), and lived our normal “slow travel” lives which included discovering our neighborhood, going to markets, and exploring (or attempting to explore) highlights in and around the city.
We can sum up our feelings as: A) not feeling any excitement for Antalya, B) not “feeling” Antalya as a place to stay an extended amount of time.
Looking for accommodation in Antalya? Have a look at Cozycozy Antalya
A. Not Feeling excitement for Antalya
Hadrian’s Gate is the sightseeing highlight in Antalya. It was the main gate into the city and was built to celebrate Roman Emperor Hadrian’s visit in 130 AD. You can walk right underneath the arches and over the grooves shaped by centuries of carts making their way into the Old Town. It is very impressive. Karaalioglu Park was another highlight for us – it’s a large beautiful park with cafés and great views overlooking the water. It would often be the ending point for our walks through the old town and we would stop here and have Turkish tea while enjoying the views. Another beautiful spot we enjoyed was Ataturk Park just a few kilometres east of Antalya. We would take the historic tram here (it’s the last stop) and enjoy the views over Konyaalti Beach that stretched out below us.
The things I’ve listed however can really be visited in a day. There are other highlights in the region but all are outside of Antalya and require a tour or taking public buses. We had the intention to do more sightseeing but after visiting Duden Falls (the lower one, not the higher one) we decided that it would be our last trip outside of the center – just getting back from the falls took an hour on a standing room-only bus. Antalya is a big city with big city problems, among them traffic gridlock. If you can’t get somewhere with the tram (which is great) then don’t bother.
B. Not “feeling” Antalya
Outside of the small historic center, Antalya is a big city of 2.3 million people. You might have read the top paragraph and said “whoa, you just said Antalya is a touristy beach town”. The thing is that if you just frequent the beaches at Lara or Konyaalti and wander into the old town that’s the feeling you’ll get. Stray outside the old town and the city is a mix of modern and old and it stretches and stretches and stretches…it’s not attractive, it’s often crowded, and the people are really not that friendly. I’ve seen many people write how locals in Antalya are friendly. Well, that might be true if you’re wandering the old town and someone is trying to sell you something or lure you into their restaurant. Not only did we find the average local not very friendly at all, we found them to be quite rough, or as Lissette would say to me in Spanish “que son brutos!”. We’ve never seen people so oblivious to others, so disrespectful of space or social protocol (try getting on a tram. It’s always a mess because people are always in front of the doors trying to barge before people wanting to exit even have a chance to do so. What is that??).
All to say that we didn’t “feel” Antalya. And if you think we are being really negative you might have a point – we slept very poorly in Antalya which really didn’t help matters much (there’s a post on that).
All to say that Antalya disappointed us.
Tours, Tours, Tours…
As I mention above, do-it-yourself activities are complicated in Antalya. A few tours I would recommend:
Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour.
Have you been to Antalya? What did you think of it?
Related: What to see (and what to skip) in Istanbul.
Related: Our Best and Worst “Slow Travel” Bases over 5 years of Full-time Travel
Related: How much does it cost to have a nomadic lifestyle?
PS. Looking to book flights, hotels, tours, or rent a car? Have a look at our Travel Resources page.
Spent a few days in Antalya in 1967. Enjoyed the people and the historical sights and significants. As a person interested in world history it was a rich visit for me. Have not been back since the 60’s.
Wow, I’m sure it’s changed tremendously since 1967. Must have been quite the adventure at the time!
Hi! can you recommend which city to visit besides istanbul? a change basically and preferably not antalya? was thinking about bodrum, izmir orSunil fitheye…. has to be beautiful and slow…just walk around and enjoy the beauty of the coast and town? any recommendations? and easily reachable!
How about Alanya? Have some friends who settled there and who have nothing but good things to say about the city.
Since people are still commenting in 2022, I’ll add a few thoughts. I just spent a week in Antalya during the low season and really enjoyed the old city with its touristy harbor and some nice sights but beyond that I was ready to go see somewhere new. That said, I wasn’t there for a beach/resort experience so I can’t weigh in on that aspect. I think someone backpacking could have fun there for 4 or 5 days and move on which isn’t the same vibe as living somewhere. I’ve now been in Alanya for two days and find it far lovelier than Antalya, mainly because the castle on the hill, surrounded by 3 kilometers of ancient walls with jaw dropping views of the city and Mediterranean is such a wonder to explore. It’s dotted with, pine groves, orchards, and tiny village-like communities, and is unlike anything in Antalya. This part of Alanya mixes nature (which I found Antalya to be quite lacking) with beaches, historic sites, and of course all the bars and clubs someone might enjoy if they like nightlife. They also seem to respect nature in Alanya more than Antalya which was covered with rubbish at pretty much every nice spot on the coastline. Overall, Antalya seemed overrated but still nice for a short visit.
Thank you for this comment. We have friends who just moved to Alanya and who really like it.
What you say about Antalya is totally correct in our opinion.
This is really not accurate, I would say it is too early to comment with 4 weeks’ experience. I lived in Antalya for 18 years of my life and it is one of the best cities to live in. All locals from Antalya always go back there. People I went to high school with always are so excited to go back. So maybe you didn’t get the ‘feeling’ in 4 weeks. Such a shame!
I know I’m a few years behind but had to write. I’m disappointed you had that experience with so much time to explore. There are literally a dozen amazing sights you could have checked out, both within Antalya and in the province of Antalya (yes it’s the name of that too). Renting a car is inexpensive and easy. ALL the places I’ve listed below…not to even mention the food, the beaches, the mountain vistas, the cliff bluffs with live music playing nightly in all the cafes/lounges overlooking the Med within the cliffs of Ataturk park, and our USD exchange rate making everything a steal.
-Aspendos
-Termossus
-Side
-Kemer
-Perge
-Olympos
-Belek
-The old yacht harbor -tour
-Koprulu Canyon
-Karain Cave
-Turkish bath
-Antalya Museum
-Konaalti Beach Park (with miles of shops and restaurants, live music and lounges.)
As far as it being just big ugly city…I live in Miami. Lol!! The beaches and select areas are gorgeous but have you seen the rest? The driving? The manners? Geez. People in Antalya were awesome to us. But I believe you get back what you put out there.
{deleted the rest}
You started so nice and then had to get personal.
I appreciate the tips of things to see but as I said, most of them are outside Antalya and you have to rent a car to get to (unless you take a tour). I know there’s lots to see in the region. And that was my point about Antalya. And yes, the geography is beautiful as I’ve stated.
There’s also a difference between spending a week somewhere, doing solely tourist stuff, eating in restaurants and listening to music in live music venues, etc…and “living” somewhere for a month and spending the majority of your times outside the confines of the old town.
We were more stimulated by Istanbul (and the million things you can do there), than the actual city (not the surroundings) of Antalya. That was my point.
I agree with your summation of Antalya … I’ve been here nearly two weeks and I’m bored! It’s impossible to get around to see lots of the recommended things to do but I went in taxis, trams and buses to see as much as possible. I loved Antalya Museum. I thought there was a lot of arrogance and no one speaks English which is an international language. Everyone uses Google translate and I’d to learn Turkish basics ( I already speak basic Egyptian Arabic so I’m not a lazy Brit). But fgs ! It’s like Antalya isn’t geared up for Tourism ! You literally have to walk in baking heat for twenty minutes in Konyaalti to get to any ATM. I prefer Egypt. Oh yes and Antalya is full of chavs having tooth whitening or surgical procedures. I made the most of what little there was but on the whole I found it very boring compared to Red Sea resorts. I must add that there were some lovely people who ran towns, shops and hotels but I really had to ‘work at it’ to get smiles. I absolutely love Istanbul too.
Thanks for the comment! We are in agreement: beautiful place but (unless you have a car and can explore outside Antalya) there’s not much to Antalya itself. Also agree that Istanbul is fascinating.
I thought Americans were bad at thinking that everyone around the world need to speak English but you Brits have us beat. Now the real arrogance is actually travelling to someone else’s country and expecting them to speak your language. I’m scheduled to visit Antalya in November and NO I don’t expect them to know my language. As a matter of fact I’ve been learning basic Turkish words and expressions so I can make my visit even more memorable.
One: don’t call us Brits I wouldn’t dream of calling you Yanks
Two: there is nothing arrogant about expecting people in tourist areas to speak an international language. In previous visits to most of Europe including Turkiye they spoke English.
Three: you’ve added nothing to this discussion.
Hope you had a good, sanctimonious trip!
The OP was meant to share a personal experience whereas yours was to show your ‘superiority’.
I agree with you. Bev has an attitude that needs adjusting. She’s certainly not the English I know.
I’m very disappointed by your observations:)) it’s absolutely not true! People are very friendly and kind whenever you go to Turkey. Natural beauty of Turkey is breathtaking! I’m canadian but, planing to move to live there.
Thanks for the comment! Always happy to hear from fellow Canadians (even if I don’t necessarily agree about the friendliness factor 🙂 )
Me too. I am sure it’s so much better than big cities such as Toronto and Vancouver where you can find really unfriendly and cold people there ! At least in Antalya, you have the sun, the beaches and some good food and above everything else, some nice affordable condos with beautiful views and not cut like cooking at astronomical prices.
Interesting reading your experience and the opinions in comments. I moved to Antalya 6 months ago after living in Izmir for 3 years. Antalya people are definitely less friendly but I would not say they are rude, people are willing to help when asked. I get the feeling people just get a bit tourist weary … a lot of foreigners behave really badly here, but not all. Sad people make such generalisations. Yes outside the tourist spots it’s not the prettiest city but it’s a city – where real people live – not manicured for tourists. I actually like the urban ‘real’ parts and I have found the more I live here the friendlier I find people, especially after the tourists go home and winter arrives. As for lack of personal space and such, if you plan to travel, I suggest learning some of the cultural values of this region. Family and community orientated – lack of personal space is not rude, it’s just a different way of doing life. The individualists of the west seem to find their own cultural values should apply everywhere else. If that’s what people expect then their approach to travel and adventure is always going to be difficult.
Thank you for a thoughtful and balanced comment.
Hi Frank, thanks for directing me to your posting on your visit last year to Antalya. It’s always good to read recent “man on the scene” reports of places and it provides a certain perspective and balance. I also consider myself a “slow traveller” and we were planning on using Antalya as a base for a month or so to explore the sunny Turkish Med coast….. your photos do show a stunning location for sure.
With the ongoing, depressing news about the pandemic, winter in Europe this year sounds like it might be really blah and these continuing covid restrictions really cramp my wandering spirit. I’m thinking that life might be more “traditional” or more “normal” in some of the towns along the Turkish coast. Perhaps I’m completely deluded.
Too bad you guys didn’t feel the love in Antalya and i suspect we might end up having the same reaction. But the reasons you gave can really be applied to just about any big city, anywhere. Most major sights in any touristy city exist in a compact part of the “old town” (and many of them are totally contrived like V&A) or in a few scattered ruins that can be knocked off over a few day visits. Then what?…. you slowly live life as a local and you get bored. But the modern city is often shit (have you seen the outskirts of Madrid or Paris or Bangkok?), and traffic is horrendous everywhere these days (you and i as regular walkers, public transport users or cyclists are extra sensitive to this situation).
Anyways we haven’t made any firm plans yet. There really aren’t that many options this winter. I would be happy as hell just spending a few months in Prachuap Khiri Khan….not gonna happen dude. But at least one of the advantages of being in Turkey is that it seems Turkish Airlines is still flying to many places, so we can always quickly get to their hub and head off somewhere else (Oman, Zanzibar?) I suppose if we become jaded of Antalya.
Buena suerte hombre!
Hi Don,
If you go to Antalya I’m looking forward to getting your opinion on it…
You are right about Turkish Airlines. Lots of routes and affordable. I don’t love the spacing in the planes or the airport in Istanbul (have been stuck there in transit a few times) but Istanbul really is a great hub these days. So many places closed to travellers these days and at least you’ll find somewhere that hasn’t closed their doors (there’s always Croatia, nice during off season). Anyway lots of options and they’re all better than spending winter in Toronto. Eeech!!
Hey Frank…..mutlu yiller! (happy new year!) from Antalya. I’ve been in the city/region for about a month now and overall, I’ve been enjoying the (mostly) fine weather, the quiet and fantastic ancient sites along the “Turquoise Coast”, the good turkish food and the almost unbelievable good value here (think 1980s prices)!
I suppose you’re hunkered down in the S. d’España….. congratulations on finding Your Place….hope it all continues to go well into 2021.
I found a nice airbnb apmt at the far end of Konyaalti beach for my stays in the city. My partner was here for several weeks and we rented a car to travel up and down the spectacular coast to get in some hiking and visit various Lycian ruins. And of course there are no crowds anywhere, especially on lockdown weekends when the city and highways are completely deserted. I feel oddly fortunate to be here right now! Usually it’s just me and a few pale Russians that are strolling up and down the Konyaalti promenade (tourists are allowed to go out and explore during the lockdowns).
You’re mostly right in your overall assessment about modern Antalya – outside of a few areas, it’s quite monotonous and dreary – my idea of an urban hell hole! It actually reminds me alot of Thai cities with their endless, bland “egg carton” design apmt blocks.
But so far I’ve been quite impressed with Turkish society. People are generally friendly, gracious and helpful. They’re a serious and proud bunch, very well organized with a “can do” attitude and they put a lot of attention on details. And the infrastructure both inside/outside the cities is phenomenal. …. way better than most places in Canada!
Speaking of canuckistan, i suppose you’ve been following the news sites there. It seems to be quite the panicky shitshow going on in regards to the “surging” covid situation. It cracks me up how there’s so much focus on these irresponsible people who are choosing to travel during this pandemic…..shame on them! We’ll fix’em by imposing a 14 day curfew when they return…. even if they show a negative PCR test….. that will teach them! Even friends of mine are convinced that they will for sure get covid if they jump on a plane to Mexico or Costa Rica! And what about those silly young “travel infuencers”, working for AC to promote travel destinations….how dare they!
I don’t know what it’s like in Spain now (that snowstorm sure looked like fun!), but the Turks seem to be quite calm about the covid situation, going about their business, adapting as best they can, enjoying the weather. The English news sites hardly mention covid, they’re much more focused on pronouncements from the govt on the PKK, Daesh baddies they’ve neutralized.
Anyways, take care hombre!
Hi Don! Glad you’re enjoying the Turkish coast. If we had done it the way you are I’m sure we would have enjoyed it more as well. One thing for sure – the nature is gorgeous.
I think Covid bringing out a lot of anger and frustration everywhere and makes it easy to point fingers when people are stuck at home miserable. I can understand it – a lot of irresponsible people are spreading the disease. But of that travellers are a tiny minority.
It’s been cold here on the southern coast of Spain (warming up starting tomorrow) but we’ve had tons of rain, no snow.
By the way: 2 days to the start of the hockey season Don. I signed up to NHL.com and looking forward to watching some games!
All the best, enjoy Turkey.
rent a car, buy a local simcard for navigation-internet, open up google map, 3 or 4 days each town, follow the list in a row: Gazipasa, Alanya, Manavgat(side), Serik(belek), Antalya(kale ici), Kemer, Kumluca, Kas…. if you have more money and days keep going: Fethiye, Marmaris, Bodrum….. Kus adası Çesme…..
make a search on each for attractive spots and activities, choose hotels close to city centers, visit not only cost but also mountains… make my dreams come true…
Thank you very much for the tips Hasan!
I agree! People were rude when in the street and on buses. It gets better when you make friends. We got mugged by an old man on a bike in Lara (which was ugly to be honest). But I liked that it was safe to wander around at night. The people were so arrogant no one wanted to talk to strangers. I liked Perge! And the antiques in general. To be honest everyone was rude in Antalya especially tourists! I was so excited hearing English that I spoke to this British elder and he was so damn rude. Maybe it’s the place? Some kind of ghost of rude rules the place. We also went hired a cab and it was pretty cheap traveling around $15 to Perge and I think $50 if we wanted to go to espendos and other places. Still I understand not wanting to go back. It is a retirement town and people socialize around their own families it seems. I did love the friendliness of Kurds, Iranians, Arabs and Afghans who had settled there! So funny. Thanks for your honesty. I met some of the rudest people there and I am just recovering. But I have to go back bc my family is now retired there!
Mugged by an old man on a bike? How does that happen? 🙂
Thanks for your story, always good to have our impressions and experiences confirmed by others. Lovely place…but just not the friendliest people.
For a traveller who wants to stay in the center of the city and use public transport, Antalya can be a nightmare (depending on your patience). Yet I go Antalya every year. If you rent a car there are several options to relax and be charmed. Some examples: visiting the ancient town Phaselis and swim in its harbours, get lazy in Cirali beach, visit ancient towns Perge, Aspendos, Termessos, Olympos, Xantos etc, hiking in the Lycian Trail, boat tour to Kekova (sunken city).
So it will be mistake if you go to any part of Antalya and stay in the all incl. hotels and come back. Against all the efforts to kill the beauty of Antalya, there are still good reasons to visit Antalya.
Thank you Ilter.
It all depends on how people travel. I totally agree that a tourist would be happy just enjoying the coast and renting a car (or taking a tour because most people don’t like to rent) and visit the highlights in the surrounding area.
As I state it has one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere.
But for people travelling as we do (ie. as slow travellers) I just don’t see much of an attraction to Antalya. We initially thought that Istanbul would be too hectic for a long stay (we stayed a week) but we kind of regretted that we did a long stay in Antalya instead of Istanbul. I just think – the way we travel – that we would have been more stimulated.
Istanbul is absolutely amazing with endless things to see and do. It is a world class metropolis with a lot of beauty and vibe. Antalya as a city isn’t that special, except for being green and having a nice coastline etc. But the beauty of Antalya is the surrounding area and you need a car for that. Antalya region is full of very beautiful and historical spots, beaches, mountains and lots of greenery. You can not just stay in the ugly concrete jungle of Antalya and like it. Well even maybe living in a nice neighborhood of Konyaalti would have been a different experience. I am from Istanbul and each time I go into the Antalya city center from my area (12km away) near the mountains and the beach, I get kinda depressed.
Thanks Tolga,
Totally agree with all you say. A car would be great…but you really have to avoid the city itself (horrible traffic). But yes, the surrounding geography is amazing.
I have not been to Antalya, but I have been to Turkey several times, therefore I am not going to visit Antalya. Two things that I don’t like in Turkey are climate (too high humidity for me) and people.
Ha! I like your honesty.
And I like yours. Thank you for it.
Your photos show some drop-your-jaw gorgeous landscapes in Antalya, Turkey, and I found myself wondering why it didn’t rock your world. However, you’ve made a huge distinction between the differences of being a tourist versus a slow traveler. It’s all well and good to have lovely scenery but your needs change when you live in a city and have to find: the grocery, an ATM, good Wi-Fi, a gym, etc. I always love the honesty of your travel observations, Frank!
It also has to be authentic Anita, and not an artificial made-for-tourist place. While the real city of Antalya was authentic, we didn’t feel any charm…whereas the old town had charm but it was all contrived. Two different sides of Antalya but we didn’t particularly like either.
Frank, I have only been to Marmaris and to Side in Turkey, both times just for a one week holiday. I think we did fly into Antalya for Marmaris, the area was very pretty, but unfortunately our trip there was in July and it was far too hot for us. In Side we stayed with friends and had a fantastic time. I would love to visit Turkey again, but probably not Antalya.
I looked up both places Gilda and they look beautiful. The coastline of Turkey is really gorgeous. I agree with you about heat…maybe we’re all getting old but just can’t take it anymore. Used to love it when I was young…
Yes, I’ve been to Antalya. It is a tourist town, and I don’t think I would want to live there either, but there are plenty of beach places in Turkey that I could easily stay for a month or more.
Thanks Corinne. I kept thinking “what is Antalya?”. Yes, it’s a tourist town…but it’s also one of Turkey’s biggest cities.
So what are your favorite beach places in Turkey Corinne?
Thanks for the warning Frank. I hope I can get to Turkey within the next year (unless they won’t let me into Israel afterwards), so heads up like this are a help
HI Ted. Just looked it up – no issues going from Turkey to Israel, although if going overland it seems you have to go through Jordan.