Transfer from the airport to the hotel and back is a very important component of a vacation in any country. Not only the cost of your trip depends on this, but also the level of its comfort, because... Few people want to spend 3-4 hours on a bus on the way to the hotel upon arrival. Today we will talk about Turkish airports, which annually receive several million tourists from Russia and about the distance to the resorts.
As a result of the fact that there are 50 airports in Turkey, visiting this country by foreign tourists is simplified to the limit through regular and charter flights of various companies.
Airplanes of the largest operators operate regular flights to almost all big cities: Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara, Belek, Kemer, Izmir, Kudashasy and others. The destination of charter flights is mainly cities such as Izmir, Istanbul, Antalya, Dalaman. Number of charter flights at peak holiday season can reach up to 70 flights per week. Flight time from Russia depends on the type of aircraft and is approximately 3-4 hours (for the European part of the Russian Federation).
To the big ones international airports Turkey includes: airport named after. K. Ataturk (Istanbul), Antalya, Dalaman, Adnan Menderes, Bodrum.
The largest, named after the first president of Turkey (named after Kemal Ataturk). In 2008, it was included in the list of the world's 40 best airports. Its international terminal covers an area of 186,000 sq. m. is the largest in Europe.
Located in the European part of Istanbul, 15 km from its center.
You can get to the city center in several ways:
The cheapest but longest way is to travel by bus, which lasts approximately 40 minutes. You can shorten your travel time by taking the tram: there is a light rail line between the airport terminal and the central area. Another way to get into the center is to take the light metro. The most comfortable and fastest, but also the most expensive way to get around the city is by taxi.
Turkey's airports are located in many large resort towns or nearby. Thanks to this, as well as a well-established bus service, the maximum transfer time from the airport to the holiday destination does not exceed 2 hours. But taking into account the disembarkation of passengers at hotels and their check-in, it can take up to 3-3.5 hours.
This is the second largest after the airport. K. Ataturk. The bulk of tourist charters from Russia come here.
Distance to resorts:
Distance to resorts:
Distance from Antalya to Side, if tracked by geographical map in kilometers, is not a very significant figure. The question of remoteness arises for a simple reason. There is no airport in Side, so Russian tourists first fly to Antalya by plane, and only then get to Side, a resort that has become the subject of preference when traveling or vacationing in Turkey. But the airport is not located in Antalya itself, but at a distance of 64.8 km from the destination. This is not surprising, because the Turks care about cleanliness and the environment in their resort towns so that tourists feel comfortable.
Close to the airport
Russian travelers have long chosen Turkey for relaxation and recreation. This wonderful country with centuries-old history warmly welcomes guests from Russia.
Antalya in Turkey
Many Turks are able to compose a few sentences in Russian or even talk about the bare necessities. This is not surprising, because many Russians have visited Turkey several times. They make up a significant percentage of the total number of tourists.
Those who have previously visited Antalya know how many kilometers from Antalya Airport to Side. It is 64.8 km. Those who flew to Turkey for the first time, willy-nilly, have to fly charter or regular flights from Russia to Antalya, and from there get to your vacation spots on your own or by bus rented by a tour operator.
Tourists arriving in Antalya who intend to vacation in Side are primarily interested in the distance from Side to Antalya. The distance between the cities is 73.8 km.
Travel time will be 1 hour and 10–20 minutes.
Route from Antalya on the map.
Those who prefer leisure When spending time on the beach, they certainly try to get as many colorful and vibrant impressions as possible. Many people go to nearby cities.
Read also: Distance from Bodrum Airport to Kusadasi: how many km and time to travel by bus
In Turkey, a small country compared to Russia, with a lot of attractions and a long history, the distances are relatively short. But tourists going on excursions want to properly manage their time and see as much as possible.
Antalya in the evening
Therefore, wondering how many hours to travel in time, they plan excursions in advance. Travelers determine how many opportunities they have left in the day allocated for the trip to explore the intended attractions.
The time spent on the trip depends on the category of transport chosen:
This is not so important in terms of time; the duration of a trip by car can vary between 7–10 minutes. But when traveling by bus, a lot depends on its category, the number of transfers and stops, traffic congestion and the skill of the driver.
The time spent on the road depends entirely on the chosen transport. As in any country, in Turkey you cannot save on two categories at the same time.
Antalya Beach
Tourists can go by car, and then it will be a quick and comfortable trip. Of course, if the rented car or taxi does not get stuck in traffic jams, which are far from uncommon in Turkey. But when optimal conditions the distance between Antalya and Side will be covered in less than 1 hour 10 minutes. The trip from the airport takes 1 hour.
Read also: Distance from Alanya to Belek: how many km and time to travel by bus in Turkey
If you get to your destination on your own, the distance from the airport to the bus station will be included during your journey. You will have to overcome it by city bus No. 600 or by car. From there there is a dolmush, or you can take a bus to Manavgat, and then take a minibus.
Near Antalya
Travel time depends not only on the chosen transport. It is much faster to get from Antalya to Side by car than by city and intercity transport, but by car and transfer it is much more expensive.
Regardless of what distance actually exists, the time of arrival decides a lot. There is no public transport at night.
You can hire a taxi and go straight away, but it will be expensive. Or wait until morning and take the bus to the bus station. Then the journey will take on a much longer duration in hours.
Side Resort
Because it will not be measured in kilometers and speed of movement, but in the connection between arrival at the bus station and departure of the bus, and then a minibus in Manavgat and traffic jams within large cities.
Roughly imagining the distance from Antalya Airport to Side as quite close, you need to take into account several components at once. At the same time, you can save money and get there on your own. IN in this case The distance from Antalya depends in hours on a favorable combination of circumstances.
Sunset in Side
If you travel by taxi or rented car, then you need to know the distance in kilometers. This is necessary in order to calculate the travel time. Great importance It also has a speed that allows you to develop the congestion of the route from the airport to the desired city.
No matter how many kilometers one had to travel to Side from the place of arrival - Antalya, not a single tourist had to regret the time and money spent. Every dollar spent and every kilometer will leave an unforgettable experience for travelers.
In Side, located on the shore Mediterranean Sea, the following attractions are located:
Coast of Side
This is only a small part of the local attractions.
If tourists have enough time, every day in Side has its own The cultural program. It certainly includes the well-equipped beaches of Side.
You can get from Alanya to Antalya and back on your own different ways: by bus, car, taxi or transfer. In this article we will take a detailed look at all the options, the time and cost of each of them.
Distance between cities 133 kilometers, travel time - from 2 to 3 hours, depending on what you're driving. Prices are current as of May 8, 2019. We constantly update the article, so the information will always be up to date.
The simplest and a budget option - public transport. In Turkey it is very well developed, the buses are comfortable and convenient, and a one-way ticket will cost about 25 liras.
Route on the map
Buses run from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm from Alanya Bus Station every hour. Please note that they leave from the bus station (Alanya Otogar), and not from the bus station in the center. Read our article about to learn more about it.
Bus station in Alanya on the map (we leave from here)
The most popular bus company is Akdeniz, tickets can be bought directly at the ticket office. Come up, ask for a ticket, check the time and give your passport or ikamet, pay 25 liras in cash or by card and wait on the platform opposite. It is important to buy your ticket at the box office.
Akdeniz office in Alanya There are a lot of touts at the station who may offer to pay the driver's fare in cash - we do not recommend doing this. Such trips go past the ticket office, it is very likely that along the way someone will be found with an “official” ticket for your place and you will have to travel standing for 2.5 hours - not very pleasant. The buses do not have route numbers - only signs with the destination on the glass.
It is worth saying that buses in Turkey are very comfortable - screens with headphones are built into the back of the seat, employees serve coffee or tea, there is free unlimited water and even free sockets where you can charge your phone.
It's always clean inside; in addition to the driver, there is also an assistant who periodically walks through the cabin, picks up trash and delivers drinks.
The trip will take approximately 3 hours, on the way, the bus sometimes stops for 10 minutes in the city of Manavgat, where you can go to the toilet and have a snack.
In Antalya itself it has 2 stops - near the airport and the final one at the bus station (Antalya Otogar). Along the way you will enjoy beautiful scenery- mountains, sea and palm trees.
If you are traveling to Antalya from Mahmutlar, you can buy a ticket and take the bus near the local Akdeniz office - no need to go to the station.
The office is located in the center of Mahmutlar - you need to go from the intersection with the clock towards the sea. Having reached the highway, turn right and you will see a bus stop - right behind it, on ground floor Akdeniz office is located.
Akdeniz office in Mahmutlar on the map
Buses depart from Antalya Orogar Bus Station every hour from 6:00 am to 10:30 pm. You can buy a ticket at the Akdeniz office.
We warn you that it is better to buy tickets a little in advance if you want to catch the next flight. There were times when we had to wait for the next bus. But if you need to leave urgently, and Akdeniz doesn’t have tickets, ask other carriers. It may be 5-10 liras more expensive, but you will leave quickly.
Antalya train station is large and there is a lot to do here. There are cafes, souvenir shops and a bookstore. The final stop is the same bus station in Alanya. Ticket price is 25 liras.
Antalya Bus Station on the map
From anywhere in Alanya you can order a transfer from the company 7/24. It goes to Antalya Airport - there you can change to a tram and get to the city center.
The trip will be cost 60 lira. You can order an individual car, but it will cost from 120 lire.
You can order a transfer on the website 7/24 (one day before the trip) or at any of their offices. You can pay by card or cash to the driver upon arrival. There are other transfer companies, if it’s important, look on the Internet. When purchasing tickets, do not forget your passport.
Drive minivans. There is no water or sockets there, however, they travel faster than buses. Sometimes they have Wi-Fi - look at the sign next to the driver's seat.
Travel time approximately 2.5 hours. Along the way, the transfer picks up passengers from hotels, but always arrives at the airport exactly on schedule, which can be viewed when ordering.
You can also order an individual transfer from anywhere in Alanya to anywhere in Antalya. Eat different classes car - this method is suitable if you are traveling with a child or do not like minibuses :) You can order a transfer below using the form from our partners KiwiTaxi.
In Alanya and Antalya, taxis are very organized - all cars are the same yellow color with checkers on the roof. You can hire a driver at taxi stands in the city or press a special button to call a taxi, which is available at almost every public transport stop.
Taxi costs approximately 500 liras. You can check the exact price with the driver in advance. Please note that all official taxis have a meter - agree to only use it.
You can always rent a car at any rental office and drive there yourself - this is the fastest option. Along the way, you can stop in Manavgat or Side, stop and take a photo with the sea and mountains in the background.
It is almost impossible to get lost; there are signs at every intersection. The roads are very good. Please note that the trip will not be on a budget.
In theory, you can find a boat at the pier, negotiate with the owner and sail to Antalya by sea. We don’t know the cost, but if you happen to be swimming, write your reviews in the comments. Still have questions? Write below - we will answer! Have a nice rest!
The distance from Antalya to Alanya on the map is only 122.13 km, the same it is if you sail by sea. If you choose how to get there by land, the distance will be 135 to 140 kilometers, depending on the choice of road and transport.
Google Maps/google.ru
The easiest way to cover the distance between Alanya and Antalya is by bus. But bus routes are not the only option for getting from one city to another. In addition to them, you can take a taxi, rent a car, or swim along.
Traveling by bus to Alanya is not only affordable and comfortable, but also interesting. The travel time will be just over three hours, during which you can not only admire the views from the window, but also get off at stops, take photos or simply stretch your legs. The bus stops in almost all the small coastal towns along the road.
Bus routes departing from Antalya start at the local bus station "Otogar Antalya". Flights are not marked with numbers; there are simply signs on the transport with the cities where a particular bus goes. Finding the station is easy - it is in the very center, and small buses, reminiscent of our minibuses, run from the airport every 15-20 minutes.
The cost of travel to Alanya varies from 8 to 10 euros, depending on the chosen route. Intermediate stops are indicated on signs attached to the sides of the buses.
You can pay for the trip either at the station ticket office or directly from the driver; there will be no difference in cost. But you need to take into account that drivers only accept cash, no matter euros, rubles or Turkish lira, most importantly, not non-cash. You can also pay by card at the station ticket office.
The trip itself will bring only positive emotions. The buses have portable TVs with headphones, spotlights, air conditioning and, of course, the Internet. The seats are easily adjustable and have several modes. On the bus, in addition to the driver, there is an accompanying person from whom you can purchase mineral water priced at 1.5 liras per 0.5 liter bottle.
Josbert Lonnee / flickr.com
The responsibilities of the attendant include not only the sale of water, but also absolutely everything related to the convenience of the trip, that is, you can contact him with any difficulty that arises - whether you need to set up the TV, adjust the seat, or clarify the stop, in all of this this person will help.
There is also nothing complicated about how to get to Alanya with a rented car. You need to take the D-400 highway. Almost entirely this road goes along the sea line and one can quite say about a trip along it - “we are going, we are sailing”, such quality road surface and such a rich sea breeze filling the interior of the car with the windows open.
You will also meet along the way a large number of small villages and resort towns, picturesque pine groves and much more. In general, driving the distance from Antalya to Alanya is very comfortable, easy and even romantic. There are many clear signs on the road; it is impossible to get lost here even for those who got behind the wheel for the first time in Turkey.
The only disadvantage of this travel option is the cost of gasoline. Its cost in Turkey starts from 17.5 euros and this is the most inexpensive option. As for renting a car, you can rent a car through the website.
The prices are quite affordable, and there are often various discounts and promotions. For three days of using the car you will have to pay about 200 Turkish lira, this cost will include insurance and a fully filled tank. Of course, you can choose a more expensive and more prestigious car, however, for a trip along the coast you don’t need a jeep; the simplest and most budget option is enough.
There are no roadside cafes along the route, but if you want to have a snack, you can stop in any town along the route. The prices in the restaurants are completely reasonable, and the food and drinks are much tastier than what you can buy in fast food at gas stations.
Oddly enough, taxis in Turkey are very organized. Absolutely all cab drivers drive standard yellow cars with checkered marks on the sides.
You can order a taxi in advance at, also when exiting the airport there is a parking lot on the left, where there are almost always free cars. There is a yellow information board in front of the parking lot, which lists the most popular destinations among tourists, which are most often preferred to be reached by taxi. Opposite each point are the approximate distance and average cost trips.
You can travel the distance between Antalya and Alanya for an average of 50 Turkish lira, excluding the cost of gasoline. Payment is made only according to the meter; trying to “bring down” the price is pointless. In Turkey, there are very strict and clear laws regulating the work of a taxi driver, so all options for taking a taxi and paying “bypass the cash register” are excluded.
Video: Turkish resorts - Antalya and Alanya.
There are no scheduled ships or any organized boats carrying tourists, as, for example, in Asia, here.
However, if in the question of how to get from one city to another, the most important option is to travel by sea, then you just need to come to the pier with yachts and boats, of which there are quite a lot here, as in any seaside city, and negotiate with someone of the owners.
Rene MT / flickr.com
It is impossible to say how much such a trip will cost, but in any case you will have to pay for fuel, which is quite expensive in Turkey and, of course, pay something on top of that. On average, when choosing this option for how to get to Alanya, you should be prepared to spend 150 Turkish lira and more.
To summarize, we can say that traveling from Antalya to Alanya and vice versa is most profitable by bus, more interesting by car, more comfortable by taxi and more romantic by sea. Each of the options is good and convenient, the journey takes on average 2 to 3 hours, of course, it can be longer if you stop somewhere along the way.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a holiday in Antalya for Russian tourists? What are the beaches and resort areas like? Where is the best place to choose a hotel, how to choose, what to pay attention to?
Read the answers and watch detailed maps resort of Antalya and the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.
Distance to nearest major cities: Istanbul 480 kilometers to the north, Ankara 380 kilometers to the northeast, Izmir 350 kilometers to the west.
To understand Antalya's location relative to other resorts and airports, see next to the map of the Mediterranean coast in Turkey. Click on the map to enlarge.
Once upon a time in the 90s, the word “Antalya” generally meant the entire Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Tourists and travel agents thought according to the principle: “If we arrive at Antalya airport, then we will have a rest in Antalya.”
Since then, tourists have become much more discerning, and travel agents have learned geography. Now the phrase “Antalya resort” means the coast within the boundaries of Antalya city and the neighboring (to the east) Lara beach. Click here to view a map of Antalya.
We will consider all parts of the resort in detail below.
To the south along the coast outside the city of Antalya is the mountainous region of Kemer. Kemer is a completely separate resort; about it, read our detailed article “Kemer Resort”.
Within its modern borders Antalya resort not as big as most guidebooks and websites describe it. In total, there are 34 kilometers of coastline within the city and in the neighboring resort area of Lara, of which only 18 kilometers are suitable for beach holiday.
Antalya has several resort areas, each with its own characteristics. We will look at all resort areas in detail below in this article.
There are about 40 hotels here with official 5 stars, and a dozen more hotels do not have official stars, but in terms of quality of service and infrastructure they could easily qualify for 5 stars.
There are about a dozen 4-star hotels, and about a dozen 3 and 2-star hotels. And two hundred more small hotels without stars, apart-hotels, guest houses, mini-hotels. This is a very interesting feature of Antalya - hotels here prefer to either have officially 5 stars or no stars at all.
When you search for tours and hotels on the Internet, you will see dozens of 4-star hotels and about a hundred 3-star hotels in search engines. The question is, where? Everything is trivial, our tour operators and website owners themselves and according to their own understanding “draw” stars for guest houses, apart-hotels, and small hotels that do not have official stars and never have had them.
Sometimes their assessment is quite relevant, sometimes not at all relevant. If we get lucky.
Don’t be lazy, study photos from the hotel and reviews of tourists who have already rested (or been exhausted) there.
The city of Antalya is the capital of the province of the same name and the seventh largest city in Turkey. The city's population is 1,001,318 according to the latest official census in 2010. It is the administrative, political, cultural and main tourist center of the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.
True, Antalya has the status of the main tourist center not thanks to hotels and beaches, but thanks to Antalya Airport(code: AYT) is the third most passenger airport in Turkey (25.8 million passengers according to 2017 statistics).
The first advantage is a big city. Antalya has a huge range of local attractions, enough for 7 days of vacation, enough for 10 days, and enough for 14. Almost all interesting places can be reached by bus or dolmuş (minibus).
We will talk more about transport in Antalya below. There are also large shops in the city, shopping centers, hundreds of cafes and restaurants.
The second advantage is beaches for every taste. The large beach in the Lara resort area is sandy, in some places mixed with small pebbles. A large beach within the city - Konyaalti pebble beach.
Whatever type of beach covering you would like, Antalya has it. There are even beaches on the rocks, we’ll talk about them below.
The third advantage is that almost everyone speaks Russian. In Turkey, Antalya is considered a “Russian resort”, in much the same way as Alanya is considered a “German resort”, Fethiye and Didim are “English resorts”, Marmaris is a “Scandinavian resort”. The percentage of tourists from Russia in Antalya is always high, so almost all employees of the tourism sector have long learned Russian basic level(150-200 words).
You can solve any problem here without knowing foreign languages.
The fourth advantage is that the airport is nearby.
From Antalya airport Hotels in Lara are only 15 minutes away by taxi or shuttle bus. It takes 25 minutes to drive to Konyaalti hotels.
The main drawback is it's expensive. Distance from Antalya Airport to Turkey Resorts, luggage? If we compare similar hotels in Antalya and Kemer or Alanya, then accommodation in Antalya will cost 20-30% more. And sometimes it’s 50%, depending on the season and the location of the hotel.
The second drawback is hotels with a beach across the road. Often an unpleasant situation happens to our tourists: they chose a 5-star hotel and it’s on the first line, everything portends a luxurious vacation, BUT upon arrival it turns out that the beach is across a busy road. This is unpleasant for any tourist. And even more so with children, when you want to relax and not look after the children.
Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence in Antalya.
The third drawback is that it is difficult to choose a hotel. Choosing a hotel in Antalya needs to be taken seriously. There are hotels with “painted” stars that do not correspond to the declared level at all.
There are hotels with a beach across the road, although they are declared as the “first beach line”.
There are hotels that actually don’t have a beach, although the description says “there is such and such a cozy beach very close by.” Tourists come to such a hotel, finally find this beach and it turns out that it is too “cozy” - only 50 meters long, and a couple of hundred tourists huddle on it. In addition, few tourists know where in Antalya sandy beaches, where there are pebbles.
There are many nuances! Don’t be lazy, look on the Internet for photos from the hotel and reviews of tourists who have already rested (or have already been tired, it depends on what kind of hotel) there.
We move from east to west.
Lara- home resort area and the beach in Antalya. Although nominally this area is not in Antalya, but in the neighboring Aksu region. Lara beach is sandy, in some places with a mixture of small pebbles.
The length of the beach line is 10 kilometers.
Most 5 star hotels are located in Lara. All first-line hotels have their own areas on the beach, where they keep umbrellas and sun loungers for their guests.
Almost all second-line hotels also have their own sites. But if you are planning to relax in a second-line hotel, we strongly recommend double-checking that the hotel has its own site. If not, then it will be very inconvenient to relax, because there are almost no public areas on Lara Beach.
The Lara resort area is conventionally divided into western and eastern (approximately 50/50). In the eastern part there are mainly expensive hotels, there is a developed infrastructure - there are shops, pharmacies, cafes. In the western part there are more modest hotels, but there is no infrastructure at all.
Ornekkoy- This is not a resort area, but an elite residential area. There are a couple of hotels here, but very far from the beach. There are apartments for rent near the beach.
Ornekkoy beach is public. Beach covering - sand + small pebbles. Sunbeds and umbrellas are paid - 10 liras per sunbed or umbrella. There are cafes and bars on the beach.
However, there are micro-beaches, some of which are indicated on our map. Most of these micro-beaches cannot even be called “beach”. Here on the rocks are installed wooden flooring, on which there are sun loungers and umbrellas for vacationers, and in the sea people go down the stairs. How it looks, look at the photo next to it, click on the photo to enlarge.
These micro-beaches are paid - from 3 liras per person.
We would like to note that there are hotels along this part of the coast. But it is extremely inconvenient to relax in these hotels. Usually in the description of hotels it is written: “Cozy beach ___ five minutes from the hotel.” Get ready, this will be a TOO cozy beach - microscopic.
And be prepared that the descent into the water will be via stairs; this is unacceptable for families with children.
Old harbor- it's classic tourist area for those arriving on yachts. There are no large hotels here, but there are several dozen guest houses and apartments for rent. There is no trace of All Inclusive here.
An interesting point is that the Old Harbor area is still suitable for a beach holiday. Right next to the harbor (to the south) there is a small beach called Mermerli. The beach is pleasant, covered with sand, but there is a fee - 15 liras per person per day.
The Old Harbor is part of the Old Town; there are a lot of shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants. Yes, myself Old city- this is already a landmark.
Coast from the Old Harbor to Konyaalti Beach. Absolutely unsuitable for a beach holiday. There are high cliffs along the coast here.
But there are dozens of cafes and restaurants on the rocks. It's a pleasure to sit here in the evening and watch the sunset with a cup of aromatic Turkish coffee or a glass of beer.
Konyaalti Beach - Ataturk Park. Eastern part Konyaalti Beach is occupied by a public park with no hotels. There are several hotels deeper in the city - already behind the park.
This is where one of the most luxurious hotels in Antalya is located - Rixos Downtown Antalya.
On the beach within the park there are several beach clubs where you can lie on the beach for 5 lire or more. There are also public sections of the beach where you can swim and lie on your towel for free.
Konyaalti Beach is a resort area. This is the second largest and most important resort area of Antalya. The length of the beach line is 4.5 kilometers, the beach covering is small pebbles.
Please note that all hotels in Konyaalti are located across the road from the beach. And this is not a small provincial road, but a national highway D400. The traffic along it is very busy.
Almost all crossings are ground crossings (zebra crossings). See the photo next to it, click on the photo to enlarge.
Port Akdeniz- This is a port area, there are warehouses and unloading terminals. There are no hotels here, the area is unsuitable for tourist purposes.
Wild beaches. They start right behind the port of Akdeniz. There are no hotels here, but there are wild and always empty beaches.
If you rented a car or bicycles, then come here, it’s beautiful and quiet. However, these beaches are now being actively developed, many are already crowded, there are cafes and bars, and paid sun loungers.
There are two long light rail lines, but they are not particularly useful for tourists. The only advantage is the ability to take a tram from the airport to the city center, but further to the hotel you will still have to take a taxi or bus. This results in some savings in money, but this applies only to those tourists who come light, because they will not be allowed on the tram with large luggage.
The main means of transport in Antalya are buses and dolmus (minibuses). And they are really very useful for tourists.
Antalya has a bus number system - two letters + two numbers. The letters represent two areas of the city between which the bus runs. Remember the letters “KL” that are most needed by tourists. These buses run between Lara and Konyaalti districts, and between districts they pass by all the main attractions.
The most frequent route is the KL08 bus. What it looks like, look at the photo above, click on the photo to enlarge.
The beach season in Antalya lasts exactly the same as in other Turkish resorts - from the end of April to the end of November.
IN Antalya and surroundings dozens of interesting places. But in this article we will only talk about the seven most interesting and visited by tourists. All these places are indicated on our map, which we provided above.
But first, some historical information.
The city of Antalya was founded around 150 BC. e. King of the Kingdom of Pergamon Attalus II. The city was named after him - Attalia. This name changed to Antalya over 2 thousand years.
In 133 B.C. e. the city became part of the Roman Republic, then was part of Byzantine Empire. Until the beginning of the 13th century, it was a major trading city and the main naval base of the Romans and Byzantines. Nothing extraordinary happened.
In 1206, the Turks besieged the city, but at first they failed and were captured only a year later.
From then until today Also, there were no large-scale events in Antalya. Even the Turkish War of Independence bypassed the city. Maybe for this reason there are almost no historical attractions in Antalya.
But there are many modern ones.
These waterfalls are considered the main natural attraction of Antalya. Although in reality they are not so natural. The fact is that most of the water for the river and waterfalls is now produced by water treatment plants.
The water that is now falling from the Duden waterfalls was there quite recently. Let's not talk about sad things.
There are two waterfalls - upper and lower. The upper one is located far to the north, 9 kilometers from the city center, on 21st Street, and tourists usually do not see them.
The lower Duden waterfall is a bestseller among tourists. Everyone comes here sightseeing tours in Antalya, all the cruises passing by. There is a special observation deck for viewing the waterfalls from land.
But of course, it’s more interesting to look from the sea.
The lower Duden waterfall is located on the eastern outskirts of the city, near where Lara beach begins. It’s not difficult to get there on your own; all the dolmus (minibuses) and buses going to and from Lara stop nearby.
Inspection is free, opening hours are around the clock, all year round, unless of course they break down wastewater treatment plants. But in this case, tourists and city residents will have no time for the waterfalls.
The largest water park is in Antalya, and there is also a dolphinarium. This is the oldest water park in the entire Antalya resort, opened in 1993.
Located next to Konyaalti beach, in the place where Ataturk Park ends and the hotel zone begins. It's easy to get there. All minibuses and buses that go from Konyaalti to the city center or back stop here.
The water park is around 10 big slides and a modest children's area. Entrance price - 75 liras for adults and 50 liras for children (7-12 years old) weekdays, 65 and 45 liras on weekends and holidays.
The price includes locker rental.
At the Dolphinarium you can watch a show of dolphins and fur seals for 65 liras for an adult and 50 liras for a child (3-12 years old). For $100 you can swim with dolphins for 5 minutes. Photos with dolphins - $20.
And it’s better to be well-fed, since drinks and snacks inside cost about 4 times more than outside.
The advertisement for this aquarium loudly proclaims: “Walk through the world's largest tunnel through an aquarium, the length of the tunnel is 131 meters!” Apparently the administration is not aware that the Shanghai Aquarium has an even larger tunnel - 155 meters long.
But in any case, even this tunnel is worth a look. In general, the Antalya Aquarium is small, but very interesting. It is approximately the size of the Moskvarium at VDNKh (Moscow).
There is also thematic exhibitions"IceWorld" and "WildPark".
A ticket to the aquarium costs $35 (33 when purchased online), combo aquarium + WildPark - $50 (45 when purchased online), full set(aquarium + WildPark + IceWorld + XD Cinema) – $100.
In 2018, there were already 150 sand statues here. The administration says there will be more to come. Some statues are significantly larger than human height.
The SandLand Museum is located on the western edge of Lara Beach. From Lara hotels, simply take any dolmus (minibus) going into the city. From the city, take any minibus going to the Lara area.
This is one of the largest museums in Turkey. There are 5,000 exhibits on display in 13 halls, and another 30,000 in the museum’s storerooms. The total exhibition area is 7,000 square meters.
The entire history of Turkey is reflected here - from the ancient civilizations of Lycia and the Hittites to the modern republic. The selection of exhibits is magnificent - almost entire statues of the Hellenic era, coins, weapons, the “Hall of Statues of Emperors” is especially interesting. For money lovers, this museum will be especially interesting.
Here you can see the “Lydian Lion” - the oldest coin.
The museum is located on the eastern edge of Konyaalti beach. From Konyaalti hotels, take any dolmus (minibus) towards the center. From Lara, take any dolmus to Konyaalti.
There is an exhibit in the Antalya Museum that the Turks consider to be of great importance, but the rest of the world does not. The relics of St. Nicholas the Pleasant are supposedly kept here. The Turks themselves think so, but not one Christian church did not recognize these relics.
According to the official version, the relics were taken to Italy in the 11th century and are now kept in the city of Bari.
This is an important reminder that Antalya city was founded in ancient times. This is the oldest landmark of the city. This was once a gate in the city wall.
The wall has not survived, only the gate has survived.
The gate was built in 130 in honor of the visit of Emperor Hadrian. They are small - 8 meters in height, three large arches. Made entirely of marble, except for the pillars - they are made of granite.
Most likely, there used to be a second floor at the gate, where there were statues of emperors and gods, but the second floor has not survived to this day.
Hadrian's Gate is located in the Old City, about 500 meters east of the old harbor, on Ataturk Street. Focus on McDonalds, the gate is 100 meters away.
This is a large area of the city north and east of the Old Harbour, the Turks call it "kaleici". The area has been preserved traditional style Ottoman Empire times of the 19th century. Almost all the streets of the Old Town are pedestrian - walking is a pleasure.
There are narrow streets, beautiful minarets, many shops, cafes and restaurants. Many buildings are used as guest houses and boarding houses.
The most interesting places in the Old Town are considered: Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque (18th century), Hadrian's Gate (2nd century), damaged Kesik mosque and minaret (13th century, but it used to be a Roman temple of the 2nd century). Be sure to go to the observation deck, the view of the harbor from here is magnificent.
