Antalya Old Harbour
Konyaaltı Beach
Lara Beach
Kemer
Adrasan Bay
Explore the Roman theatre at Aspendos
Wander the ancient ruins of Perge
Hike the cliff-top city of Termessos
Raft the Köprülü Canyon
View the Düden Waterfalls from the water
Kaleiçi Old Town
Hadrian’s Gate
Antalya Archaeology Museum
Aspendos
Termessos
April through November is workable here, longer than most of the Turkish coast, since Antalya’s stretch of the Mediterranean runs slightly milder and less exposed to the meltem than the Aegean further north. June through September stays hottest and busiest around Lara and Konyaaltı, while May, October and even early November offer comfortable sailing with noticeably quieter marinas. It’s also the closest thing to a year-round base on this coast, with charters continuing in a limited way through winter.
Antalya Airport (AYT) is about 13 kilometres from the old harbour and Kaleiçi, roughly 20-30 minutes by taxi outside peak traffic. It’s one of Turkey’s busiest airports with extensive direct flights from across Europe, making Antalya one of the more straightforward gateways on the Turkish coast for a charter start or finish. Guests continuing on to Kemer or Belek should budget an extra 30-45 minutes from the airport.
Kemer, about 40 kilometres west, gives a quieter, pine-backed alternative to the city itself, with the Beydağları mountains dropping almost to the water. Adrasan, further along the coast, is smaller still and popular for its clear water and proximity to the ancient site of Olympos. Closer to town, the water directly off Konyaaltı offers a striking view of the Düden Waterfalls tumbling into the sea, worth a stop even for guests based mainly around the old harbour.
Four to five days is enough to cover the city’s own ruins, Aspendos, Perge and Termessos among them, alongside a day or two at Kemer or Adrasan. A full week allows a run further west toward Kaş and the Turquoise Coast, or east toward Alanya, without cutting the ancient sites short. Antalya’s mix of an international airport and a genuine old-town marina also makes it a practical start or end point for a longer coastal itinerary.
Yes, remarkably so for a structure roughly 1,850 years old. Its stage wall survives almost intact, and the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival, running since 1994, stages performances there most Septembers, with international companies performing beneath the same stone arches Roman audiences once sat under. Tickets sell out well ahead for festival nights, so charters timed around it should book seats before finalising the itinerary. Outside festival dates, the site is open for daytime visits like any other ancient monument.
