Are you traveling to Antalya and wondering where to stay and what things to do? This post will highlight the best things to do in Antalya Turkey that made our trip so worth it!
We finally achieved one of our dreams and visited Turkey. I am so excited to share the best things to do in Antalya Turkey!
We booked our first-ever tickets to Turkey a few months after we got married. However, due to covid it, unfortunately, got cancelled. Fast forward to 2022 and we finally decided to book a flight to Antalya with our one-year-old! We also went back in July 2023 because we absolutely loved it the first time, so if you are wondering ‘is Antalya worth visiting?’ then the short answer is YES! (*updated post*)
I will be sharing everything from where to stay to places to visit in Antalya that are not only suitable for couples but also families!
This post is all about things to do in Antalya Turkey that will make your trip memorable!
Best Things To Do In Antalya Turkey
Where To Stay In Antalya
Akra Hotel
If you are wondering where to stay in Antalya then look no further because this hotel we stayed in is one of the best hotels in Antalya. And it is priced at a very decent price too!
We stayed at Akra (Barut) Hotel and LOVED it! The hotel is located near the sea, and you have the option to book a room with a sea view, which was so worth it. The exterior and interior were minimal and modern, which I loved. I highly recommend you don’t get the all-inclusive package. This is because when you get there you can pay for the food, which turns out to be cheaper. Unless you will have breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel every day, the all-inclusive package will not be worth it.
Overall, the service at the hotel was a 10/10. Every single worker at the hotel from the receptionist to the cooks and cleaners was so polite and made us feel so welcome.
Arnor De Luxe Hotel And Spa
We visited Antalya again in July 2023 and this time we stayed a little further away from Antalya city, Side, at Arnor De Luxe Hotel And Spa. Before I get into a few details about the hotel, I want to mention that I do not recommend staying in any hotel that is too far away from Antalya city if your plan is to explore Antalya city.
The reason for this is that traveling with a taxi or hotel transfer from Side to Antalya city and then back to the hotel will cost you a lot of money. It will cost you anywhere between 120-150 euros for one day worth of exploring.
However, if you are looking to relax, and enjoy good vibes, the pool, the beach, and the weather then this hotel is somewhere to consider staying.
Hotel Review
The hotel is a 5-star hotel (5 out of 6 stars) and we really liked it. The hotel overall was very clean which is something that we value. Here are some things that the hotel had that we really liked and made our stay worth it:
Fantastic Poolside Experience
The hotel has an amazing poolside area where you and your family can unwind and enjoy the delightful Turkish sun. On one side, there is a children’s and baby area with slides and a water play zone, making it a fun-filled haven for kids of all ages.
All-Inclusive Delights
Choosing the all-inclusive package allowed us to enjoy unlimited drinks from the bar and access to food near the pool area during meal times.
The Main Restaurant
For full meals, the main restaurant provided a buffet-style dining experience with a diverse range of food options. They also had a dedicated children’s buffet during dinner, complete with small tables and chairs to make dining more enjoyable for the little ones. At the concierge during checkin they will provide (if not do ask for it) a timetable of when the restaurant opens and closes for each meal time. The meals are free if you go for the all inclusive package which we thought was worth it.
A Sandy Paradise
One of the highlights of staying at Arnor De Luxe Hotel was its attached beach, just a 5-minute shuttle bus ride away from the hotel, running every 10 minutes from 8:30 AM to 6 PM. This beach was, in my opinion, better than Lara beach because it was a sandy beach. For families with children who love building sandcastles, this beach was perfect.
Though Akra Hotel is still our top choice for exploring Antalya city, Arnor De Luxe Hotel is an excellent and affordable option for a relaxing stay. With its family-friendly features and beautiful sandy beach, it’s a great choice for anyone traveling on a budget. We had an amazing time here and would gladly come back if we were looking to save some money on our trip.
How To Get Around
Taxis are EVERYWHERE in Antalya! Luckily in Akra Hotel, all you need to do is go to the doorman, request a taxi, and literally within SECONDS, or sometimes within 2-3 minutes, a taxi is ready for you. You can also request a big taxi if needed, e.g. for a pram or suitcases. This service made it so easy for us especially with a toddler, as it avoided us having to completely come out of the hotel and look for a taxi.
Also, almost on every street there were taxi ‘phone machines’ and all you do is press the button and a taxi would come to you within 3-5 minutes. If you don’t find the ‘phone machines’ then you will find a taxi ‘station’ where three or four taxis would be parked.
My best advice would be to MAKE SURE the taxi meter is on, as this measures your journey accurately. Thus, making sure you are paying the right price and not being overcharged.
Another thing we loved about staying at the Akra Hotel is that a lot of restaurants and shops were within walking distance! These restaurants were not all traditional Turkish food but Starbucks, Burger King, McDonald’s, and so much more! They also had a supermarket called Carrefour. This is very helpful if you’ve got a baby or toddler and need nappies, snacks, or milk.
Things To Do in Antalya Turkey
We are so grateful we managed to explore so much of Antalya with a toddler! And I am so excited to list all the things we did that we highly recommend you do/visit!
Antalya Kaleiçi Old Town
I had to put this at the top of the list because Old Town Marina was by far my favourite place! This place is super popular and now I know why! If you want a taste of Turkish tradition then this is the place for you. In this place, you will find all the bazaars that sell different things from Turkish delights (SO GOOD!), teas, Turkish tableware, and more. You’ll also have a range of traditional Turkish restaurants to choose from. If you want to get some shopping in Antalya done then this is the place!
Also, what made our time in Kaleiçi so memorable was how welcoming and caring the people were there. The shopkeepers were not just focused on selling but on making sure we had the best experience in their shop. We visited Kaleiçi in 2023 again (the first time was in 2022) and two of the shopkeepers remembered us from last year and just were so kind and welcoming. The kind people in Turkey will just make you fall in love with the country.
Boat Tours
Boat tours are very popular in Antalya. They are available for booking at the Akra Hotel. However, I recommend booking your boat tickets at Antalya marina as you get more options and it’s cheaper too. There are different places the boats take you and different times too – all-day trips (6-8 hours) or 2-hour trips.
We took the 6-hour boat tour around the mediterranean sea, which included lunch too. I would say a 6-hour boat ride with a toddler was not ideal hahaha but the views were incredible. One thing we regret was not wearing our swimsuits. So, make sure you do as time can drag on, especially in the heat. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to visit Duden waterfalls but if you do get the chance then do so on a boat – I heard it’s amazing!
Land of Legends
This place was a fairy tale. At the Land of Legends, you can do some shopping, and get on a boat ride and food is available too. The boat ride is a very short one and it is done for the purpose of taking a picture next to the big Land of Legends castle. You need to have spent a minimum of 500 Turkish Lira (roughly £25) to get on the boat. The main reason why people visit the Land of Legends, which we did not have the time to do, unfortunately, is for the theme park. So, if you do go then make sure you go to the theme park because I heard it’s amazing!
Spa
I was very fortunate to have a spa day to relax and have some me time – luckily Akra Hotel had a spa area on the bottom floor. They have a range of different facials, massages, body scrubs (hammam experience), and more. I had a bio/organic facial which was so relaxing and my skin was glowing after! and After that, I had an anti-stress massage that was also incredible. The prices vary from 40-120 euros but the experience was so worth it.
Arnor De Luxe also has a spa area which is not included in the all-inclusive package, but definitely, something to try out if you do decide to stay at this hotel. Nothing better than a spa day before your trip comes to an end.
Lara Beach
There are a few beaches in Antalya that I wanted to visit. However, due to a lack of time, we only went to one of the most popular beaches in Antalya, Lara Beach. Lara Beach is a sandy/rocky beach and it is usually very busy as it has many hotels and entertainment near the beach. They also have sitting areas that vary in price from 400-1,000 lira. Overall, it was a beautiful beach and perfect for families!
Where To Eat
Akra Hotel And Arnor De Luxe
The best thing about staying at Akra Hotel is the food. The food was so so yummy and healthy! The pictures I have posted below do not do the food justice at all. Every day they have different meals they serve and desserts too.
Arnor De Luxe also has a buffet-style restaurant where every day there are different things they serve. I always prefer staying at the hotel to eat. We did prefer the food at Akra Hotel but don’t get me wrong, the food at this hotel was also good!
Sirali Kebap
This place was so so good. Sirali Kebap serves traditional Turkish food and it is AMAZING. The customer service was amazing – everyone was polite and made sure we had a really good experience too. You also get a sea view which is a bonus. Below you will see the food we got. This was the traditional Turkish burrito and it was so yummy but it was a lot. There are 4 big pieces, so only get this if you are a group of three or four as one is enough per person hahaha.
Faruk Güllüoğlu
This baklava place was about 10 minutes away from Akra Hotel. We didn’t go to any dessert places apart from this one. This was because the hotel provided yummy desserts (baklava too!). Therefore, we felt like we didn’t need to hunt down good dessert places. However, this place was recommended to us by one of the staff members at the hotel and it was decent!
Fast food
Antalya has halal fast food restaurants that we don’t get here in the UK. So, if you are a Muslim then DON’T miss out on the halal Mcdonald’s, Burger King, KFC, and more! All these restaurants are minutes away from Akra Hotel! They have so many different restaurants near the hotel – even Starbucks if you need a hot or refreshing drink.
When we explored near Arnor De Luxe Hotel, we spotted a Mcdonald’s and Burger King about 10 minutes away from the hotel. So if you decide to stay here, don’t worry there are fast food places to dine in!
I hope you found this guide helpful and makes your trip to Antalya Turkey memorable.
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Lots of love, Mariam x
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