A leisurely route using public transport. Let’s experience the city for the whole day!
At the airport
Antalya has a main terminal and terminal 2. The distance between them is about 2 km. If you are “lucky” to land in the second terminal, you need to take a taxi or walk (30 minutes) to the main terminal where you can find an exchange office and buy a transport card. Taxi drivers accept foreign currency. There are buses at terminal 2, but they run extremely rarely. and there is nowhere to exchange currency.
Get some cash turkish lira (TL)
The currency exchange rate at the airport is extremely unprofitable, Best if you exchange a little amount of money to be enough to buy a transport card.
Buy AntalyaCard
You can buy AntalyaCard at the ticket machines which are located next to the entrance to the Antray rail transport, which is very similar to the metro, it is also called a tram. You will see escalators, next to them there are those vending machines.
How to get to Antalya City Center
The easiest and most reliable way is to take the subway from the Havalimani stop at the airport to Muratpasa. It is extremely difficult to get lost in this type of transport and it is easy to get off at the right stop, there are screens inside with visualization of the stops.
The Muratpasa stop (1 on the map) is located in the very center of the city next to the MarkAntalya shopping center. The first more or less normal currency exchange office is in this shopping center. You can also exchange by crossing the boulevard at the corner on the way from point 1 to 2 on the map. If you go down below there will be many different exchange offices with a better rate.
All you need to know for comfortable orientation in the city is how to get to MarkAntalya and the stop indicated on the map as 2. From this stop you can go by bus anywhere. This is the main boulevard that runs through the city. You can install the official Antalya Kart application in advance – it shows the current traffic and its route with stops, but unfortunately it does not work without the Internet.
I would recommend staying somewhere within walking distance from the metro for convenience if you are in Antalya for the first time. It will be easier to go back to the airport. Important! From the airport there is only one way to the center, but if you want to go to the airport from the center you may take the wrong tram. To go to the airport, make sure that HAVALIMANI is written on the tram! You can also go inside and look at the screen with stops and make sure that the destination is Havalimani.
Well, the main organizational matters have been done, let’s start our day in Antalya!
Swimming at Konyaalti beach
We go out to the beach early in the morning. You can leave the center from the main stop 10151 (mentioned before) by bus VS18 and KL08. Buses in Antalya stop at the nearest stop after pressing a button in the cabin. In Turkish stop is “DURAK” – it’s easy to remember. The best decision would be arriving to the middle of the beach looking at the map where it is better to get off, for example at this stop to have a walk along a beautiful pedestrian path towards the city center. Even in winter, it’s a great place to enjoy the views.
The Big Chefs restaurant will be a great place to have breakfast – it’s not a cheap place, but it’s cool.
If you just want to have a coffee with dessert in the morning, then Mackbear’s is the perfect choice, their caramel frappe with dessert “Izmir bomba” (also pronounced in Turkish) is a very tasty combination.
Walking along the embankment of Konyaalti beach we go in the direction of the city center until the moment when the embankment begins to turn into a park. Here you will need to decide how to spend time further.
Choose what to do during the day from 4 options:
If you are very quick, you can try to visit everywhere at once. In summer, it would be better to wait out the peak of the sun in some building.
1. Visit the largest aquarium
Situated very close to the beach. You can see the prices on the official website
2. Shopping in 5M Migros
It is located further than the Aquarium. It takes some time to get there from the beach. It is the largest shopping center in Antalya. Next to it is an amusement park that comes alive after dark.
3. Visit the Glass Pyramid Exhibition Center
A place where various events can be held.
4. Archaeological Museum
You should know that there is an elevator to go up next. Otherwise, you’ll have to climb the serpentine steps later. There are a lot of different exhibits in the archaeological museum.
There is a cool observation deck near the museum, and you can get from here to the old town by an old tram, but it runs once an hour. In fact, it’s not that far away, you can walk there.
It’s perfect to take a walk in the old town in the evening
The tourist route starts from Mark Antalya in the direction of Ataturk Cd. There are many cafes and various shops on this street. It’s just nice to walk through the narrow streets in the old town.
You definitely have to try the hot Turkish ice cream at Helvaci Ali Antalya on your way
Hadrian’s Gate
The main attraction, the central entrance to the old town.
Hadrian’s Gate in the evening, locals call it “triple”
Ataturk House Museum
It closes quite early, unfortunately you can’t get there in the evening. You can walk nearby, it’s beautiful.
There is a park not far from the museum where it would be perfect to meet the sunset with a beautiful view of the city.
If you have more than 1 day in Antalya, it is worth going to the amazing Zoo, where you can stay from morning to evening, such a cool place. Take a ride to the Upper and Lower Duden waterfalls. Well, I do not suggest riding the funicular, which is well known after the accident.
Have a great trip around Antalya!