Across TürkiyeAn Antalya luxury holiday: where to stay and what to see

An Antalya luxury holiday can mean many things: a resort on a long beach, a hillside villa above a quiet bay, a restored mansion inside the old city walls, or a boat along the Lycian coast. The province stretches for hundreds of kilometres between the Taurus mountains and the Mediterranean. The first decision, and the one that matters most, is where along that coast to stay.

We plan stays, transfers, guides and boats on this coast for families, couples and private groups. This guide compares the main areas, explains when to come, and covers what is worth leaving the pool for.

Belek vs Kemer vs Lara vs Kaş: which area suits you?

Each part of the Antalya coast has a different character, and the distance from the airport varies from twenty minutes to over three hours.

Many guests combine two areas: a few nights in Kaleiçi or Lara for the city and the ruins, then a week in Belek, Kemer or Kaş for the sea. For the sights themselves, see our guide to things to do in Antalya.

Luxury resorts in Antalya or a private villa?

Resorts suit families who want everything in one place; villas suit those who want privacy above all. The luxury resorts in Antalya are concentrated in Lara, Belek and Side. They are large estates with several pools, private beaches, kids' clubs, spas and many restaurants, and the best have villas or suites with their own pools inside the grounds.

A private Antalya luxury villa is a different holiday: your own house, pool and staff, with no other guests. Villas are found mainly in the hills around Kemer and above the bays of Kaş and Kalkan. Since 1 January 2024, homes let to holiday guests need a tourism rental permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. We explain the rules, and what else to check, in our guide to luxury villas in Bodrum; the same law applies on this coast.

When is the best time to visit Antalya?

The best months are May, June, September and October. The sea is warm, the days are long, and the heat allows a morning at the ruins and an afternoon on the beach.

For July and August, book villas and resort suites several months ahead. Many families return to the same house or the same resort every summer.

Kaleiçi and the old harbour

Kaleiçi is Antalya's walled old town, and it is the place to start. You enter through Hadrian's Gate, a triple-arched Roman gateway built around AD 130 for the emperor's visit, then walk down lanes of restored Ottoman houses to the old Roman harbour below the cliffs. Go in the cool of the morning with a guide, and come back in the evening for dinner on a terrace above the harbour.

Some of the most characterful places to stay are here: small hotels in old mansions, with courtyards, a pool and a view across the bay to the mountains. They suit couples better than large families. Our three-day Antalya, the old city journey starts here.

Things to do in Antalya: ruins, falls and gorges

The best things to do in Antalya beyond the beach lie within an hour of the city. A private car and a licensed guide let you see one site properly in a morning and be back by lunch.

• Aspendos. One of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere, built in the second century AD, with its stage building still standing to full height. Performances are still held there.
• Perge. A Roman city east of Antalya, with colonnaded streets, baths and a stadium. Quieter than Aspendos, and best early in the day.
• The Düden falls. The Lower Düden waterfall drops about 40 metres from the cliffs at Lara straight into the sea. It is best seen from a boat.
• Side. A small ancient town on a peninsula, with a theatre and a temple by the water. Lovely at sunset.

Kaş, Kekova and Olympos

West of Antalya, the Lycian coast is quieter, wilder and better suited to a villa holiday. Kaş is a small harbour town under a mountain, with the Greek island of Meis a short way offshore. Kalkan, nearby, has more villas on its hillsides.

From Kaş, a private boat takes you to Kekova, where the remains of an ancient town lie in the shallows along the shore of the island. The area is protected: boats pass slowly over the ruins, swimming directly over them is restricted, and the crew stops for a swim in nearby bays instead. Above the hamlet of Simena, a small castle looks over the water. On the way back towards Antalya, the ruins of Olympos sit in a wooded valley beside a long beach, and the natural gas flames of the Chimaera burn on the hillside above Çıralı, best seen after dark.

See our four-day Lycian coast journey for a sample plan.

Private boats and days at sea

The Antalya coast is best seen from the water. A private motor yacht for the day can take you from the old harbour along the cliffs to the Düden falls, or from Kemer to the bays under the mountains. A gulet, the traditional wooden sailing boat, suits a slower day or a week along the Lycian coast. See our yacht charters, and our guide to gulet charters in Türkiye.

Antalya Airport and luxury transfers

Antalya Airport is about 13 km northeast of the city centre, and it is the main gateway for this coast, with many international and domestic flights. An Antalya luxury transfer means a car waiting at the aircraft or in arrivals, a driver who speaks your language, and enough room for the luggage: a second vehicle for bags is often worth it for a family.

For Kaş and Kalkan, Dalaman Airport is a little closer. Private jets land at Antalya too, and a helicopter can shorten the long coastal drives, subject to permissions and weather. See our airport transfers, or our guide to private jets and helicopters in Türkiye.

An Antalya holiday for families

Antalya is one of the easiest places in Türkiye to holiday with children. The beaches at Lara and Belek are long and shelve gently, the resorts are built around families, and the sites are close enough for half days. Keep sightseeing to the mornings in summer. Halal food is the norm, prayer times are easy to keep, and a nanny, a private chef or protection arranged with licensed security providers can be added for the whole stay.

Checked by the Megis team on 4 November 2026. Opening hours, rules and seasons change; we confirm every detail again when we plan your trip.