5 Days in Antalya and the Turquoise Coast: A Day-by-Day Itinerary

Get ready for turquoise water, Roman theatres and mountains that drop straight into the sea. This five-day plan pairs Antalya’s old town with the best-known sights on the coast around it. You’ll see the theatre at Aspendos, the colonnaded street at Perge, Side’s seaside temples and the mountain ruins of Termessos. Then a two-day road trip takes you along the Lycian coast to Olympos, Myra and the sunken shores of Kekova.

The plan suits first-timers who love history but also want time in the water, couples, and families with older kids. The pace is steady rather than rushed. You cover one big area per day, with a long lunch and a swim built in. Days 1 to 3 are based in Antalya. Days 4 and 5 are a coastal road trip with one night away, so you can plan less and see more.

At a glance

Day	Area	Highlights
1	Antalya old town (Kaleiçi)	Hadrian’s Gate, Yivli Minaret, old harbour, clifftop sunset
2	East of Antalya	Perge, Aspendos theatre, Side’s Temple of Apollo at sunset
3	Mountains and beach	Termessos, Konyaaltı Beach, Kaleiçi dinner
4	Lycian coast, part 1	Phaselis harbours, Olympos ruins, Chimaera flames
5	Lycian coast, part 2	St Nicholas Museum, Myra rock tombs, Kekova and Simena

Day 1: Kaleiçi and the old harbour

Morning

Ease in with Antalya’s walled old town, Kaleiçi. Start at Hadrian’s Gate, the large Roman gateway on the edge of the old quarter. Walk through it into lanes of whitewashed Ottoman houses, bougainvillea and small courtyard cafés. You can walk everywhere today, but wear shoes with good grip because the lanes are cobbled and slope down towards the sea.

Wander towards the Yivli Minaret, the ribbed brick minaret that is the city’s best-known landmark, and the Kesik Minare (the “broken minaret”). If you go inside any mosque, dress modestly (see Practical tips).

Afternoon

Keep heading downhill to the old harbour, where fishing boats and day-trip boats sit below the city walls. It’s a lovely spot for a slow lunch. Boat trips along the cliffs leave from here. Prices vary by operator, so agree the price, length of trip and what’s included before you board.

Afterwards, follow the walls south to Hıdırlık Tower and Karaalioğlu Park, a shady park on the clifftop with wide views over the bay.

Evening

Stay in the park or by the harbour for sunset, when the Beydağları mountains across the bay turn pink and gold. Dinner in Kaleiçi is the classic finish: grilled fish, meze and a warm evening breeze.

Good to know: the Antalya Museum, usually a highlight, was listed as closed on the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s official price list in October 2026. Check the list before you plan around it.

Day 2: Perge, Aspendos and Side

Get ready for the big Roman day as you head east. The three sites are spread out, so a car, a taxi hired for the day or an organised tour makes it much easier. Check live drive times in a maps app before you set off.

Morning

Start at Perge, with its long colonnaded street, city gates and stadium. The official price list gives €11 for foreign visitors. Go early, because there is little shade and the stones hold the heat.

Afternoon

Continue to Aspendos. The Ministry calls its theatre the best-preserved Roman theatre in Turkey, with seats for 15,000 and famously good acoustics. Don’t stop at the theatre: the site also has an aqueduct about a kilometre long and an upper city with an agora and basilica.

• Ticket: €15 for foreign visitors
• Hours listed on the official site: 08:00-19:00, ticket office closes 18:30, open every day
• Audio guide available

Evening

Finish in Side, where the ancient city sits on a small peninsula. The official site page says not to miss the temples of Apollo and Athena, especially at sunset, and that’s good advice. The Side archaeological site costs €7 and the Side Museum €5. The official price list shows the ancient theatre as closed, but its museum page lists it as open, so check when you arrive.

Have dinner in Side or head back to Antalya.

Day 3: Termessos and Konyaaltı Beach

Morning

Swap the coast for the mountains. Termessos is a dramatic ancient city high in the mountains outside Antalya. At €3 for foreign visitors, it’s one of the cheapest tickets of the trip. You’ll need your own transport, a taxi or a tour. Wear comfortable shoes, because you reach the ruins on rocky paths with plenty of uphill walking. Bring water and go early, before the heat builds. The pages checked for this guide don’t show opening hours, so check the official site.

Afternoon

Then reward yourself back in the city with a long, lazy afternoon at Konyaaltı Beach, the long pebble beach on Antalya’s western side with mountains behind it. Watch the beach flags and follow lifeguard advice (see Heads-up).

Evening

Return to Kaleiçi for your last night based in Antalya. Pack a small bag for tomorrow, since you’ll spend one night on the coast.

Day 4: Phaselis, Olympos and the Chimaera

Road-trip day is here! You drive south-west along the coast road towards Kemer and beyond. With pine forest, coves and mountain views, it’s one of the prettiest drives of the trip, so don’t rush it.

Morning

Stop at Phaselis, a port city founded in the 7th century BC on a small peninsula. It has three harbours (North, Central and South), and the coves are perfect for a swim between the ruins.

• Ticket: €10 for foreign visitors
• Hours listed: 08:00-19:00, ticket office closes 18:30, open every day

Afternoon

Continue to Olympos, where ancient ruins sit among trees beside a beautiful beach. The official site page describes it as an escape from crowded beaches and all-inclusive hotels.

• Ticket: €10 for foreign visitors
• Hours listed: 08:00-19:00, ticket office closes 18:30, open every day

Evening

After dark, walk up to the Chimaera (Yanartaş), flames that burn out of the rocky hillside near Olympos. The Ministry describes them as never-ending. It’s an uphill walk, so take a torch, sturdy shoes and water. Ask locally how access works. Sleep in the Olympos or Çıralı area tonight.

Day 5: Demre, Myra and Kekova

Morning

Your grand finale starts in Demre at the St Nicholas Museum. This is the church linked to Saint Nicholas of Myra, the bishop behind the Santa Claus legend, who was born in Patara and lived in Myra.

• Ticket: €17 for foreign visitors
• Hours listed: 08:30-19:00, ticket office closes 18:30, open every day
• Audio guide available

Then head to Myra to see its cliff face of Lycian rock-cut tombs and its Roman theatre. Entry is €13 for foreign visitors. The pages checked don’t show opening hours, so confirm on the official site.

Afternoon

Make for the Kekova area. Boat trips here pass half-submerged ancient ruins and stop below Simena (Kaleköy), a village with a castle on top of the hill. Simena’s archaeological site costs €4. Boat prices vary, so confirm the route, length of trip and price before you pay. Pick an operator that gives a clear safety briefing.

Evening

Either spend the night in Kaş, a relaxed harbour town with a pretty waterfront, or drive back to Antalya for your flight home. This is the longest drive back of the trip. If you fly out the same evening, check the drive time in a maps app and leave plenty of spare time.

Getting there and getting around

Arriving: Antalya Airport (AYT) is where this trip starts. You can get into the city by the tram network run by the city transport company Antalya Ulaşım, by city bus, by airport shuttle coach or by taxi. Current fares and journey times couldn’t be confirmed on the operators’ own websites for this guide, so check each operator’s official site before you travel.

Paying for public transport: Antalya’s buses and trams use the city’s AntalyaKart payment system. Check the official site for how visitors can buy and top up a card or pay by bank card.

Taxis: use registered taxis only. UK government travel advice says to note the registration number before you get in and make sure the fare is metered. It adds that app-based and pre-booked taxis are widely available.

Days 2 to 5: a hire car gives you the most freedom, especially for Termessos, Olympos and the Kekova coast. Carry your passport while driving. There are police checkpoints on main roads across Turkey, and it’s illegal not to carry photo ID. If you’d rather not drive, take organised day tours instead.

Museum tickets: the Ministry of Culture and Tourism runs all the ancient sites in this plan. You can buy e-tickets and passes on its official Müze Kart site (muze.gov.tr).

Where to stay

Kaleiçi (old town): best for atmosphere and walking. You’re steps from the harbour, restaurants and Hadrian’s Gate. The cobbles and steps make it less easy with heavy luggage or a pushchair.

Konyaaltı: best for beach lovers and families. The long beach and seafront promenades are on your doorstep, and it’s handy for the western side of the city and the road to Termessos.

Lara: on the eastern side of the city. It’s popular for big beach resorts and handy for the Day 2 sites to the east.

Olympos and Çıralı, or Kaş: for your night on the road. Olympos and Çıralı are quiet and green, and close to the ruins and the Chimaera. Kaş is a lively little harbour town that’s handy for Kekova.

Budget

The site prices below come from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s official price list for foreign visitors, checked in October 2026. Prices are revised from time to time, so check the list before you go.

Item	Typical cost
Perge	€11
Aspendos	€15
Side archaeological site	€7
Side Museum	€5
Termessos	€3
Phaselis	€10
Olympos	€10
St Nicholas Museum, Demre	€17
Myra	€13
Simena	€4
MuseumPass The Mediterranean (7 days)	€90
Hotels, meals, car hire, fuel, boat trips	Varies a lot by season; check the official site or get a quote when booking

If you visit every paid site above, the tickets add up to €95, or €90 without the Side Museum. The MuseumPass The Mediterranean costs €90 and lasts 7 days from your first visit. It covers more than 40 Ministry museums and sites in Antalya, Mersin, Adana and Denizli, with one entry per site. For this plan it roughly breaks even, so it only really saves money if you add sites such as Patara (€15 on the official list). Check which sites are included on the official page first.

Not included: flights, accommodation, food, local transport, car hire, fuel, boat trips, tips and travel insurance.

Heads-up

Turkey’s coast is a joy, and a little know-how keeps it that way. These points come from UK government travel advice and the official museum price list.

• Closed attractions: the official price list shows the Antalya Museum as closed. It also shows the Lycian Civilisations Museum at Andriake, near Demre, and Side’s ancient theatre as closed. Always check before making a special trip.
• Unofficial taxis: UK advice says taking lifts from unofficial taxi drivers is highly risky. Use registered, metered taxis or apps.
• Friendly strangers: be wary of strangers who offer to change money for you or take you to a restaurant or nightclub. Food and drink they offer could be spiked. Buy your own drinks and keep them in sight.
• Methanol: people in Turkey have died or become seriously ill from illegally made spirits and fake bottles of branded alcohol. You can’t detect methanol by taste or smell, so stick to reputable venues.
• Swimming: some beaches have strong undercurrents and hidden rocks. Don’t dive into unknown water, learn the beach flag system and watch children closely, even when a lifeguard is on duty.
• Summer heat and wildfires: summer can bring extreme heat, and wildfires are frequent. Lighting fires or dropping cigarettes in risk areas such as woodland can mean a fine or a prison sentence. Call 112 if you see a wildfire.
• Adventure activities: paragliding and other extreme sports carry real risks. Use reputable operators, book water sports at a licensed centre and check your insurance covers each activity.
• Greek island day trips: if you’re tempted by a trip to a Greek island, remember Greece is in the Schengen Area and the EU Entry/Exit System applies. Check your own entry rules first.
• Earthquakes and flooding: Turkey has regular tremors, and heavy rainstorms can cause flooding and landslides. Follow instructions from local authorities.

The UK government advises against all travel within 10 km of the Turkey-Syria border, which is far from this route. Read your own government’s latest advice before you go.

Practical tips

Visa and entry: entry rules depend on your passport. Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs an official online e-Visa system at www.evisa.gov.tr for eligible travellers. Check the Ministry’s visa information page for your nationality before booking, and only use the official portal.

Dress code: dress modestly when visiting mosques or religious shrines. Covering shoulders and knees is a safe rule, and women should bring a scarf for mosque visits.

ID: carry your passport at all times. Police checks happen, and it’s illegal not to carry photo ID.

Money: banks and exchange offices may refuse US$50 and US$100 notes because fake ones have reportedly surged. Avoid accepting these notes where you can. Foreign visitors pay ancient-site prices set in euros.

SIM and eSIM: some eSIM services are restricted in Turkey, so check with your provider before you fly.

Emergencies: dial 112.

Ramadan: the next Ramadan is expected to start between early February and early March 2027. During this time, eating, drinking or smoking in public in the daytime may cause offence, so be considerate.

Opening hours: the hours in this guide are the ones listed on the official Müze Kart pages in October 2026. Hours can change with the seasons, so check each site’s page before you go.

FAQ

Is five days enough for Antalya and the Turquoise Coast?

Yes, for a highlights trip. You’ll see the old town, the three big Roman sites to the east, Termessos and a taste of the Lycian coast. Add extra days if you want more beach time or want to go further west.

Do I need a car?

Not for Kaleiçi and the beaches. For Termessos, Olympos, Demre and Kekova, a car or organised tour makes life much easier.

Is the Antalya Museum open?

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s official price list showed it as closed in October 2026. Check the list for updates before your trip.

Is the MuseumPass The Mediterranean worth it?

For this plan it roughly breaks even: tickets for every paid site here add up to €95, and the pass costs €90. It’s worth it if you add more sites in the region within its 7 days.

When is the best time to go?

Spring and autumn are best for sightseeing. UK government advice warns of extreme heat and frequent wildfires in summer, which makes exploring ruins with little shade hard work in peak season.

Can I buy site tickets online?

Yes. The Ministry’s official Müze Kart site (muze.gov.tr) sells e-tickets and museum passes.