Insider’s Guide to Antalya’s Old Town

Antalya Old Town lies at the heart of Antalya, which itself lies on the southwestern coast of Anatolia. It’s one of the most culturally and historically significant stops on the Turkish Riviera, tracing its roots to around 150 BC, when it was founded by King Attalus II of ancient Greece.

Lying in the shadows of the Taurus Mountains, Antalya enjoys a sunny Mediterranean climate that nourishes the regional agriculture of citrus, olives, and cotton. Strolling in the old town, you can admire turquoise waters and monuments representing the city’s Roman, Seljuk, Ottoman, and Byzantine past.

Known as “Kaleiçi”—meaning “inner castle”—Antalya’s old town is delineated by old city walls on the land side and the historic harbor on the other. Here you’ll find narrow alleys of cobblestone, around 3,000 red tile-roofed traditional houses, stone courtyards from which yucca and cypresses spill, and mosques punctuating the skyline with their minarets.

Top Attractions in Antalya’s Old Town

Hadrian’s Gate

Hadrian’s Gate

Hadrian’s Gate is a memorial structure built in 130 CE honoring Roman Emperor Hadrian’s visit to the city. It consists of three stone arches divided by pillars and is flanked by two towers and decorated with intricate carvings and ornamentation. Once a key gateway to the inner city, the gate was turned into one of Antalya’s most iconic tourist attractions after being “rediscovered” by Irishman Francis Beaufort in 1817.

The most flavorful legend surrounding Hadrian’s Gate predates its construction. It is said that the Queen of Sheba, while en route to visit King Solomon, would have passed through the site of these gates.

Hidirlik Tower

Hidirlik Tower

This historic stone tower, right on the edge of the old city and the lush Karaalioğlu Park, offers one of the best panoramic lookout points in Antalya. Here you’ll see sweeping views of the ancient Roman harbor, the Gulf of Antalya, and the plunging ridges of the Taurus Mountains. The tower was built around the second century AD by Emperor Hadrian and later converted into a military watchtower, then a lighthouse.

Antalya Saat Kulesi

Antalya Saat Kulesi

Built in the 9th century during the Byzantine period, this historic bastion was renovated into a clock tower in 1901 to honor the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II. Now, it stands right at the heart of Antalya’s kaleiçi as an emblem of the city’s history. Its four facades each display a clock with an elegant design, with a large bell and Turkish flag adorning its dome.

Perhaps similar to the clock at the center of New York’s Grand Central Terminal, the Antalya clock tower serves as a central rendezvous point for many locals meeting in the old city. If lost in the kaleiçi’s narrow alleys, simply find your way back to the clock tower, and you’ll be steps away from the harborwalk, the Old Bazaar, and many museums and restaurants.

Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque

Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Mosque

This imposing stone mosque in the heart of Kaleiçi, Antalya dates back to the 17th century, and is named after the Ottoman military commander and Grand Vizier Mehmet Pasha. The commander commissioned the mosque to celebrate Antalya’s geographical and cultural importance.

The mosque’s main dome is encircled by smaller demi-domes and a northern facade decorated with tile panels adorned with Quran verses. Once inside, you’ll feel the grandeur of the space and the quality of light through the stained glass windows, all architectural and aesthetic elements carefully designed to conjure a sense of serenity and harmony.

Things to Do in Old Town Antalya

Stroll Along the Harbor

Old Town

Antalya’s historic harbor is still one of the city’s liveliest hubs. Rows of yachts, local sightseeing boats, and small speedboats line its docks. Parks along the water are teeming with resplendent bushes of bougainvillea and rhododendron, while palm trees sway with the coastal winds. The Taurus Mountains in the distance give way to rocky outcrops on which the new city of Antalya was built.

Shop at the Old Bazaar

Old Bazaar

Steps away from the Antalya Clock Tower, the Old Bazaar is a historic marketplace that flourished and expanded under Ottoman rule.

Compared to the grand bazaars of Istanbul, the Kaleiçi bazaar is less frenetic and more leisurely. Here, you’ll find colorful woven textiles, spices, jewelry, lamps and ornaments, and other Turkish souvenirs, along with trays of baklava—and genuine invitations to sit down for a cup of apple tea.

Visit the Antalya Ethnographic Museum

Antalya Ethnographic Museum

If you are curious about how the local residents of Antalya have lived over the centuries of Ottoman reign, don’t miss the Antalya Ethnographic Museum, which is free to enter and is housed in two Ottoman-era mansions coated in warm yellow paint. Inside, you’ll find both Turkish-Islamic relics of precious beauty and more mundane objects from daily domestic life, no less interesting, as they recreate how ordinary citizens of Antalya would have lived.

Visualizations and mannequins in traditional garb invite visitors to imagine themselves in the living rooms, parlors, bedrooms, and kitchens of tradespeople and craftsmen who made exquisite objects such as knives, textiles, traditional Ottoman art, and musical instruments.

Return to Childhood at the Antalya Toy Museum

Antalya Toy Museum Photo by Dosseman on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Are you a fan of small, esoteric museums that pack in much more delight than their modest exteriors would suggest? The Antalya Toy Museum offers free entry and has over 3,300 antique toys on display, spanning the late 1800s to the turn of the past century.

The museum was founded by poet and writer Sunay Akın to celebrate the cultural and anthropological stories told through the evolution of handcrafted and factory-made toys in Turkey.

Swim at Mermerli Beach

Mermerli Beach

Tempted by the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean seen from the old town, but unsure whether you should pack a swimsuit when spending an afternoon in Kaleiçi? Don’t hesitate—Mermerli Beach is the picturesque beach you’ll see left of the jetty, and for a small fee, you can rent a lounge chair and relax for many indolent hours.

Take a Private Boat Ride

Old Town

After walking all those cobblestone streets, you might want to see Kaleiçi from a different vantage point, and all the better if that means while leaning back and feeling the sea breeze. Along the marina, you’ll see many small boats that will take you sailing for an hour for very reasonable prices.

Ride the Panoramic Elevator

Kaleiçi Panoramic Elevator

If navigating the labyrinthine streets of Antalya up or downhill isn’t for you, consider taking the Kaleiçi Panoramic Elevator, a glass lift that runs up and down from Republic Square to the harbo

Read: What Is Turkey Known For?

Restaurants

Kaleiçi Meyhanesi

Mezze

A meyhane, or wine house, is a traditional Turkish tavern that specializes in spreads of meze washed down with raki, the local anise spirit. In Antalya’s old town, Kaleiçi Meyhanesi is a beloved site for communal celebrations with its ample courtyard and vines growing over trellises.

Here you’ll find not only small plates of appetizers such as the labneh-topped herb roast, but also large platters of grilled meats and fresh seafood.

Ayar Meyhanesi

As a coastal city, Antalya knows how to grill and serve up the sea’s bounty. If you’re looking for a restaurant specializing in seafood, Ayar Meyhanesi is an unfussy local favorite in Kaleiçi. Try the octopus, which many diners rave about, or the grouper or red snapper.

Grilled fish

Sit at a street-side table to soak in the atmosphere or enjoy the open air in the restaurant’s ample patio. Most days, you’ll be able to bask in live traditional Turkish music to accompany the meal. The restaurant also has an extensive wine list, with a good selection of crisp local white wines to accompany your perfectly grilled seafood.

Aynali

Old Town

If you’re looking for a restaurant with a view overlooking the old harbor’s marina, with the Taurus Mountains rising across the bay, Aynali has a lovely shaded patio right on the water. You’ll find a robust menu of Antalya classics, from fresh grilled and fried seafood to meat kebabs. It also offers a range of more westernized options like pizza, pasta, or salads.

Wash down the popular Turkish dish of sizzling shrimp with an Efes beer, dip a hunk of baguette into the fragrant olive oil, and lean back to enjoy the changing cloudscape over the harbor.

FAQs

Old Town

Now that you’ve learned about the architectural marvels and best grilled seafood of Antalya old town, why not explore Turkey’s stunning coastline for yourself? Browse Celebrity’s cruises to Antalya and plan your seaside adventure.