Turkey continues to be one of our favorite travel destinations due to its vast and diverse landscapes, archeological sites, pristine beaches and of course history. We spent 8 days road tripping across the southern part of Turkey, also known as the Turkish Riviera. For our road trip we started in Antalya and drove 7 hours west to Dalaman airport, right outside of Fethiye. This Turquoise Coast itinerary will cover the best things to do in at least 6 coastal cities – prepare for the ride!

We’ve always said that Turkey was one of our favorite destinations; from the stunning landscapes in Cappadocia, enchanting towns like Alacati, to bustling cities like Izmir and Istanbul. The scenic seaside towns across Antalya and the coast are no different in picturesque views and pristine waters. Here’s everything you need to know to explore the Turkish Riviera.

  Antalya  

We suggest starting off your trip by landing in Antalya’s international airport, which is 20 minutes from the old town. Antalya is a lovely city and very easy to navigate; we wouldn’t recommend renting a car for this portion as the old town and nearby attractions are easily accessible. In fact, the old town itself is a pedestrian-only zone.

Where to stay in Antalya

Plan to spend two nights in Antalya. The best area for accommodation in Antalya is the Kaleici Neighborhood or old town. Our favorite stays were in Delight Deluxe Hotel and Ninova – both offering stunning boutique hotel vibes, and in an excellent location.

What to do in Antalya  

Kaleici Neighborhood

Hidden in the fifth most populated province in Turkey, is Antalya’s historical old town. A beautiful pedestrian area, with narrow cobblestone roads and beautifully colored buildings. Kaleici is not very big, so wandering around is easy and quite relaxing. There are plenty of cafes and antique shops to check out, but keep reading for our favorite restaurants and rooftops!

Hadrian Castle Gate

Just a stone’s throw away from Antalya’s bustling main road in downtown, is the ancient Hadrian Gate. The arched gate was built in 130 to commemorate the visit of Emperor Hadrian and has become the landmark entrance to the city.

Panoramic Glass Elevator

Check out the scenic glass elevator that runs between the street level & the old harbor. In a way, this reminded us a lot of Lisbon’s Sana Justa Lift, but with fewer crowds and a better panoramic view of the old town, the sea and the harbor.

Yivliminare Mosque

One of the main attractions in the old town, also seen from the perched elevator deck, is the Yivliminare Mosque. Also known as the Aladdin Mosque, it is recognized as a symbol of the city. It was built in 1230 and is one of the oldest examples of multi-dome construction in the region.

Karaalioglu Park

Just a short walk away from the town is Karaalioglu Park, one of the oldest parks in Antalya. The large park has sweeping views of the Gulf of Antalya as well as the Taurus Mountains to the west.

Lower Düden Waterfalls

Grab a taxi and head to the waterfalls! The Düden Waterfalls are actually a group of waterfalls in the region of Antalya, the lower waterfalls are the closest ones to the old town. This particular waterfall is the only one in Turkey that directly pours down into the sea. You can also check out the waterfall from below via a boat tour – which we highly recommend. It also gives you a chance to explore the harbor a bit. Here’s the day tour we did.

Regardless of whether you do the tour or not, you must wander through the old harbor. Decked with boats and restaurants, the harbor is quite charming. Back in Roman times, it was a major Mediterranean port. From below, you can also clearly see the old fortress walls.

Where to eat in Antalya

As we spent our two days in the old town, all of our suggestions are concentrated in this area. The best coffee in downtown can be found at The Sudd. Our absolute favorite restaurants were Pio Gastro Pub, Mermerli Beach & Restaurant (overlooking the sea), Luna Garden for the best brunch, and the restaurant in The Ninova boutique hotel. The Mono Hotel rooftop bar is also a great spot for a late-night hangout.

As we drove from Antalya to Kaş, we decided to make a pit stop in the city of Demre to grab a quick look at the Myra Tombs, or Myra Antik Kenti. The interesting Lycian tombs are are carved into the cliffs and overlook a Roman-style theatre. The exact origin of the archeological site remains unknown, although some historians have dated it back 2500 years.

  Kaş  

Wrap up your time in Antalya and head to the incredible city of Kaş. We recommend spending two nights here, but you could also opt to do one night in Kaş and one night in the nearby town of Kalkan. Kaş is a beautiful seaside town about 180 km from Antalya, which took about 3 and a half hours of driving along the coast. Kaş was probably the highlight of the Turkish Riviera road trip, although all of the other towns we visited were worth the stop.

Where to stay in Kaş

The best part about hotels in Kaş is the incredible views of the bay and hillside. We stayed at Luna Kas a lovely hotel overlooking the entire town. Other great alternatives are, Luvi Otel or Lora Hotel – both with excellent views and great accommodations.

What to do in Kaş

The old town has typical charming Mediterranean vibes, buildings covered in bougainvillea, narrow alleys and very steep hills. Frankly, there isn’t a ton to do in the town itself, but wandering around will bring peace to your soul.

The Uzun Bazaar dominates the center of town, overlooks the harbor and is a great place to grab a few souvenirs.

Besides being known for fishing, diving and its beautiful beaches, one of the best attractions in the city is the Antiphellos theatre. The ancient Greek theatre overlooks the bay and is very well preserved.

Kaleköy

From Kas, you want to book a tour to the village of Kaleköy, also known by its ancient name Simena. You might see a few names floating around the internet, for clarity Kaleköy is located between Kaş and Demre and overlooks the Kekova sound and island.The village can only be reached by water and is one of the most spectacular attractions in Turkey, in our humble opinion. Here’s the tour we went on to explore the village, the sunken city and the island. The shore of the village is lined with welcoming restaurants and ‘meyhanes’ or Turkish tavernas.

Simena Castle

The most prominent feature of the village is the Simena Castle. The Roman castle is actually built on Lycian foundations and dates back to the 4^th century. The castle can be reached after a short but steep path from the harborside.

Sunken City of Kekova

At the top, you can clearly see remnants of the sunken city of Kekova, the parts of Simena that submerged underwater due to an earthquake two millennia ago. The boat tour will also take you right up to see a few visible remains, such as an ancient church and the foundations of homes.

Kaputas Beach

Just 20 minutes west of Kaş, is the pristine Kaputaş Beach. A beautifully enclosed beach just off the side of the cliff. There are 186 stairs to get down from street to sea level, but it’s worth the trek both up and down.

Where to eat in Kaş

During our two days, we enjoyed coffee stops at Godo Coffee & More. Hands down the best meal we had in the 10 days we spent in Antalya was the homemade traditional manti dish at the Bi Lokma Restaurant. If you’re looking for great seafood, Voyn Meyhane is the place to go.

  Kalkan  

Next up is the town of Kalkan. We only spent a half-day here on our way to Fethiye but wish we would have spent the night. Despite being a small town, Kalkan is charming and lively. However, the only reason we would have spent the night would have been to avoid driving back east to Kaş. If you do choose to spend a night in Kalkan, here are a few options we considered: Pier House Hotel, White House Kalkan, Kalkan Suites.

We did have incredible meals while in Kalkan which we are more than happy to brag about. The Seaport Restaurant situated along the pebble beach had mouth-watering seafood. At the end of our day, we grabbed another wonderful meal at Ata Kebab, and wrapped up the day at Café Leon, where we enjoyed the cocktails and live music.

From Kalkan, the picturesque Pamukkale is only 3 hours away. We had visited Pamukkale several years ago and decided to skip it on this particular trip. However, if you’ve never been, this is an absolute must-visit. Consider just one night in the delightful town and we promise you won’t regret it.

Saklikent Canyon

From Kaş (or Kalkan), take a drive a bit north to the Saklikent National Park. The park is home to a canyon that is 300 meters deep and stretches an impressive 18 kilometers, making it one of the deepest in the world. To enjoy the unique scenery of the canyon, you can follow a single-line wooden pathway along the canyon walls. If you’re feeling rather adventurous and don’t mind getting a bit soaked and muddy (to say the least), you can walk a bit against the heavy water flow.

There are several resting areas and restaurants in the park as well if you’d rather enjoy the stream of water from afar. In fact, we recommend sitting at any of them to enjoy Turkish sweets and warm tea regardless to get the full experience.

Ölüdeniz

Dry yourself off and get back on the road towards Ölüdeniz, just an hour drive from the national park. Ölüdeniz is yet another fabulous coastal town surrounded by pristine turquoise water and hugged by the Babadağ Mountain. The town is famous for its blue lagoon and paragliding – brace yourselves for the most phenomenal views.

We are not typically sporty, certainly not the type to engage in adventure sports, but if there was one thing to do in Ölüdeniz it was to paraglide. There are hundreds of companies offering this daring activity all of which are located along the road leading up to the beach. We chose Tandem Paragliding’s tour and had an incredibly fun and safe ride – as safe as it can get when one is willingly jumping off a cliff of course.

  Fethiye  

Once you’re done with this adventurous day, make your way to Fethiye for a relaxing evening. Fethiye is a known tourist destination and a bit more exposed than the rest of the Turkish Riviera. It’s a bustling town, famed for its shopping, beaches, and historic ruins.

Where to stay in Fethiye

As it was the end of a several days trip, we decided to treat ourselves to a luxury stay at the Yacht Boheme Hotel right off of the port. The location is a bit secluded, so this option might not be for everyone. You can find other hotel options here that are closer to the bazar and downtown area.

What to do in Fethiye

The city is massive and depending on your travel goals there’s something for everyone. We wanted to explore more of the historical sites of the region.

Amyntas Rock Tombs

First up is visiting the ancient Greek rock tombs carved into steep slopes and overlooking the city. The most impressive tomb dates back to 350 BC and is perfectly perched atop the hill. Here’s a little fun fact: Lycians believed that the souls of the dead were carried by winged creatures, thus building their tombs in geographically high places – certainly ensuring that their loved ones had a great view in the afterlife.

Kayaköy

The abandoned Greek town is a true ghost town. Just a 25-minute drive from the port of Fethiye, the town of Karmylassos (in Greek) was built in the 1700s. By the 20^th century, it was a bustling town of 20,000 Greek Orthodox residents. At the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, hundreds of thousands of Greeks fled violence in Turkey. In a population exchange, the residents of Kayaköy fled the town and went to Greece, while over 300,000 Turks were forcibly removed from Greece. Now, the remnants of a once beautiful city are left for the wandering minds.

Paspatur Market

Like any other major Turkish city, Fethiye has a wonderful bazar and promenade lined with boutique shops, specialty coffee stores, bars and unique souvenir stalls.

Özgecan Arslan Parki Fethiye

For something a little more relaxing, check out the Özgecan Arslan park, a bit north of downtown. The views from here are incredible and the park itself is well designed and enjoyable.

Where to eat in Fethiye

There are plenty of food options in Fethiye, but we really enjoyed dining and the view at Citrus Mediterranean Cuisine. Paşa Kebab offers the best grilled meats and Turkish dishes in the city.

  Dalaman  

The closest airport to Fethiye is the Dalaman International Airport, located about one hour away. Depending on what time your flight departure is, you can choose to spend your last night in Fethiye or head a little closer to the airport. We did the latter since our flight was too early in the morning.

You can either stay in Gocek or Dalaman. Gocek is a small coastal town, and only 25 minutes away from the airport. The boardwalk in town has lots of great shopping and food options, so you will surely be busy on your last eve. Resa Hotel in Gocek is an excellent option. On the other hand, Dalaman is very rural so the options are interesting, we did a farm stay at Otantik Tas Ev which was interesting, but we wouldn’t do it again.

Those were our top recommendations for spending 7-10 days in the Turkish Riviera! We hope you enjoy your travels along the Turquoise Coast as much as we did, and do not hesitate to shoot us a message if you have any questions.