We will be visiting Antalya as a day trip during our cruise. Can we get around the old city without investing in a tour and still see a lot of sites? I was also given a guide to dining in Antalya so that interest me too. My ships' excursions I feel are very over priced and the Viator offerings I saw were worse. If someone can offer tour suggestions I would appreciate it.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
900 posts
You definitely don't need a tour for Old Town. However, Google Maps will be your friend because the streets are very twisty. Old Town is not huge, and it's very walkable except for being very hilly going down to the marina. The main things to see are Hadrian's Gate, the Roman fortress, the marina, and the Yivli Minaret/Mosque. It's a fun place to wander around, and I have always felt safe.
Because it's a (largely Russian) tourist area, there are a lot of pseudo Western burger joints. I alway find that kind of odd, although I actually had an extraordinarily good burger at the Scottish pub one evening. If you work at it, though, there is some very good Turkish food. One of my favorite places is the Antique Restaurant in the middle of old town. Also, if you cross Ataturk Caddesi (the main drag on the edge of old town), you'll find all sorts of really good, cheap, and authentic food. (If you are interested, I can elaborate and point you to some specific places.)
I am not sure how much time you will have. You can spend half a day to a whole day in Old Town. If time allows, the Archaeological Museum and/or Perge are worth visiting.
I have spent a lot of time in Antalya, and so please don't hesitate to reach out with more questions.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thanks so much Marie, that is very helpful to me. I would love to hear your restaurant choices--There was an article in National Geographic this week talking about where to eat there as well so I would be interested in hearing your take on the dining options.
Posted by
Vancouver, Washington
324 posts
Marie’s recommendations were spot on. Antalya is a lovely city. If you’re up for an authentic experience, I would highly recommend booking a massage and soak at Sefa Hamam Antalya in the old Kaleici area. Lay on a marble slab under a 600 year old dome and have your worries scrubbed away. Delirious.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thank you-we just might do that. Great idea!
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
900 posts
I lean more toward cheap dives than fine dining in Antalya.
These are some dishes to try:
- Piyaz - cold salad with white beans, tahini, tomatoes, and maybe onions or parsley
- Tost - grilled cheese sandwich on steroids
- Gozleme - sort of a Turkish version of a quesadilla
- Borek - pastry filled with meat, cheese or spinach. The spinach filling is pretty much like Greek spanakopita
- Tatlisi - pumpkin dessert with tahini and walnuts or pistachios; very yummy
- Kunefe - sweet, hairy pancake stuffed with cheese
I marked some of my favorite places on a map here.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/z7aenuVEjsKqnRkS6
There are some other places I liked, but I am not sure how to locate them on a map.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
These are wonderful ideas and thank you for the food recommendations. They are really helpful. I'm looking forward to Antalya. Thank you.