We will be visiting Antalya during the first week of May 2026. We’re hoping to see a beautiful, laid-back mid-sized seaside resort. Are we instead heading for a crowded coastal metropolis? We will stay near the historic center of Antalya, and have scheduled a walking tour for our first morning there to orient ourselves. Any suggestions for restaurants and shopping would be appreciated. We have visited, and enjoyed Istanbul and Cappadocia in recent years.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
3655 posts
Are we instead heading for a crowded coastal metropolis?
Not sure what you mean by this, it is a popular resort town so you won't be alone by any stretch and it's also a cruise port stop (check the schedule for your dates). I stayed there with a RS tour group in early October and it was busy but not overwhelming. Our group rented a private boat to tour the coastline and go for a swim (ask at your hotel) and went to a great bath (Demirhan Hamam). I have heard the archaeological museum there is a good one. The nearby Aspendos ruins are really interesting as well.
I don't have any specific restaurant suggestions, I ate at a pizza place one evening because I was growing tired of kebab near the end of my travels. There are dozens of choices in the historic central area.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
904 posts
I have spent a total of 5+ weeks in Antalya over several years, and it. With a population of 2.5 million, I'm not sure that I would call it mid-sized. At the same time, it is very spread out, and so it's not as dense as a lot of cities. It also has a lot of tourists, mostly Russian along with a good number of Brits and Germans.
You are definitely making the right call to stay near Kaleici, the historic center. When you make hotel reservations, however, make sure to check reviews for information about noise levels. There are a lot of nightclubs in Kaleici, and, although I have never had an issue with noise there, I know people who have been bothered by it. Evidently some places are quiet and some noisy.
One of my favorite foodie experiences is to wander around downtown across from Ataturk Caddesi and sample lots of hole-in-the-wall places. Some dishes to try include piyaz (white bean and tahini salad), boregi (like spanikopita with assorted fillings), tost (grilled cheese sandwich on steroids), gozleme (Turkish quesadilla), tatlisi (pumpkin dessert), and kunefe.
Also, there is no shortage of archaeological sites in and around Antalya. Perge, at the end of the streetcar line, is a must-see as is the Antalya Archaeological Museum. I am also a big fan of Termessos, Phaeselis, and Sagalassos. More details and pix are in my trip report from 2023 - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/ancient-cities-of-western-turkey
Sorry, I don't know much about shopping.