Bored In Antalya: 13 Activities For Friends and Family

While Istanbul is the first city that people think of in Turkey, sun seekers in the know head down to Antalya, the gateway to the country’s southern Turquoise Coast along the  Mediterranean Sea.

The city has it all: turquoise waters, history dating back a millennia, a stunning cliffside, and

I used to visit regularly for a couple of months at a time and what I really liked about the city is how normal everything feels despite all that – and yet there’s so much to do when you get an itch to do something.

I originally put this list together as a quick note I sent to friends who came to visit. When my aunt’s family came to Turkey, I added a couple of family-specific items for the kids. I’ve since expanded on it as a little guide with my must-do activities, some fun things to do as a group, and a few special experiences that you can check off your bucket list.

1. Explore Kaleici Old Town By Day And Party At Night

Kaleiçi’s cobbled streets brims with charm and it’s what immediately comes to mind when I think of what makes Antalya special. You have Hadrian’s Gate and the Clock Tower, two of the city’s historical gems, just right there amongst the cafes and the restaurants.

While there are obviously shops selling souvenirs for tourists, locals, especially students from the cities five large universities, still hang out here and party on the weekends. Get lost down the winding streets, walk down to the harbor, and just stop at any of the many cafes for a tea or Turkish coffee.

You’ll find plenty of street vendors selling favorites like Midye Dolma, which are these delicious stuffed mussels, and Irma Helvasi, a fragrant and nutty dessert made with semolina flour and sugar. Try it with the creamy local Dondurma ice cream and you’ll wonder why this isn’t sold everywhere in the world.

If you are thinking of staying here, I highly recommend checking out the Hotel Lykia, a boutique gem hidden in the heart of Kaleiçi. We stayed here to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Start with Copluk Cafe & Bar (location on map) or the Rock Bar (location on map). There are clusters of clubs and bars around those two places.

It’s like stepping back in time, with picturesque corners at every turn. Perfect for shopping, eating, or just wandering aimlessly during the day. At night, you come to drink and party.

2. Enjoy A Coffee Like The Locals On Konyaalti Beach

While Antalya gets plenty of tourists coming for the beaches and resorts, the long stretch of shore and cafes along Konyaalti Beach caters to both tourists and locals.

I have my favorite cafes, but really we just come here to go for a long walk and stop at random cafes when we want a coffee or a juice. That said, there are some really well put together cafes on the beach with loungers, hammocks, and swinging chairs, so it’s a great place to go as a group.

My aunt’s family really liked being able to just hang out and let the kids run back and forth to the water and the nearby playgrounds.

It’s where locals go to unwind, making it a laid-back escape with stunning views and top-notch cafés.

 

3. Enjoy A Luxury Beach Day In Lara

If you’re looking for upscale, you’ll find it at Lara Beach along the Mediterranean coastline. I’ve done a couple of staycations at hotels here or just come and do a day pass at some of the resorts along the beach, like the Titanic Deluxe Lara or Concorde De Luxe Resort, to use their private beach with loungers and beach service.

Don’t worry if you don’t want to splurge. There’s plenty of space at the public sections of the beach, which are just as nice with the same clear waters .

It’s fun to spend a few hours at a beach club like Red & White and then hit up one of the high-end restaurants just after sunset. There’s rentals and outfitters for all the typical beach sorts and for families, there are usually dedicated play area for kids so you can take a break from them too.

This is where Antalya’s luxury vibes meets its natural beauty.

4. Treat Yourself To A Hammam Spa Day

A hammam isn’t just a spa treatment – it’s a cultural ritual and part of the Turkish routine. In the past, everyone would come to the hammams to bathe in the public space. Steam rooms and sauna are just a quintessential part of the self-care that many of the locals practice. Equipped with a bath mitt and soap, people would scrub themselves and even help out their fellow bathers.

At hammams like Sefa Hammam in Kaleiçi, you can get the full experience of an Ottoman-style bathhouse and treatment done in a relaxing and indulgent way.

If there’s one thing I love as much as the food in Turkey, it’s a day at a hammam.

It may be a bit strange at first to be bathed and scrubbed down raw by a stranger, but after shedding all the dead skin, you feel like you’ve just been reborn. The real treat is finishing a session with a foamy massage that feels like being wrapped in a fluffy and sudsy cloud.

If you’re just going to do it once, I say indulge all out at the Sanitas Spa at Mardan Palace.

You can treat it as relaxing escape or a fun communal bonding activity with friends laughing at each other through the whole process.

5. Do A Turkish Coffee Fortune Telling Workshop

When it comes to Turkish coffee, I think you should experience the traditional sand brewing process at least once. The coffee will taste the same, but it’s mesmerizing to watch a practiced hand heat and cool the coffee by gliding it over the hot sand. They know just when to pull it off to keep the coffee from boiling over.

The best part is AFTER you’ve had your coffee. You’d be missing out on a unique Turkish experience if you don’t get your fortune told using the leftover coffee grounds. My friends did a coffee fortune telling workshop and passed on their recommendation saying that it was a fun afternoon activity, especially if you’re going with other people.

You’ll learn the art of interpreting Turkish coffee grounds while sipping the thick, rich brew and it’s a good way to appreciate a cultural tradition that locals swear by, for both its accuracy and entertainment.

6. Make Your Turkish Mosaic Lamp

Another hands-on activity that’s perfect for friends and family is a mosaic lamp workshop where you decorate and build your own Turkish lamp. Over two to three hours, you’ll choose colored glass and tiles to design and assemble your own lamp, or candle holder.

Just have fun and enjoy the process while sipping onTurkish tea and snacking on Turkish Delights. You’ll leave with a gorgeous lamp to light up in your home that beats just buying a massive produced one in the bazaar.

7. Sunbathe On A Boat Trip To Suluada Island

Suluada, sometimes called the “Maldives of Turkey,” is close by escape to paradise. The water is so clear it’s practically hypnotic, and the sand is soft and inviting.

The easiest way is to visit on a boat cruise that leaves from Antalya or Kemer. They make a few stops while sailing around the Bay so you can get off and swim or snorkel. These tours come with lunch too, which is pretty ridiculous for the price. It’s almost too good to pass up.

8. Visit the Land of Legends Amusement Park

Think Disneyland with Turkish twist. It’s great for families, but there are enough high-adrenaline rides that make it fun for anyone. The massive entertainment complex has everything: roller coasters, a water park, extravaganza shows, and even a shopping made to look like something out of a storybook.

The rides range from kiddie-friendly to I need a minute so things stop spinning, and the water park with its crazy slides and wave pool is such a welcomed escape during the blistering summer months.

It’s a random and quirky place, where you can easily spend the whole day and entertain everyone in the family.

9. Get Up Close To The Duden Waterfalls By Boat

The Lower Duden Falls are a stunning sight, crashing straight into the sea. You can see A boat tour lets you see them from below, where you can feel the mist and hear the roar of the water up close. Some tours include stops for swimming in nearby coves, adding an extra splash to the experience.

Why it’s a must-do: It’s an unforgettable way to see one of Antalya’s most iconic natural wonders while enjoying a boat ride on the Mediterranean.

10. Go White Water Rafting

If you want to do a group thrill-seeking city just outside the city, head to Koprulu Canyon and navigate some class II and III rapids surrounded by lush scenery. Super easy to get to by just joining a rafting tour, which provides all the equipment, transfer and a guide so you make it to the end safely.

11. Visit The Antalya Aquarium

The Antalya Aquarium is home to the world’s longest tunnel aquarium with a large variety of marine life on all sides. And randomly after that, there’s Snow World where you can play in real snow park, complete with tubing. It really is random, but I had fun here and it’s great for families.

12. Take The Cable Car Up To Mount Olympos

The Olympos Teleferik takes you up to over 7,000 feet in just 10 minutes. Located just an hour outside of Antalya, the ascent up to Mount Olympos opens up to jaw-dropping views of the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea stretching far into the horizon.

There’s a café at the top where you can have a tea and just do nothing. If you can time it with sunset, it’s magic.

13. Do A Day Trip To Pammukale & Hierapolis

If you have truly run out of things to do, there are plenty of day trips from Antalya, but easily at the top of that list is visiting Pamukkale’s surreal white cascading terraces.

It’s just 3 hours away, so if you weren’t already planning on doing a roadtrip towards Izmir, I recommend doing this as a day trip from Antalya.

When you get there, take off your shoes and make your way barefoot up these terraces. The warm mineral waters bubbling through your toes feel like nature’s foot massage. At the top, you’ll find the ancient city of Hierapolis, where you take in the incredibly well-preserved grand amphitheater and even take a dip in Cleopatra’s Pool.

And that’s it. I haven’t fully exhausted the list of things to do in Antalya, but these will get you started.

Looking for more travel inspirations? Scroll through some of the 450+ experiences on my bucket list. Maybe you’ll find your next adventure on there.

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Updated on November 22, 2024