If you have 3–5 days, base in Kaleiçi. If you have 7+, sequence Antalya → Kaş → Fethiye and fly out of Dalaman. Skip the all-inclusive Lara hotel strip unless you specifically want a pool holiday with kids; the cultural heart of Antalya is the walled old town, and the best day trips from Lara take 30+ minutes longer because you cross the city before any of it starts.
Counter-intuitive truth: Antalya itself is not in Lycia — it's the capital of ancient Pamphylia. But it's the most practical eastern gateway. Treat it as your launchpad, not the centrepiece.
The 3-day itinerary: city + 1 big day trip
Land + Kaleiçi sunset
Antalya Airport (AYT) → Kaleiçi pension by pre-booked transfer (20 min, €20–35). Drop bags. Walk the loop: Hadrian's Gate → bazaar streets → harbour. Sunset at Karaalioğlu Park overlooking the Beydağları mountains. Dinner at Vanilla or Seraser; both serve modernised Turkish food, mid-range. Sleep in Kaleiçi.
The eternal flames
1h30 drive (or rental car) south-west on the D400 to Olympos turn-off. Morning: walk the Lycian valley ruins, free-entry archaeological site shaded by pines, swim at the river-mouth beach. Lunch at a Çıralı pension (10 min north). Late afternoon: drive to Yanartaş car park, walk 30 min uphill to the eternal flames. Best at dusk. Return to Antalya by 8pm.
City finish
Morning: Antalya Museum (Lycian + Pamphylian collection, one of Turkey's best). Lunch in Kaleiçi. Afternoon option A — Termessos: 45-min drive + 1-hour walk up to the mountain Lycian-Pisidian fortress. Option B — Phaselis: 50-min drive, ancient harbour with three small swim bays. Termessos is more dramatic; Phaselis is easier. Either evening: Düden Waterfalls + dinner.
The 5-day itinerary: city + three day trips
As the 3-day above, plus:
Coast + summit
Morning at Phaselis ruins + a swim in one of the three bays. Lunch in Tekirova. Afternoon: cable car up Tahtalı Mountain (Olympos National Park, 2,365 m). Year-round operation, 35 min round-trip cable car ride, panoramic views from the Mediterranean to the inland Taurus range. Pair with a mid-afternoon coffee at the summit cafe.
The best Roman theatre, the best ancient harbour town
45 min east on the D400. Aspendos has the best-preserved Roman theatre in the Mediterranean (capacity 12,000, still hosting Aspendos Opera Festival in summer). Drive 25 min south-east to Side: an ancient harbour town where the ruins coexist with the modern village. Apollo's Temple at the harbour at sunset is the postcard. Dinner in Side, return to Antalya late.
The 7-day itinerary: Lycia bridge to Fethiye
This is the trip we recommend for first-time Turkey visitors. Antalya gives you culture + flight network; the western Lycia route gives you beaches + the trail + sailing.
City + Olympos + Termessos
Same 3-day plan above. End in Kaleiçi.
Coastal road, ~3 hours direct
Pack the car, head south-west on the D400. Stop at Phaselis for a morning swim (1h on-site), continue past Olympos turn-off. Lunch at Adrasan or in Demre. Optional 2h detour through Myra ruins + Üçağız boat to Kekova sunken city (better as a Day 5 outing from Kaş). Arrive Kaş by 5pm.
The Lycian core
Day 5: boat day from Üçağız over the sunken city of Kekova + swim at Simena. Day 6: Kaputaş Beach in the morning, afternoon walking the Lycian Way Patara→Kalkan (5 hours, 12 km — or a shorter variant). Evening: dinner on the Kaş harbour, sunset bars on Çukurbağ peninsula. See our Kaş vs Kalkan if you're deciding between the two as a base.
Sunset over the gulf
Morning: a swim at Patara Beach (45 min from Kaş). Lunch in Patara village. Drive to Fethiye/Ölüdeniz, 2 hours. Final evening: paragliding off Babadağ if conditions allow + dinner at the Fethiye fish market. Sleep one final night, transfer to Dalaman next morning (1 hour). Total trip: ~580 km of driving.
Where to stay in Antalya
| Area | Best for | Mid-range / night |
|---|---|---|
| Kaleiçi (old town) | Culture, walkable, fastest D400 access | €80–150 |
| Konyaaltı | City beach, mid-range hotels | €70–140 |
| Lara | All-inclusive resort beach holiday | €120–260 |
| Belek (40 min east) | Golf + family resorts | €140–300 |
What it costs
| Trip | Per person (mid-range) |
|---|---|
| 3 days | €280–450 |
| 5 days | €480–750 |
| 7 days (Antalya → Fethiye bridge) | €650–1,100 |
Excluding international flights. Includes mid-range pension/hotel, rental car or pre-booked transfers, meals out, site entries, one paraglide (7-day plan).
Plan your trip
Frequently asked
How many days do I need in Antalya?
3 nights for the city + one day trip. 5 for city + three day trips. 7 to bridge west to Fethiye via Kaş.
Where should I stay?
Kaleiçi for culture, Konyaaltı for city beach, Lara for all-inclusive resorts. Most foreign visitors stay in Lara; the smarter move is Kaleiçi.
Best day trips?
Olympos + Mt Chimaera, Phaselis, Termessos, Myra + Kekova, Aspendos + Side, Köprülü Canyon. See our Antalya day trips guide.
Airport to old town?
20 min by pre-booked transfer (€20–35), taxi (€30–50), or AntRay tram (₺15, slow with luggage).
Antalya or Fethiye?
Both. Antalya = east + year-round flights. Fethiye = west + Lycian Way + beaches. For 7+ days, do both. See Antalya vs Fethiye.
Is Antalya in Lycia?
Technically Pamphylian, not Lycian — but the practical eastern gateway, closest airport for Olympos, Myra, and the Lycian Way's east end.