Spend day one in Kaleiçi, day two on one ancient site such as Perge or Aspendos, and day three on a coast (Konyaaltı, Lara or Kemer). Antalya Airport to Kaleiçi is about 14 km and 24 minutes.
Three days in Antalya: the short answer
A first visit to Antalya works well as three different days: a day on foot in Kaleiçi, one day trip to an ancient city, and one day on the coast. Antalya’s airport is close to the city: Antalya Airport (AYT) is 13 km from the city centre according to DHMİ, and the private transfer to Kaleiçi is about 14 km and 24 minutes, with Konyaaltı about 20 km and 23 minutes. That short transfer can make it practical to start exploring on arrival day, depending on your landing time and airport formalities, which is why the sequence below starts with the old town.
Day 1: Kaleiçi on foot
Kaleiçi is the walled old town in Antalya's city centre and holds about 3,000 tile-roofed houses inside its walls. It can be entered through Hadrian's Gate, a Roman gate, which also gives the day a natural starting point. The streets are narrow, so confirm with your hotel where a vehicle can stop and how to reach the entrance from there. Use the first day for slow walking and for deciding which day trip to take: the old town is a good place to ask about the current schedule for each destination.
Our guide Kaleiçi, Antalya's old town: a one-day walking plan sets out the route, and the Kaleiçi destination page describes the area.
Day 2: choose one ancient site
Antalya's strength is the number of ancient sites within a day trip, which is also the trap: trying to fit three into one day. Choose one, based on what you want.
| Site | What the sources say | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Perge | Ancient city 18 km east of Antalya city centre | A shorter outing from the city |
| Aspendos | Its ancient theatre hosts the International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festivals, promoted by GoTürkiye | A theatre visit; check the festival schedule, which changes each year |
| Side | Narrow peninsula 80 km east of Antalya and 7 km south-west of Manavgat; the Temple of Apollo is its symbol, with a colonnaded street, theatre and a bazaar with historical houses | A longer day that combines ruins with a small town |
| Phaselis | About 58 km south-west of Antalya and 18 km south-west of Kemer | A day pointed at the western coast |
The comparison is in Day trips from Antalya: Perge, Aspendos, Side and Phaselis compared. If you are staying in Antalya city, Perge is the closest to the city centre of the three sites with distances given above; Side and Phaselis lie farther out, so check the route from your base. Ask your hotel for the current journey time to Aspendos.
Day 3: choose a coast
For the third day, pick the stretch of coast that matches your stay.
- Konyaaltı: the beach has about 7 km of coastline and more than 30 business-run beaches, mostly small pebbles with some fine sand. Read the Konyaaltı page for the area.
- Lara: Lara Beach lies about 12 km east of the city centre. Most of it is operated by commercial concerns, and hotel guests often swim from decks and platforms. See the Lara page.
- Kemer and Tekirova: GoTürkiye describes Kemer as one of Antalya's most popular holiday villages and mentions Tahtalı Mountain; many Kemer beaches are Blue Flag certified, and Tekirova has a 3.7 km sandy Blue Flag beach with hotel beaches and a public beach. Blue Flag status is annual, so check the year's list. This option takes you out along the western coast, so check the route and timing from your base; see Kemer, Phaselis and Olympos.
Fitting arrival and departure days
- Afternoon arrival: an evening walk through Hadrian's Gate may be possible after an afternoon arrival, depending on your landing time and airport formalities.
- Morning departure: keep day three close to the city (Konyaaltı or Lara) to simplify the return.
- Staying beyond three days: use the extra day for a second ancient site or a slower coast day.
Getting there
From Antalya Airport, the private transfer to Kaleiçi is about 14 km and 24 minutes. Flight status is monitored for airport pickups, and pickup timing may be adjusted based on the actual arrival time. For transfer and booking options, see the Antalya Airport to Kaleiçi and Antalya Airport to Konyaaltı route pages.
Questions visitors ask
Is three days enough for Antalya?
It is enough for a first visit if you choose one day trip and one coast day, and keep the old town for a walking day.
How far is the airport from the city centre?
DHMİ states that Antalya Airport is 13 km from the city centre.
Which day trip is the shortest from Antalya city?
Of the sites with distances listed here, Perge is the closest to the city centre: an ancient city 18 km east of it.
