What's a good 3-day itinerary for Antalya?

Day 1 stays inside the Roman-era walls of Kaleiçi. Start at Hadrian's Gate by 8:30 AM, when the stone is still cool and the tour groups haven't formed. The triple-arched gate dates to 130 AD. From there, walk downhill through the narrow streets to the old harbor, about 800 metres. The cliffs drop 20 metres to the water. Hıdırlık Tower sits at the southern edge of Karaalioğlu Park, a roughly 14-metre Roman structure with views across the bay toward the Beydağları range. By noon, find Hesapçı Sokak for lunch. Piyaz, a white-bean salad with tahini dressing that's specific to Antalya, runs 80-120 TRY at the small lokantası there. Afternoon belongs to Mermerli Beach, the tiny strip of sand below the eastern wall. It's small. Entry is 150 TRY and includes a sunbed. The water at Mermerli smells of salt and pine resin from the cliff pines above.

Day 2 moves 3 km west to Konyaaltı. Antalya Museum, established in 1922, opens at 8:30 AM and deserves 2-3 hours. The Hall of the Gods holds Roman marble statues pulled from Perge in the 1940s and 1950s. The sarcophagi room on the second floor is likely the best collection of carved Roman coffins outside Rome itself. Entry was 340 TRY as of early 2026. After the museum, Konyaaltı Beach stretches 7 km along the western shore. Mind you, the pebbles are hot by noon in June. Bring water shoes. Lunch at one of the beachfront cafes runs 250-400 TRY for grilled sea bass with salad. By 4 PM, take a taxi 12 km north to Upper Düden Waterfall at Düdenbaşı Park in Kepez. The falls drop about 15 metres into a green pool, and the park has shaded walkways where the air temperature drops 4-5 degrees from the surrounding streets.

Day 3 heads east toward Perge, 18 km from Kaleiçi. A taxi takes 25 minutes and costs roughly 400-500 TRY. Get there by 8 AM when the site opens. The morning air carries wild thyme and dry grass off the surrounding fields. The city dates to around 1000 BC, and what you walk through now is mostly Roman expansion from the 2nd century AD. The colonnaded street runs roughly 300 metres, still grooved from chariot wheels under your feet. The stadium seated 12,000. The site has almost no shade, so you'll want a hat and at least 2 hours. On the return, stop at Lower Düden Waterfall where the river drops 40 metres directly into the Mediterranean. The viewing platform at Düden Park is free. Lara Beach sits 10 minutes further east. It's a sand beach, unlike Konyaaltı's pebbles, and the water tends to be warmer on the eastern side. Finish with grilled levrek at one of the Lara fish restaurants, 300-450 TRY per plate.

June temperatures in Antalya reach 30-33°C by midday, with humidity near 60%. Start before 9 AM at open-air sites. By 2 PM the stone radiates heat and the light flattens for photographs. Total walking across three days comes to roughly 22 km, with Day 1 heaviest at about 9 km through Kaleiçi's streets. The Antray tram connects Kaleiçi at Ismetpaşa stop to Antalya Museum in 10 minutes for 17 TRY. Taxis use meters and start at 35 TRY. A ride from Kaleiçi to Lara Beach runs 250-350 TRY. To be fair, the dolmuş to Perge costs only 30 TRY from the otogar, but it runs every 40 minutes. At 400-500 TRY round trip, the taxi buys flexibility on your return.