Our Trip to Antalya - Turkey

Hello everyone. I want to start a new post series and in this series, I’d like to talk about our trip to Antalya. This summer we visited Antalya on a semi-touristic trip. I say semi-touristic because we’ve been here a few times before and stayed at my sister’s house instead of a hotel. My sister is married to a Turkish man and they live in Alanya, a district of Antalya. Whenever we get the chance, we visit this beautiful city. I think the last time we came was in April of last year. Antalya is a provincial center to which Alanya is attached, so it’s a bit bigger than Alanya. Alanya is a smaller place. But Antalya is a large city with a population of one million. This time we rented a car because we were traveling with my sister and we didn’t want to take our own car on long trips. The rental car cost us 35 euros per day. If you rent for a longer period, like 10 days or more, the price drops a bit. We usually rent from the same place and the prices are really affordable. We typically rent standard cars like Renault, Fiat and Hyundai.

Our first day was spent resting after the journey. On the second day we headed to downtown Antalya. We walked around Karaoğlan Park for a bit. From the terrace here, we watched the sea and the opposite shore. The weather was very hot. It really has a similar temperature to Rhodes, but it’s more oppressive here. After Georgia it feels much hotter and more humid. But still, the view is amazing.

When we arrived in Antalya, we wanted to visit the large shopping malls that we couldn’t find in Alanya because there aren’t many big stores in Alanya that would catch our interest. Antalya however, is much richer in this regard. There are large shopping malls, aquariums, zoos and many other attractions here. But unfortunately, these are missing in Alanya.

We looked for a place for breakfast, but some restaurants, especially those aimed at tourists make things difficult because prices have increased and the places aren’t as crowded as before. That’s why many places don’t open their kitchens until after 5 pm. But still living by the sea is really wonderful and it’s amazing to look at such a view every day.

We ordered gözleme, a local dish for breakfast. After having our breakfast, we started walking around the park. There were also play areas for children here, which was quite enjoyable. It’s hard to sit outside because of the heat, but these places are livelier in the evening.

We headed towards the old town, where there are narrow streets and beautiful cafés. The old houses have mostly been restored and are now used as restaurants, shops and hotels. But still, no one wants to sit outside in this heat.

The car we rented was quite new and comfortable. We got a Renault Clio, for 35 euros per day. This price is quite reasonable because cars here are generally expensive. Car prices in Turkey are really high, so most people prefer simpler cars.

After a bit of wandering, we arrived at a shopping mall called Mark Antalya and there were really big and good stores there. Besides international brands like H&M, Stradivarius, Nike and Adidas, there are also Turkish brands. It’s really enjoyable to spend time here and you can easily walk around for a few hours.

After spending a day in Antalya we gathered some wonderful memories. The shopping malls in Antalya are really large and much more diverse compared to Alanya. It was enjoyable to see big stores of brands that aren’t commonly found in Alanya. After shopping and exploring, we looked for a nice place to relax.

Then we took a walk along the beach, enjoying the beautiful views. In the evening, people gathered by the beach to watch the sunset. During our time in Antalya, we always had our meals and did our shopping with a great view. For dinner, we ordered fettucine, a hamburger and a salad. The food was delicious. After finishing our dinner, the prices were quite reasonable. The meal for three people cost around 1500 TL, which is approximately 45 dollars.

Then we got ready to head back to Alanya. The journey took about 2-2.5 hours. Along the way we enjoyed more stunning views. By the way Antalya’s nature and sea are magnificent. The turquoise waters of the Mediterranean and the mountain views are incredibly beautiful. I can say that this is a place everyone should see when they visit.

When we returned to Alanya we planned to do more exploration, especially since the lake views in Alanya are also quite impressive. Dim Stream is one of our favorite spots. This place is famous for its natural beauty and the color of the water is amazing. If you love natural spots this is definitely a must-see. The traditional Turkish breakfast served here with the view is even more enjoyable. It seemed quite peaceful when we visited, as there was no one else around and we could spend time in a calm atmosphere before breakfast.

The food was also very tasty. Traditional breakfast items like olives, cheese, bread, vegetables and jam are really the essentials of a Turkish breakfast. And in places like this, the plates are usually enhanced, meaning you get various treats in addition to what you ordered. This is something we often encounter in Turkey and it was a pleasant surprise.

This place may not be very well-known, but it’s a great spot for seeing hidden beauties. If you happen to be in the area, I recommend enjoying this view while having your breakfast because the nature around Dim Stream is a source of peace.

That’s all for today. Thank for reading. I’ll share more about our Antalya trip in my upcoming posts. See you soon. 🤗