In short
Four days in Antalya: accommodation runs ₺6,000 budget, ₺14,000 mid-range, ₺48,000 comfortable for four nights, entries ₺3,300–6,400 (about €60–115), plus 1% accommodation tax — the rate in force until 31 December 2026. Entries barely move between tiers, so the budget is decided almost entirely by the bed.
Prices checked August 2026; ministry entry fees are set in euro.
Disclosure: some links in this guide are affiliate links. If you book through one, we earn a small commission and you pay exactly the same price. We only link to services we would use ourselves, no brand pays for placement or for a favourable write-up, and every price in this article was researched independently.
Most Antalya itineraries are written for people staying in an all-inclusive resort who want two half-day excursions. This one is not. It assumes you came for the coast *and* the ruins, and it is built around a city base rather than a hotel compound.
What is in this guide
- What four days costs
- Before you go
- Day 1 — Kaleiçi, and the free half of Antalya
- Day 2 — Aspendos, Perge and Side
- Day 3 — Olympos, Çıralı and the burning mountain
- Day 4 — pick one
- Adjusting the plan
- Where to stay for this plan
- Practical notes
- Frequently asked questions
- A note on our numbers
- If you have a fifth and sixth day
- Eating in Antalya
- Practical notes for these four days
- What to book before these four days
- Before you book
Four days, because three is not enough to reach both Chimaera and Pamukkale, and five starts to repeat itself.
Verified: August 2026 · Rates: €1 = 55.55 TRY · $1 = 47.90 TRY
Editor’s note
Two changes made in 2026 make this plan cheaper than it looks. Restaurants can no longer add a service charge, and transfers on Antalya public transport are free, so the tram-and-bus days cost less than the published fares suggest. Neither change has reached most English-language guides yet.
What four days costs
| Line | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, 4 nights | ₺6,000 | ₺14,000 | ₺48,000 |
| Accommodation tax (1%) | ₺60 | ₺140 | ₺480 |
| Entries | ₺3,300 (~€60) | ₺4,700 (~€85) | ₺6,400 (~€115) |
| Activities and boat trips | ₺800 | ₺2,500 | ₺6,000 |
| Local transport | ₺600 | ₺2,000 | ₺8,000 |
| Food | ₺3,200 | ₺7,000 | ₺16,000 |
| Total per person | ≈ ₺13,960 (~€250) | ≈ ₺30,340 (~€546) | ≈ ₺84,880 (~€1,528) |
Flights are extra. Antalya is served direct from 165 destinations in 47 countries, so from most of Europe you will not need Istanbul.
The accommodation tax is 1% until 31 December 2026, down from 2% since 1 May. It reverts on 1 January.
Before you go
Get an AntalyaKart on arrival. The tram does not take cash, and paying by contactless bank card costs ₺54 instead of ₺42. Transfers between tram and bus have been free since March 2026, which makes a card worth having from your first journey.
Know which terminal you land at. The airport tram serves Terminal 1 only. Terminal 2, where nearly all international flights arrive, is 1.5 to 2 km away with no tram. You shuttle between terminals first, or take the ₺220 HAVAŞ bus or a ₺900 taxi.
Base yourself in Kaleiçi for this plan. Everything below assumes you can walk out of your hotel into the old town.
Day 1 — Kaleiçi, and the free half of Antalya
| Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | Hadrian’s Gate — built for the emperor’s visit in 130 AD | Free |
| 10:30 | Kaleiçi lanes, Yivli Minaret, the old bazaar | Free |
| 12:00 | Lunch in the old town | ₺400 |
| 13:30 | Hıdırlık Tower and Karaalioğlu Park, out on the cliff | Free |
| 15:00 | Harbour boat trip, 45 minutes | ₺300 |
| 16:30 | Lower Düden waterfall — 40 m off a cliff straight into the sea | Free |
| 18:30 | Back to Kaleiçi, drinks at the marina | ₺500 |
| 20:30 | Dinner | ₺700 |
Day total: about ₺1,900 (~€34).
Almost everything on this day is free, which is the argument for the old town over a resort in one line. Note that the ₺500 for drinks and ₺700 for dinner are final prices — since 30 January 2026 restaurants cannot legally add a service charge or cover.
Day 2 — Aspendos, Perge and Side
The big Roman day. Rent a car for this one — around ₺2,040 a day, and cheaper at the airport than in the resort towns, which is the reverse of the usual advice.
| Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Perge — colonnaded street, stadium for 12,000, legible bath houses | €11 |
| 11:00 | Drive east | — |
| 11:30 | Aspendos — the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world | €15 |
| 13:30 | Lunch near Serik | ₺400 |
| 15:00 | Side — combined ticket for the ancient city and museum | €10 |
| 17:00 | Temple of Apollo at the peninsula tip | Free |
| 19:00 | Sunset at the temple columns, then drive back | — |
| 21:00 | Dinner in Kaleiçi | ₺700 |
Day total: about ₺4,150 (~€75) including the car.
The Temple of Apollo is free. The columns against the sunset — the photograph the whole coast is sold on — stand in open public space at the end of the peninsula. Pay the €10 for the theatre and museum; do not pay anyone for the temple.
If you would rather do Aspendos in the evening, it stays open to 22:00 in summer and the light after six is far better. Swap it with Side.
Day 3 — Olympos, Çıralı and the burning mountain
Southwest along the coast into the Beydağları. This is the day that makes the trip.
| Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 09:30 | Drive to Olympos, ~80 km | — |
| 11:00 | Olympos — a ruined city the forest reclaimed, running down to the beach | €10 |
| 13:00 | Lunch at a Çıralı pension | ₺450 |
| 14:30 | Çıralı beach — turtle nesting, low-rise, no resorts | Free |
| 17:30 | Drive up to the Chimaera car park | — |
| 18:00 | Chimaera / Yanartaş — 30 min climb, arrive before dark | ₺45 cash |
| 19:30 | The flames after sunset | — |
| 20:00 | Descend, 20 minutes, torch on | ₺15 for toilets |
| 21:30 | Dinner in Çıralı or back in Kaleiçi | ₺700 |
Day total: about ₺1,300 (~€23) plus the car.
Three practical warnings for Chimaera. Bring ₺45 in cash — the Museum Pass is not valid and the card machine is usually broken. Arrive an hour before sunset, not at midday, or you will climb for thirty minutes to look at pale flickering in bright sunlight. And bring a torch for the way down.
Consider staying the night in Çıralı. Pensions here are low-rise by law, the beach is a loggerhead nesting site, and it is the clearest antidote to Belek that exists on this coast.
Day 4 — pick one
Option A: Pamukkale — the long one
| Entry | €30 — covers travertines and Hierapolis |
| Antique Pool | Extra |
| Effort | A very long day, roughly 230 km each way |
Worth it if you have never seen it. Do not attempt it and Chimaera on the same trip in three days.
Option B: Kaş and Kekova — the good one
| Coach to Kaş | ₺485 |
| Kekova sunken city, shared boat | ₺1,250–2,000 |
| What you see | A Lycian town an earthquake dropped into the sea — house walls, staircases going underwater |
A 2026 rule: boats can no longer anchor at Kekova, Üçadalar, Phaselis or Cennet Koyu, and licences now restrict which trip types each vessel may run. Swimming over the ruins has always been banned. Coast Guard inspections are unannounced.
Option C: Köprülü Canyon rafting — the fun one
| Standard | ₺799 |
| With hotel transfer | ₺1,099 |
| Included | Kit, guide, lunch |
| Ages | 4+, under five free |
| On the water | ~2 hours |
Book the transfer version and arrange it at least a day ahead.
Option D: Termessos — the one nobody does
A Pisidian city at 1,050 metres that Alexander the Great looked at and decided to go around. One to two hours of steep climbing through pine forest. Open 08:00–19:00, ticket office closes 17:00. Price disputed between sources — bring cash and a card.
Adjusting the plan
| If | Change |
|---|---|
| July or August | 35–36°C and no rain. Start at 08:00, break 13:00–16:00, do Aspendos in its evening slot. Sea is 28°C |
| October | Our pick. 24.7°C air, 24.2°C sea, four rainy days, prices off. Nothing needs changing |
| May | 25.8°C air but sea only 20°C — fine for ruins, cold for swimming. Check for jellyfish reports; spring 2026 had an unusual influx |
| December–February | 215–225 mm of rain a month and much of the resort coast simply closes. City Antalya still works; beach Antalya does not |
| Staying at a resort | Days 2 and 3 become long excursions. Expect a coach and a fixed schedule, or hire a car |
| With small children | Swap Termessos for the rafting, which takes ages four and up |
| No car | Day 2 works as an organised tour; day 3 is harder — the Olympos–Chimaera combination really wants a car |
Where to stay for this plan
Kaleiçi. Boutique rooms in restored Ottoman mansions average around ₺2,300 a night, which is a fraction of a mid-tier resort at ₺8,000–18,000, and every day above starts on foot from your door.
Full breakdown in Where to Stay in Antalya.
Practical notes
- AntalyaKart is mandatory on the tram. ₺42 a ride, transfers free since March 2026, no cash accepted.
- Car hire is cheaper at the airport (~₺2,040/day) than in Side, Kundu or Kaş (up to ₺5,038).
- Service charges are illegal since 30 January 2026, with a ₺3,973 fine per receipt. Menu prices are final.
- Alcohol cannot be sold in shops between 22:00 and 06:00. Bars and restaurants are unaffected.
- All beaches now have mandatory smoking and non-smoking zones under a July 2026 Governorship circular.
- The Antalya Museum is demolished. Do not build a day around it, whatever an older guide says.
Frequently asked questions
Is 4 days enough for Antalya? For the city, the main Roman sites and one big day trip, yes. Three days means dropping either Chimaera or Pamukkale. A week lets you add Kaş, Termessos and actual beach time.
How much does 4 days in Antalya cost? About ₺13,960 (~€250) per person on a budget, ₺30,340 (~€546) mid-range, ₺84,880 (~€1,528) comfortable, excluding flights.
Should I hire a car? For this itinerary, yes — days 2 and 3 are difficult without one. From about ₺2,040 a day, and cheaper booked at the airport than in the resort towns.
Can I do this from an all-inclusive resort? You can, but days 2 and 3 become long coach excursions on someone else’s schedule, and you will spend two hours a day in transit. If ruins are the point, stay in Kaleiçi.
What is the best day trip from Antalya? Olympos and Chimaera, and it is not close. Ruins in a forest, a quiet beach, and a mountain that has been on fire for 2,500 years, for €10 plus ₺45.
When is the best time for this itinerary? October. Warm enough to swim at 24°C sea temperature, cool enough to climb Termessos, four rainy days, and resort prices have come down. September is nearly as good.
Do I need the Museum Pass Mediterranean? This itinerary uses about €36 of Ministry sites, so no — the pass is €90 and needs Pamukkale or eight sites in seven days to pay off.
Is Pamukkale doable as a day trip? Yes, but it is a very long day of roughly 230 km each way. If it matters to you, consider an overnight in Denizli rather than fourteen hours of driving.
A note on our numbers
Fares, entry fees, tax rates and the 2026 regulations were verified against Turkish government, municipal and operator sources in August 2026. Euro admission prices come from secondary Turkish sources, since the Ministry’s tariff pages block automated access — check at the gate. Termessos pricing is disputed and we have flagged it rather than guessing. Daily totals are our own arithmetic on the sourced components.
Keep reading: Antalya Travel Guide 2026 · The Best Things to Do in Antalya · Where to Stay in Antalya · How Much Does a Trip to Antalya Cost? · Cappadocia Travel Guide 2026
If you have a fifth and sixth day
| Option | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Termessos | Disputed fee, 1–2 h climb | A Pisidian city at 1,050 m that Alexander decided to go around. Almost no resort visitor makes it |
| Kaş and Kalkan | ₺485 coach | Boutique coastal towns, diving, no mass tourism. Two nights, not a day trip |
| Phaselis | €10 | Three harbours, an aqueduct and pines running down to the water. Swim off the ruins |
| Demre — Myra and St Nicholas | €13 + €17 | Rock tombs and the church of the original Santa Claus |
| Kaputaş beach | ₺60 + ₺300 sunbed | The turquoise cove from every Turkey advert. A long staircase down from the road |
| Konyaaltı, properly | Free sections | The city beach with the Beydağları behind it. Underrated because it is pebble |
Phaselis is the one we would add first. It has ruins you can swim next to, which is a rare combination, and it costs €10.
Eating in Antalya
Antalya’s food is Mediterranean Turkish — more fish, more citrus and more olive oil than the interior.
| Dish | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Piyaz | The Antalya version: white beans, tahini, egg, lemon. Nothing like the Istanbul one | ₺150–250 |
| Şiş köfte and grills | The default dinner | ₺400–700 |
| Fresh fish at the marina | Priced by weight — ask before it goes on the grill | ₺700–1,200 |
| Lahmacun or pide | Lunch | ₺150–250 |
| Lentil soup | Breakfast or a cheap lunch | ₺120–200 |
| Turkish breakfast | The full spread. Order it once for two people | ₺500–800 |
| Beer | ₺150–250 |
Two rules for the marina fish restaurants. Ask the price per kilo *before* the fish is weighed, and remember that since 30 January 2026 a service charge or cover on the bill is illegal — the fine is ₺3,973 per receipt. Menu prices are final.
Piyaz is genuinely local and almost nobody orders it. The Antalya version with tahini and egg is a different dish from the bean salad you get elsewhere in Turkey.
Practical notes for these four days
- AntalyaKart on arrival. ₺42 a ride against ₺54 by contactless card, and the tram takes no cash at all. Transfers free since March 2026.
- The tram serves Terminal 1 only. Terminal 2, where most international flights land, is 1.5–2 km away.
- Cash for Chimaera — ₺45, no Museum Pass, card machine usually broken, plus ₺10–15 for the toilets.
- Car hire at the airport is cheaper than in Side, Kundu or Kaş. From about ₺2,040 a day.
- Alcohol cannot be bought in shops between 22:00 and 06:00. Restaurants and bars are unaffected.
- All beaches now have mandatory smoking and non-smoking zones under a July 2026 Governorship circular.
- Sun. July and August run 35–36°C with twelve to thirteen hours of sunshine and effectively no rain. Plan around midday, not through it.
What to book before these four days
Most of this itinerary is free or pay-at-the-gate. Kaleici, the beaches, the harbour, the upper Duden park, the Konyaalti promenade: none of it takes a reservation. Three items do.
The arrival transfer, because of a detail nobody mentions. Antalya’s airport tram serves Terminal 1 only. International flights land at Terminal 2, which has no tram stop, so the cheap rail option you planned around requires an inter-terminal shuttle first. Book the transfer and start day one at your hotel instead of in a taxi queue. Landing at T1 domestically? The tram is fine, take it.
Day three’s long trip. Termessos, Olympos and the Chimaera flames, Kekova, and Pamukkale all sit outside the reach of an easy dolmus, and those are the ones a tour genuinely solves. Compare on KKday or on Klook. Perge and Aspendos on day two are different: public buses run there for a few percent of the tour price, and this itinerary uses them.
Ancient-site entry in peak weeks. Tickets are listed here, though for most of the year the gate queue at Perge and Aspendos is a few minutes.
One correction to make before you plan. If any version of this itinerary you have seen elsewhere puts the Antalya Museum on it, that version is out of date. The museum closed on 16 July 2025 over earthquake safety and the building has been demolished. Roughly 100,000 artefacts are in storage; the rebuild targets November 2026. The half-day it used to occupy is why day four here has room for Duden and the harbour instead.
Two 2026 changes that quietly make this trip cheaper: restaurants can no longer add a service charge, and transfers on Antalya public transport are free, so the tram-plus-bus combination on days two and four costs less than the fare table suggests.
An eSIM is optional here. Hotel and beach club wifi along Konyaalti is generally good, so this is convenience rather than necessity.
Before you book
Day three of this plan is the one where a car earns its keep. Hiring a car for a single day costs less than a Termessos or Olympos tour for two people and lets you arrive before the coaches. For the other three days the free public transport transfers make driving pointless.