Sunlit Scrapbook from Antalya, Side, Alanya and Marmaris

Two weeks sounds like a long time in paper, especially for a holiday. At least that’s what I was thinking as I planned my trip to Antalya. Two weeks of doing nothing but resting, enjoying the sun, swimming in clear waters, and enjoying the Turkish food I had been craving for months at that point.

Turns out, two weeks was just the perfect time to visit Antalya. The city itself had so much to offer to a visitor that I was mesmerised at every turn. Two weeks showed me hidden gems in Alanya I had never seen before, lovely coves in Marmaris I previously walked past, amazing views in Side that I had completely missed. Two weeks, and I loved Antalya even more.

Week One: Antalya as a Feeling

Antalya is a long and faithful friend, air full of fresh orange and minty lemonade smell. My visit to Antalya this time took me to Kaleici, where wooden balconies leaned into narrow streets and bougainvillea covered everything with a bright purple unlike any other. This was the Antalya worthy of postcards and photographs: Childhood pictures with the purple flowers and the setting sun as the prettiest backdrop.

Mornings in Antalya were soft, calm hours. There is a Mediterranean pace to Antalya that determines everything. Waking up to birds chirping and stalls being set up in Kaleici, I would go downstairs to clinking glasses of tea and tables full of lavish Turkish breakfast. Smiling faces talking about the upcoming day as cats lounged on soft chairs (or strangers’ laps, sometimes even the backs of stray dogs). Antalya was in a perpetual state of holiday mode.

I had plans for things to do in Antalya, a list I had created by reading online blogs and comparing them to things I did as a kid. Growing up in Antalya was not the same as visiting Antalya, so I had to approach this from a touristic point of view. I found it to be a much more interesting experience, as my list of things to do took me places I will never forget.

Sea, Sun and All Things Summer

Antalya is the perfect summer getaway (although I might be biased) with its beautiful waters and clean beaches. My favourite place to visit was Konyaalti Beach where I mastered the art of doing nothing: Swimming, floating, watching the mountains in the distance, taking a short stroll to get some Turkish coffee and Turkish gossip from the locals. This was where I felt like I could simply exist.

When I wanted to see the natural beauties all around Antalya, I went to visit Duden Waterfalls. The cascading waters created the most beautiful rainbows, with the air a misty perfection. I could feel the water spray my face as I took picture after picture, sending it off to the family group chat, already planning another visit so I could experience it with them.

Antalya during the evening was another beauty. The air was chillier, softer as the sun had set. The beach became a lovely place to walk with a cone of ice cream I grabbed from one of the stalls, faces always smiling and friendly, always stopping for a quick chat. The sea became a beautiful dark blue as white clothed tables were laid out on the beach, raki with fish and meze taking their place under the spotlight of Antalya’s nights.

Things to Do in Turkey