Things to Do in Turkey
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 amount of 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.
A Day in Side’s Seaside Ruins
Side is just a bus ride away from Antalya’s city centre. So I thought, why not make a day trip out of it? Every street is full of history, so I let myself be guided through the alleys by following the signs and sights.
Walking through the old theatre was an experience I could never get tired of. The ruins are well preserved, and as cliché as it sounds, it felt like being transported into another time. After that I visited the Temple of Apollo where I got lost daydreaming, taking as many pictures as I could of the marvellous columns and the sea.
Side’s locals were just as friendly as anywhere else in Antalya. I found a family-run restaurant (or lokanta if you want to go full local) and I kept being given extra salads, white cheese and Turkish tea by the owners. Eating all the food I couldn’t possibly finish, I watched the sea and the setting sun in the midst of a laughing, chatting, friendly crowd all enjoying the evening breeze.
A Day in Alanya’s Colourful Harbour
My list of things to do in Alanya was simple: I had a castle to visit, a harbour to walk around, and a trail to hike up a steep hill for the views. The red castle was such a stark view against the green backdrop of the hill and the blue sea that I had no choice but stand in awe of it.
The climb wasn’t super easy, so my advice is to wear comfortable shoes and remember to bring a cap and a bottle of cold water. But the view is worth the narrow stairs: Red-roofed houses, Cleopatra Beach unfurling in bold blue, boats like white dots on the calm waters. To cool off, I visited the damp airs of Damlatas Cave, where locals told me tales of its health benefits especially for asthmatic people.
I then decided to return to the harbour, where you could find traces of its history as a pirate cove. I enjoyed a boat tour around the natural rock formations before returning to the land and sharing a dinner table with the locals once more. There’s a pattern in this trip, and it smells a whole lot like fresh fish and Turkish tea!
Week Two: Marmaris and The Unmoving Sea
The road to Marmaris felt like a ribbon thrown over the green hills. Chaotic and unpredictable, it wasn’t for the faint of heart, so I would advise anyone planning of driving to take good care on these roads. But it’s all worth it as you see the town come into view: Glittering marina with boats bobbing on the sea, sunset painting everything a beautiful orange, pine trees straight out of a drawing.
Marmaris is best enjoyed on the water. The little boats took me through coves, serenely strolling on the calm and quiet waters. My days were spent next to the same waters most of the time. I would swim, read, nap, and repeat. Lunch was fresh tomatoes, watermelons and white cheese where each bite would feel like the Mediterranean combined.
There were many things to do in Marmaris outside of the waters as well. There were castles and museums to see, and old town to stroll through and lost in. I enjoyed wandering through the streets, meeting new people, finding little trinkets to bring back home and somehow capture the essence of Marmaris.
Small Tricks to Remember
My trip was made so much easier by knowing and using a few phrases in Turkish. A simple tesekkur ederim and kolay gelsin went a long way with the locals.
I remembered to make a list of which cafes I liked, knowing I’d want to bring back my family and friends for my next trip over to the Antalya coastline.
I took a lot of pictures, but there was a hard limit: I would not spend more than a quarter of my trip somewhere taking pictures of it. I was there to experience the summer and enjoy it to the fullest.
I didn’t pack everything in one day. I had days where I did nothing but lounge by the sea. Sometimes doing nothing was the best thing to do under Antalya’s summer skies.
Author : Ecem Kutlu - Published 13/02/2026
