The Soul of Old Antalya

Triumphal arch built in 130 AD to honor Emperor Hadrian's visit to the city. Three marble arches still standing in near-perfect condition.

Atatürk Caddesi, Kaleiçi, Antalya

Traditional Turkish cuisine in an Ottoman-style setting, one of the most beloved local dining rooms in the city. The menu reads like a grandmother's recipe book — mezes, slow-cooked stews, and handmade pastries.

Haşimişcan, Arık Cd. No:20, Muratpaşa, Antalya

Perched beside the ancient Hidirlik Tower in Kaleiçi with one of the most dramatic views in Antalya — the harbour, the old city walls, and the open sea all at once. Mediterranean and Turkish menu, full bar, cold draught Efes. A rare spot where the setting genuinely matches the food.

Hidirlik Sok. No:46, Kaleiçi, Antalya

The name means 'crispy fish' and that is exactly what you get — fresh catch fried to order in a light, shattering batter, served in a sandwich or on a plate. One of the highest-rated spots in the whole city, beloved equally by locals and visitors who stumble across it on Atatürk Caddesi. The salad bar is generous and included.

Atatürk Cd. No:79, Muratpaşa, Antalya

The original — Gizli Bahçe (Hidden Garden) is where Kaleiçi's bar scene began. Opened in 1997, it was the first cafe and bar to set up in the old city, long before the strip became what it is today. A relaxed courtyard garden tucked down a side street, shaded by old stone walls, with a crowd that skews local. The house drink is cold Perge — the regional craft lager brewed just outside the city — and they price it honestly.

Selçuk Karadayı Sk. No:5, Kaleiçi, Antalya

The second bar to open in Kaleiçi, Simurg followed Gizli Bahçe and helped define what the neighbourhood's nightlife could be. By day it's an easy-going cafe — stone walls, dim light, good beer & coffee — the kind of place you settle into for an afternoon. By Saturday evening it transforms: a local Turkish rock band takes the small stage and the room gets loud in the best way.

Tabakhane Sok. No:7, Kaleiçi, Antalya

Kaleiçi's go-to venue for a proper late night. Holly Stone runs live bands most evenings — rock, alternative, funk — and once they finish the DJ takes over and the floor opens up. After midnight the crowd shifts and the music shifts with it: Turkish reggaeton and urban beats take over, which is exactly what the locals who fill this place came for. It draws a genuinely mixed crowd of residents and travellers who found it the right way.

Uzun Çarşı Sk. No:42, Kaleiçi, Antalya

A squat Roman watchtower perched on the southern tip of Kaleiçi, where the ancient city walls drop straight down to the sea. Built in the 2nd century CE — likely as a lighthouse and funerary monument — it sits inside Karaalioglu Park and looks out across an unbroken stretch of the Mediterranean. Unlike Hadrian's Gate, which sits on a busy road, Hıdırlık Tower feels genuinely removed from the city: you can sit on the walls around it, watch the ships pass, and forget the tourist trail exists.

Karaalioglu Parkı, Kaleiçi, Antalya

No building in Antalya carries as many layers of history as this one. It began as a Roman temple — possibly to the imperial cult — was converted into a Byzantine church in the 6th century, transformed into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest, and finally gutted by fire in the 19th century, leaving the broken minaret and skeletal walls standing alone in a quiet Kaleiçi courtyard. The name means 'cut minaret' in Turkish. Walking through the ruins feels genuinely different from the more manicured sites — it's raw and unscripted in a way that most ancient sites aren't.

Uzun Çarşı Sk., Kaleiçi, Antalya

Antalya's most beautiful public park, draped along the top of the ancient Roman sea walls on the southern edge of Kaleiçi. Rose gardens, century-old cypress trees, and a stone promenade overlook the Mediterranean from a height of 50 metres — on clear days the coastline runs to Phaselis and beyond. It's the place locals come on weekend mornings with a glass of çay from the tea garden, to sit on the old walls and watch the ferries move in and out of the harbour below.

Karaalioglu Parkı, Kaleiçi, Antalya

The place to try traditional Turkish and international desserts. It's best known for warm semolina helva served with ice cream, and the profiterole and sütlaç (Turkish rice pudding) are excellent too.

Barbaros mah Atatürk cad Ali Oğuz Konuk İş Merkezi 30/A, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Türkiye

A local patisserie selling baklava and desserts, but we come here for one thing: burnt ice cream, an Antalya tradition. Yes, it really does taste burnt! We can't promise you'll love it, but it's well worth trying.

Sinan, Ali Çetinkaya Cd. No:24, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Türkiye

A true gem for hummus and falafel lovers, with some of the best hummus in the city. The menu is big, with shawarma too, and plenty of vegan, vegetarian and meat options.

Haşimişcan, Recep Peker Cd., 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Türkiye

A relaxed bar in Kaleiçi with signature cocktails, a good wine selection, Aperol spritz and more, plus food. Almost every night there's quality live music in the garden.

Barbaros, Hesapçı Sk. No:34, 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Türkiye