The maze-like Kaleiçi neighborhood was made for strolling.
Perfectly restored whitewashed and red-roofed Ottoman mansions line the cobblestone streets, now home to a plethora of boutique hotels, souvenir shops, art galleries, and restaurants.
Although it's more a place to simply breathe in the old-world ambience, there are also plenty of small tourist attractions for those who want to sightsee.
The main square has a fortress gate and stone-clad clock tower while the 18th-century Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque is worth a look just for its intricate interior tile work.
Along Hesapçi Sokak, you'll find the graceful Kesik Minare (truncated minaret). Destroyed by fire in the 19th century, this is all that is left of a building that started its life as a Roman temple, was converted into a Byzantine church, and finally became a mosque.
Nestled into a recess in the cliffs, Antalya's old harbor in the northwest corner of the old town is a picturesque huddle of cafés and restaurants overlooking gently bobbing yachts ready to set out on the Mediterranean.
With its peaceful pleasure-boat atmosphere now, it's difficult to imagine this place was once Antalya's major economic hub, but from the 2nd century up until the mid-20th century, this was the main port, bringing trade and prosperity to the city and surrounding region.
These days, you come here to watch the sun set over the sea while you sip a coffee, or to hop aboard one of the excursion boats for a day tour catered towards soaking up the sun, taking in the lush coastal views, and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.
West of Antalya's town center, Konyaalti Beach is one of Antalya's two prime sweeps of sand, with a picturesque backing of mountains rolling down to the coastline beyond.
During summer, this strip (which is more pebbly than sandy) is hugely popular with both local and foreign visitors, and lazy beach days are made simple with plenty of facilities provided.
Sun loungers with umbrellas can be rented, there are good toilet and shower facilities, and the palm tree lined promenade behind the beach is rimmed with snack shops, cafés, and restaurants for when you get peckish.
The beach is easily accessed from town, so it's a very popular beach option with visitors who've chosen to stay in the atmospheric boutique hotel accommodation in Antalya's old town district, as well as visitors at the beach hotels.
The main reason history buffs visit Antalya is to make the day trip to Aspendos, about 47 kilometers east.
This archaeological site is home to a Roman theater commonly thought to be the best preserved in the world and one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.
The glory days of this dazzling, ancient town were during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, when most of the ruins that can be seen today were built.
Apart from the theater, which has been fully restored and can seat 15,000 people, much of the rest of the site still lies in ruins and is probably only interesting to the most enthusiastic sightseer.
If you're short of time but keen to pack in as many highlights of the Antalya region as you can, the Aspendos, Perge and Manavgat Waterfalls tour allows you to cover three of the most popular attractions all in one day.
It includes tours of the Roman ruins of Aspendos and Perge, entrance to Aspendos and the waterfalls (which are near Side), lunch, and pickup and drop-off from your Antalya hotel.
Official site: https://muze.gov.tr
To the south of Antalya's center, Lara beach is popular for its soft white sand and good family-friendly facilities, backed by cafés and restaurants and with plenty of activities, from jet-ski rentals to stand up paddleboards for those who want to hit the water.
Sun loungers and umbrellas can be easily rented for those who want to do nothing more strenuous than soak up the sun.
This area is where the vast amount of Antalya's beach resort hotels are located, so for visitors arriving here for a holiday that's all about the sun, sea, and sand, Lara Beach is the main attraction.
Do be aware that during the peak summer months, this beach can get crammed.
The most dramatic entrance into Antalya's old town district is through Hadrian's Gate (known as Uçkapılar in Turkish), which is the main gateway leading into the old town's eastern section.
Considerable stretches of the Hellenistic and Roman town walls on the eastern side of the old town area have managed to be preserved in partial form, but Hadrian's Gate is the most notable of these sections.
Erected in honor of the CE 130 visit by Emperor Hadrian himself, this grand three-arched marble gateway, flanked by imposing towers, is decorated with rich sculptural decorations.
As you walk through the arches, look up at the ceiling to view the best preserved carvings.
