Konyaaltı: a beach holiday inside Antalya

Konyaaltı is the western district of Antalya, built behind a long pebble beach with the mountains across the bay. Staying here is a different kind of holiday from the resorts: city hotels and apartments instead of large all-inclusive complexes, a public beach shared with locals, and restaurants, shops and buses on your doorstep. This page is about staying in Konyaaltı; for the old town, the museum and the rest of the city see our Antalya city guide.

Which part of Konyaaltı to stay in

The beach is about 7 km long, and the main difference between its sections is how far you are from the old town. Most hotels and apartments are on the land side of the seafront road, so check how you cross to the beach.

Times are daytime drives from Antalya Airport (AYT), about 25 km to Konyaaltı (Antalya Airport to Konyaaltı). The last row links to our Antalya city guide.

The beach

Pebbles, deep water and the mountain view

Konyaaltı is a pebble and shingle beach, not sand. The pebbles keep the water clear, but they are hot at midday and hard on bare feet, so water shoes are worth packing. The seabed drops quickly: a few steps out you are out of your depth, which strong swimmers love and parents of small children should know about.

The view is the real draw: the mountains on the far side of the bay rise straight out of the sea and are often snow-capped until spring.

A public beach, shared with locals

The whole beach is public and free to use. You can lay your towel anywhere or rent a sunbed and parasol from the beach operators for a fee; prices vary by section and season, so ask before you sit down. Showers, toilets and changing cabins are spread along the shore.

Hotels rarely have a private beach here. Even a seafront hotel usually means crossing the road and the promenade to a public stretch. At weekends in summer, locals come in large numbers, especially in the late afternoon.

Waves, wind and safety

Afternoons often bring a breeze and some waves, and on rough days the shore break on pebbles can knock you over. Swim in the morning if you have children with you, watch the flags and stay near the sections with lifeguard posts. Sea temperatures by month are on our Antalya sea temperature page.

Sarısu at the western end

Beyond the end of the main beach, Sarısu has pine woods, picnic areas and calmer beach sections. It is popular with local families at weekends and is a good escape from the busiest part of the promenade. The lower station of the cable car up Tünektepe is in this area too; check opening hours locally.

What staying in Konyaaltı is like

A city holiday, not a resort holiday

Most places to stay are city hotels, apartment hotels and rented flats, usually room-only or with breakfast. A few larger hotels offer all-inclusive, but the area does not work like Belek or Lara: the point of Konyaaltı is to eat out, walk the promenade and use the city. If you want everything inside the hotel fence, read our all-inclusive guide first.

The upside is choice and price: supermarkets, pharmacies, bakeries and simple local restaurants are a few minutes away, and you pay city prices rather than resort prices.

Families

The promenade is flat and long, with playgrounds, green areas, a cycle path and plenty of ice cream, which makes evenings easy with a pushchair. The beach itself is the weak point for small children: pebbles and deep water close to shore. Many families combine morning swims at the hotel pool with evenings on the promenade. More tips in the Turkish Riviera with kids.

Long stays and winter

Because Konyaaltı is a lived-in part of the city, it does not close in winter. Many city hotels stay open, and monthly apartment rentals are common, which makes it one of the more practical winter bases on the coast. Expect mild, often sunny days with rainy spells, and a quiet beach used mainly for walks. See the Turkish Riviera in winter.

Who Konyaaltı does not suit

If you want soft sand and a shallow entry for toddlers, Lara on the other side of the city is the better choice. If you want a quiet holiday surrounded by nature, the coast west of here is calmer; see the Kemer guide. And Konyaaltı is part of a big city: traffic on the main roads, building work and summer noise near the bars at the eastern end are part of the deal.

Eating out and evenings

The promenade is lined with cafés and tea gardens, busy until late on summer evenings. One or two streets inland you find the everyday city: simple lokanta restaurants with home-style dishes, kebab and pide places, bakeries and greengrocers, noticeably cheaper than the seafront. Neighbourhood markets are held on fixed weekdays; ask your hotel which one is nearest.

The best free entertainment is the sunset walk along the promenade, when the light turns the mountains pink. In summer the Beach Park area at the eastern end has beach bars and clubs; if you want quiet nights, do not stay right next to it. For dinner in the old town, Kaleiçi is a short taxi or tram ride away; see the Antalya city guide and what to eat.

Getting around and airport transfer

Buses, tram and taxis

City buses run along the main roads behind the beach towards the centre; pay with an AntalyaKart transport card. The nostalgic tram starts near the Antalya Museum at the eastern end of the beach and runs along the cliff road to the edge of Kaleiçi. Taxis are metered and easy to find. From the eastern end the old town is about 3 km away; from the western end allow 20 to 30 minutes by bus or taxi in traffic. Details on fares and routes in our getting around guide.

A car is not needed for the city, but it helps for day trips to the Kemer coast, Termessos or the waterfalls (day trips). Parking near the beach is hard on summer weekends.

From the airport

Antalya Airport is about 25 km away, around 40 minutes by car. The airport is east of the city and Konyaaltı is at the western end, so the route goes around Antalya and weekday evening traffic can add 15 to 20 minutes. See Antalya Airport to Konyaaltı and all Antalya Airport transfers.

When to go

The beach season runs from May to October, with warm water often lasting into November. July and August are hot and humid, and the city feels hotter than the resorts because of the traffic and concrete: plan beach time for the morning and late afternoon. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months, and winter suits long stays rather than swimming. See weather by month, the Antalya region and the holiday budget calculator.