Turkish Riviera itinerary: sample plans for 7, 10 and 14 days

The coast between Alanya and Fethiye is about 400 km long, and the drive along it is slow, winding and beautiful. That shapes every itinerary: you can see a lot from one well-chosen base, or you can travel the Lycian coast by car, but trying to do everything in one week means spending your holiday in the car. Below are realistic sample plans for 7, 10 and 14 days, with honest notes on what fits, what to skip and how to adapt them for children or a winter trip. Driving times are approximate and assume normal traffic outside the summer peak.

Before you choose a route

One base or several?

A single base (one hotel for the whole stay) is the relaxed option: you unpack once and do day trips from there. It works best in the Antalya, Belek and Side area, where many sights lie within an hour. A moving trip with two to four stops suits the Lycian coast between Antalya and Fethiye, where the towns are far apart and each deserves at least two nights.

A rule of thumb that rarely fails: no stop shorter than two nights. Every move costs half a day for checking out, driving and settling in.

Hire car or tours?

From a single base, organised tours, dolmuş minibuses and the odd taxi are enough. For a Lycian road trip a hire car is close to essential, because buses between Kaş, Kalkan and Olympos are infrequent and stop far from the beaches. Roads are good but winding, and the coastal stretch west of Antalya is slow. See getting around the Turkish Riviera for rules, parking and buses.

Which airport?

Antalya (AYT) is closest to Lara, Belek, Side and Kemer, Dalaman (DLM) to Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Göcek and Dalyan, and Gazipaşa (GZP) to Alanya. For a coastal road trip, flying into one and out of the other saves you a full day of driving back. Compare them in which airport to choose.

When to go

May, June, September and October are ideal for an active trip: warm sea, long days and heat you can still walk in. In July and August the ruins are best seen early in the morning, and long drives are tiring in the midday heat. Check the weather by month before you plan.

7 days: one base, two options

Option A: Antalya, Belek or Side as your base

The easy week for first-timers: one hotel on the beach, three or four outings, plenty of time by the pool. Fly into Antalya; Belek and Side are 35 to 70 minutes from the airport. Pick the trips that interest you from day trips from Belek and Side rather than doing them all.

Day 1–2: arrive, beach, Side old town

Settle in and spend the first full day by the sea. In the late afternoon visit Side's ancient harbour town, where the Temple of Apollo is at its best at sunset; see the Side guide.

Day 3–4: Aspendos, Perge and a quiet day

Aspendos (the Roman theatre) and Perge are close together and fit into one morning. Keep the next day free: the heat and the early starts add up.

Day 5–6: Antalya city or Köprülü Canyon

Choose one: a day in Antalya with Kaleiçi, the old harbour and the archaeological museum (see the Antalya city guide), or a full day in Köprülü Canyon for rafting and mountain air. Doing both is possible but makes the week feel rushed.

Day 7: last morning by the sea

Plan nothing for the departure day except a swim and an unhurried transfer. Skip on a 7-day trip: Pamukkale (a 14 to 15 hour day from here) and the Lycian coast, which deserve a trip of their own.

Option B: Fethiye or Ölüdeniz as your base

The greener, more varied week, best for those who like boats, walking and small towns. Fly into Dalaman (about 45 to 60 minutes away). Read the Fethiye guide and Ölüdeniz guide to choose where to stay.

Day 1–2: arrive, Ölüdeniz beach and the Blue Lagoon. Day 3: the Twelve Islands boat trip from Fethiye harbour; compare tours in boat trips. Day 4: Kayaköy ghost village in the morning, an easy afternoon. Day 5: Saklıkent gorge, about an hour inland, or paragliding for the brave. Day 6: Dalyan, with the river boat to the rock tombs and İztuzu (Turtle) Beach; see the Dalyan guide. Day 7: departure, Dalaman is close.

10 days: Lycian coast road trip

The route at a glance

Antalya → Olympos/Çıralı → Kaş → Kalkan → Ölüdeniz or Fethiye, flying home from Dalaman. The total driving is around 350 km, split into legs of one to two and a half hours. This is the most rewarding coastal trip in Turkey: ancient cities, quiet coves and some of the best swimming in the Mediterranean.

Open-jaw flights (into Antalya, out of Dalaman) avoid a long drive back. Ask the rental company about the one-way fee for dropping the car at a different airport before you book; it can be substantial, so compare it with the cost and time of driving back.

Day 1–3: Olympos and Çıralı

From Antalya airport it is about an hour and a half to Çıralı. Spend two nights: the Olympos ruins in the shade of the riverbed, the beach, and an evening walk up to the Chimaera's eternal flames. Adrasan, a quiet bay 20 minutes further, makes a good half day. See the Olympos and Çıralı guide.

Day 4–6: Kaş, via Demre

The drive to Kaş takes about two hours without stops. Break it in Demre for the Church of St Nicholas and the rock tombs of Myra; see Demre and Kekova. Kaş is the natural centre of the trip: from here, take a boat tour to the sunken city of Kekova, the ferry to the Greek island of Meis (bring your passport) or a dive. See the Kaş guide.

Day 7: Kalkan, Kaputaş and Patara

Kalkan is only about 30 minutes west of Kaş, so you can stay in Kaş and visit, or move for one night. Stop at Kaputaş beach on the way, then spend the afternoon on the 18 km sands of Patara, with the ruins of Xanthos nearby. See the Kalkan guide.

Day 8–10: Ölüdeniz or Fethiye, fly home from Dalaman

From Kalkan to Fethiye or Ölüdeniz takes about an hour and a quarter. Use the last days for the beach and one boat trip, and leave the busier Fethiye sights for a future visit if you are tired. Dalaman airport is 45 to 60 minutes away; plan an extra hour for returning the car. See Fethiye and Ölüdeniz.

What to drop if you have less time

With eight days, cut Kalkan to a day visit from Kaş and spend one night less in Fethiye. With seven, choose either the eastern half (Olympos and Kaş, return to Antalya) or the western half (Kaş and Fethiye from Dalaman) rather than rushing the whole coast.

14 days: east and west, or the slow version

Option 1: Alanya or Side plus the Lycian coast

Start with four or five nights in Side or Alanya: beach, Aspendos, the Manavgat waterfall and Alanya castle (see the Alanya guide). Then drive west past Antalya and follow the 10-day route above, Olympos → Kaş → Kalkan → Fethiye, flying home from Dalaman. Alanya to Çıralı is about three hours, so make it a travel day with a stop in Antalya's old town.

If you prefer, fly into Gazipaşa for Alanya; the open-jaw logic is the same.

Option 2: the slow Lycian coast

The same route as the 10-day trip, but with three nights in each place and a day of doing nothing between the outings. Add the Lycian Way for a few day walks, Göcek for a gulet day among the islands, or a night in Dalyan. Two weeks at this pace is the version most people remember as the best holiday, not the busiest one.

Pamukkale: optional and long

The white travertine terraces of Pamukkale and the ruins of Hierapolis are spectacular, but they lie inland: about three hours each way from Fethiye and around four from Antalya. From Fethiye it is a long but manageable day; from Belek or Side organised tours run 14 to 15 hours. Only add it on a two-week trip, and if you go, consider staying one night near Pamukkale instead of rushing back.

Keeping the budget in check

A road trip costs more per day than an all-inclusive week: car hire, fuel, parking, meals out and several hotels. Estimate the total with our holiday budget calculator before you commit.

Adapting the plan for children and winter

Travelling with children

Fewer moves and shorter drives: with small children, a single base (Option A or B above) usually works better than a road trip. If you do drive, keep legs under two hours, plan around nap times and prefer places with sandy, shallow beaches such as Patara, Çıralı and Ölüdeniz. Boat trips are fun but long in the sun; pick shorter tours with shade. More in the Turkish Riviera with kids.

In winter

From November to March the coast is mild and quiet, ruins are empty and walking is pleasant, but many hotels and restaurants in small resorts close, boat trips stop and the sea is cool. Base yourself in Antalya, Alanya or Fethiye, where life goes on all year, and do day trips by car. Days are short, so plan one sight per day. See the Turkish Riviera in winter.