I began my Antalya visit with a late flight arrival to a last-minute booking of a hotel at Kaleiçi, the old quarter. The taxi from the airport took about 20 minutes to arrive at the old quarter and then completely got lost in the narrow one-way streets looking for the right road to reach the hotel. 5am the following morning, I woke up to very loud calls for prayer, and so decided to set out and explore the old city. The hotel was surprisingly well located at the heart of the old city. Talking to the owners, it seems like the all-inclusive resorts almost killed the hotel business at the old quarter, making it extremely affordable. Anywhere you walk around the old quarter are little stores selling all sorts of Turkish souvenirs, and there are lots of restaurants and live music joints offering Turkish delights and coffee. Not too far away is the old Turkish bazaar, if you want even more touristic shopping. But the highlight, perhaps is the old port, where you can go full-tourist mode and hop on a boat tour to explore some of the Turkish Riviera beaches and natural wonders.
I spent a day at the old city area, and that was plenty to see almost all of the attractions in the area. There are a few small museums, some historical ruins, and ofcourse gorgeous old mosques (wear long pants and shorts).
Old city inner streets
Old bazaar
The old port
Location:
If you have limited time, like I did, I suggest one day at the old city and then head out with a rental to explore the gorgeous area. In any case, staying an overnight at the heart of the old quarter with a visit to one of the live music local joints is an experience, beats all-inclusive resorts anytime.