Antalya is the gateway to the whole Turkish Riviera, and from the city — or from any hotel along the coast — some of the country's finest sights are within an easy drive. Roman theatres, deep canyons, ancient mountain cities, eternal flames and one of the world's strangest natural wonders are all reachable in a day. This guide runs through the best day trips from Antalya, roughly nearest first, with honest distances and drive times.
Every trip below is designed to be done with a private chauffeur — you're collected from your hotel or the airport in a comfortable, air-conditioned Mercedes, driven straight there, and the driver waits while you explore before bringing you back. No shared tour bus, no fixed schedule, no meter — just a fixed price agreed in advance and a professional, English-speaking driver for the day.
Aspendos Roman theatre (40 minutes)
Aspendos has the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world — a vast, near-intact amphitheatre that still hosts concerts and opera. It's genuinely awe-inspiring, and the nearby Roman aqueduct and the ancient city of Perge can be added to the same day for a full immersion in antiquity.
Perge ancient city (25 minutes)
Just north-east of the airport, Perge is one of the grandest ancient cities in the region — a long colonnaded street, a stadium, Roman baths, a monumental gate with round Hellenistic towers and a theatre. Many of its finest statues are displayed in the excellent Antalya Museum, which makes a natural pairing.
Antalya old town, Kaleiçi & Düden Falls (in the city)
You don't have to leave Antalya for a rewarding half-day: the walled old town of Kaleiçi — Ottoman houses, a Roman harbour, Hadrian's Gate — is beautiful in the early evening, and the Düden Waterfalls, where a river drops straight off a cliff into the sea, are minutes away. Perfect for a shorter outing or an arrival-day afternoon.
Manavgat Waterfall & Green Canyon (1 hour)
East of the city, the Manavgat Waterfall is a shady riverside cascade, and just behind it the Oymapınar dam has flooded a gorge into the emerald Green Canyon, where boat trips glide up cool, deep water ringed by pine mountains. A relaxed nature day, easily combined.
Köprülü Canyon & rafting (1h15)
For something active, Köprülü Canyon is the region's rafting centre — easy, family-friendly white-water on the Köprü river, a Roman bridge and the ancient hilltop city of Selge. A morning on the river and a trout lunch on a riverside platform makes a superb day.
Termessos mountain ruins (45 minutes)
High in the mountains behind Antalya, Termessos is a dramatic ruined city that even Alexander the Great chose not to besiege — a theatre perched on a cliff edge with an eagle's-eye view, reached by a walk up through pine forest. Wild, atmospheric and never crowded.
The Chimaera flames & Olympos (1h30)
South-west along the coast, the Chimaera (Yanartaş) is a hillside where natural flames have burned from the rock for thousands of years — best seen at dusk — above the romantic, jungle-wrapped Lycian ruins of Olympos and a long pebble beach. A genuinely unusual evening trip.
Sagalassos mountain city (2 hours)
North on the Taurus plateau at around 1,500 metres, Sagalassos is one of Turkey's most spectacular ancient cities, its centrepiece a Roman fountain so completely restored that its water flows again. Cool at altitude and rarely crowded, it's quite unlike the coastal sites.
Kekova sunken city (2h30)
West along the coast, Kekova is a small island whose northern shore hides the half-submerged ruins of a Lycian town, drowned by earthquakes in the second century. You see the sunken walls and staircases through clear, shallow water from a boat — magical and unlike anything else.
Pamukkale travertines & Hierapolis (3 hours)
Furthest of the classics, Pamukkale is the surreal cascade of white travertine terraces filled with warm turquoise water, with the ruins of the spa city of Hierapolis above. It's a long day, so start very early — but the "cotton castle" is unlike anywhere else on earth.
Planning your day with a chauffeur
A few honest tips:
- Match the distance to the day. Perge, Aspendos, Kaleiçi and Termessos are easy half-days; Sagalassos, Kekova and Pamukkale are full days that reward an early start.
- Go early — or, for the Chimaera, late. Heat and crowds build through the morning; the flames are best at dusk.
- A private chauffeur is the relaxed way. You travel directly, keep your own timing, and the driver waits while you explore — which is what makes a long trip like Pamukkale genuinely enjoyable rather than a slog.
- Combine wisely. Perge + Aspendos, or Kaleiçi + Düden + the museum, pair naturally into a single rich day.
Booking a private chauffeur
Every trip above is available with a professional, English-speaking chauffeur and a premium Mercedes, from Antalya airport or any hotel along the coast, at a fixed price agreed in advance — no meter, no surprises. Tell us the destination, your pickup point, the number of passengers and any stops you'd like, and we'll confirm the price and time. Our team is on WhatsApp all day if your plans change.