Antalya City & Duden Waterfalls Tour

The Lower Duden Waterfall

The Lower Duden Waterfall is the best-known sight of the day and one of the few waterfalls in the world that drops straight into the sea. The Duden river, fed by springs in the Taurus foothills, runs through the city underground and then leaps from a cliff of about forty metres at the edge of Lara, landing in the Mediterranean in a cloud of spray. Viewing platforms along the cliff let you see and hear it up close.

If you are planning a Duden Waterfalls day trip from Alanya, the Lower Falls are the photograph most people come for, and the light is usually best in the morning. Expect a short walk on paved paths and some mist on the platforms. A phone cover or a light jacket helps on windy days.

The Upper Duden Waterfall

The Upper Duden Waterfall sits inside Duden Park, a green area a few kilometres inland from the coast. Here the river tumbles over rock ledges into a pool, with wooden bridges, shaded paths and a small cave behind the falls in places. Locals use the park for family picnics, so it has an easy, relaxed feel and makes a gentle contrast to the cliff drama of the lower falls.

Our group walks the main paths together, and you can spend your time on the viewing points or in the shade. People often ask whether the Upper Duden Waterfall is worth visiting when the lower one is more famous; the two are quite different, and seeing both explains the whole river. The park is flat and easy, so it suits children and older guests.

Kaleici Old Town and Hadrian's Gate

Kaleici, meaning inside the castle, is the old walled quarter of Antalya, with narrow cobbled lanes, restored Ottoman houses and small hotels, shops and cafes in old courtyards. Our guided Kaleici walking tour starts at Hadrian's Gate, a three-arched marble gateway built around 130 AD to honour the Roman Emperor Hadrian's visit, and still one of the best-preserved Roman gates in Turkey.

Close by stands the Clock Tower, a landmark from the Ottoman period that marks the edge of the old town. Your guide explains how the quarter grew from a Roman and Byzantine port into an Ottoman neighbourhood. If you search for an Antalya old town tour, this is the walk: short, shaded in parts and full of detail. Comfortable shoes matter, as the stones can be slippery and uneven.

The old Roman harbour and the boat trip

At the bottom of Kaleici, steep stone steps lead down to the old harbour, a small bay enclosed by walls that once sheltered merchant ships from Roman and Byzantine times onward. Today it is a marina with waterfront cafes, and one of the most photographed places in Antalya. The view back up at the old town walls and the city rising behind them is the picture most visitors remember.

From here we board a sightseeing boat for a one-hour trip along the coast. The cruise shows Antalya from the water, with the cliffs, the city walls and the distant mountains, and it gives a calm pause between the walking in the morning and the free time that follows. If you wonder whether an Antalya boat trip is worth it, this one is relaxed, short and good for families.

Free time in Kaleici and the optional Tunektepe cable car

After the boat trip you have free time in Kaleici for lunch, which is included in your day, and for browsing the shops that sell ceramics, textiles and souvenirs. Take your time over lunch in one of the small restaurants, then stroll the lanes on your own before the group meets at the arranged time. Keep a note of the meeting point and time so the drive back to Alanya stays on schedule.

If you want even more views, the Tunektepe cable car is an optional extra, paid by you on the day. It lifts you to a hilltop viewpoint above the coast with a wide panorama of Antalya, its bay and the mountains. It is not part of the standard programme, so only join it if you have time and want the view. The drive back to Alanya takes roughly two hours, depending on traffic.