Antalya Old City, Waterfalls and Cable Car Tour from Kemer

Olympos Cable Car and the Summit of Tahtalı Mountain

The Olympos cable car starts from a valley station above Tekirova, a short drive south of Kemer, and climbs to the summit of Tahtalı Mountain at 2,365 metres in around ten minutes. Tahtalı is the highest peak of the Beydağları range behind the coast, so the cabin lifts you from pine forest to bare limestone in one smooth ride.

At the top a viewing terrace looks over the whole Bay of Antalya, the Kemer shoreline and the folds of the Taurus mountains. Plan on about an hour at the summit for photos and a coffee. The air is far cooler than on the beach, so bring a light layer. Is the Olympos cable car worth visiting? For the view alone, yes: it is the highest panorama on this coast, and on this tour the ticket is already part of the complete and cable car options.

Kaleiçi, the Old City of Antalya

Kaleiçi means 'inside the castle', and the old city of Antalya still sits within the curve of its ancient walls above the harbour. Its narrow lanes are lined with restored Ottoman houses with wooden bay windows, small boutique hotels, craft shops and shaded courtyards. Your guide explains how the town grew from a Hellenistic harbour town into a Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman city.

Look for the Fluted Minaret, a 13th-century Seljuk landmark that has become the symbol of Antalya, and the Hıdırlık Tower, a round Roman tower above the sea. An Antalya old city tour from Kemer gives you about an hour here with the guide, enough to understand the layout and take the best photos. Is Kaleiçi worth visiting? It is the historic heart of the city and easily the most atmospheric corner of Antalya.

Hadrian's Gate

Hadrian's Gate is the grand marble entrance to the old city, built in 130 AD when Antalya was the Roman harbour town of Attaleia. Its three arches stand between two towers, and the original Roman paving stones beneath them still carry the grooves worn by cart wheels, now protected under glass walkways.

The gate opens onto Atatürk Avenue, so it is often the first sight of Kaleiçi on this tour. Your guide points out the carved decoration on the columns and the way the gate was later built into the city walls, which helped preserve it so well. It takes only a few minutes to walk through, but it is one of the most photographed Roman monuments on the Turkish coast and the perfect starting point for the old town.

The Old Harbour and the Boat Trip

The old harbour at the foot of Kaleiçi has been in use since antiquity and is still busy with traditional wooden excursion boats and fishing boats. Steep cliffs and the old walls frame the marina, and cafés line the waterfront below the town.

In the complete option and the boat option you leave the harbour by boat and cruise along the coast, with views back to the cliffs, the old town and the Taurus mountains rising behind Antalya. The trip usually lasts about an hour and is a relaxing break after the old town, with a sea breeze and plenty of photo moments. From the water you also understand why this natural harbour made Antalya such an important harbour for so many centuries.

Lower Düden Waterfalls

The Düden River runs underground for part of its course across the Antalya plain and then reappears near the coast. At the Lower Düden Waterfalls in the Lara district it drops about 40 metres from the cliff edge straight into the Mediterranean, creating a wall of white spray that you can watch from a park on the clifftop.

Footpaths along the railings lead to several viewpoints, and on sunny afternoons a rainbow often forms in the mist. Plan on about 30 to 45 minutes here. Many travellers ask how to get to the Düden Waterfalls without a car; on this tour the transfer and entry are simply part of the day, so you only need your camera. The best time to visit the Düden Waterfalls is spring, when the river is at its fullest.