5 Hidden Gems Near Antalya for a Day Trip by Car

Termessos sits high in the Taurus Mountains north-west of Antalya, inside a national park on the slopes of Güllük Dağı. It was built by the Pisidians in such a strong position that Alexander the Great famously gave up on taking it. What makes it special today is the setting: a theatre perched above a deep valley, scattered tombs among the trees and very few other visitors compared with the coastal sites.

Be ready to walk. From the parking area the path climbs over uneven stone, so wear proper shoes, bring water and avoid the hottest hours of a summer day. Mornings or late afternoons in spring and autumn are ideal.

Kurşunlu Waterfall lies in a small nature park east of the city, in the Aksu area. The water drops into a clear pool surrounded by dense vegetation, and a footpath leads down past smaller cascades. It feels much more like a forest than its short distance from Antalya suggests.

Because it is close, Kurşunlu works well as a half-day outing or as one stop in a longer day. It pairs naturally with the ancient city of Perge, which is in the same direction; our Perge guide describes what you will see there.

Köprülü Canyon is a national park in the mountains inland from the Side and Manavgat coast. The Köprüçay river runs through a narrow gorge, crossed by an old Roman stone bridge, and the cold, clear water makes the valley noticeably cooler than the coast in summer. The area is known for rafting, but you can equally just walk along the river, sit at a riverside restaurant and look at the cliffs.

Higher up the road are the remains of the ancient city of Selge, reached through a landscape of pines and rock. For guests staying in Side, Manavgat or Belek, the canyon is an easy contrast to a beach day.

Phaselis is an ancient Lycian port on the coast between Kemer and Tekirova. Its streets, aqueduct and theatre lie in a pine forest that runs right down to three small natural harbours, so you can explore the ruins and then swim in a sheltered cove in the same visit.

Tekirova is ≈75 km and ≈85 min from Antalya Airport, and Phaselis is just to the north of it, so it is close if you are staying in Kemer, Çamyuva or Tekirova. You can read more about this side of the coast in the Kemer region travel guide.

Adrasan is a bay south of Olympos, beyond Çıralı, with a long beach, a small settlement and mountains rising behind it. It is a place for a slow day: swimming, a long lunch, perhaps a boat trip along the coves of the coast. There is little to tick off, which is precisely the point.

The road is long, since Çıralı alone is ≈85 km and ≈100 min from the airport and Adrasan lies further on. It makes sense as a full day from Kemer or Tekirova, possibly combined with a short stop in Çıralı; see our Olympos and Çıralı guide for that area.

• Mountain and city day: Termessos in the morning, then an afternoon in Kaleiçi.
• East of Antalya: Kurşunlu Waterfall plus Perge, finishing back in Lara or the city.
• Coast south-west: Phaselis and Adrasan together, ideally from a hotel around Kemer.
• Inland from Side: Köprülü Canyon as a full day, with time at the river.

Trying to fit all five into one day would mean hours in the car; two or three well-chosen days work far better. Our article on day trips by private car has more combinations.

• Shoes with grip: Termessos and Phaselis are ruins on rough ground, and the waterfall path can be damp.
• Water and a hat: shade is patchy at the ancient sites, and summer middays are very hot.
• Swimwear and a towel: for the coves at Phaselis and the beach at Adrasan.
• A light layer: the canyon and the mountains feel cooler than the coast, especially in spring and autumn.
• Some cash: handy for small purchases at village cafés and stalls.

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for walking; in high summer, start early and keep the swimming stops for the afternoon.

Tell us where you are staying, which places you want to see and when you would like to be picked up and brought back. We tell you what is possible in that time and send a fixed price for the vehicle within a minute. The price is per vehicle, not per person, and is paid in the vehicle with no prepayment. Choose a Minivan for up to six people, the VIP Vito for up to seven or the Sprinter for groups of eight to sixteen, and ask for free child seats if you need them.