Day trips · Five different reasons to leave the city · Access checked
Day Trips from Antalya: Five Worth the Journey, and a Circuit from US$85
Live check just now: Reviewed eastern circuit from US$79.59
Find your Antalya experience
Choose the reason to leave Antalya
Choose one direction and one purpose. The eastern ruins can be linked by a guided circuit; mountain Termessos and western Phaselis belong to separate days.
- For ancient streets close to the city, choose Perge.
- For a mountain hike, choose Termessos.
- For a theatre-and-peninsula day, use the eastern circuit through Aspendos and Side.
- For ruins with a wooded bay setting, go west to Phaselis.
| Option | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| Perge · east, near city | Independent half-day; open every day to 8pm, last admission 7:30pm. |
| Termessos · northwest mountains | Plan a proper hike and dedicated vehicle; the city is reached on foot. |
| Aspendos · farther east | Best for the Roman theatre; it shuts earlier, at 6:45pm. |
| Phaselis · west coast | Ruins, three harbours and a pine-backed shore; open to 8pm. |
| Side · eastern peninsula | Temples, museum and coast; the theatre itself is shut for restoration. |
Perge: ancient streets near the city
Perge is the closest archaeological commitment on this list. Its colonnaded streets, theatre and stadium justify a focused visit, and the long opening day means a late start still works.
- Set out east toward Aksu; the provincial culture office places Perge about 17 km from Antalya centre.
- Enter through the two Hellenistic towers and follow the colonnaded street, about 500 metres, to the monumental fountain.
- Allow time for the theatre and the stadium north of it.
- Return to Antalya, or continue farther east only with a planned driver or circuit.
Good to know
- Open every day from 8am to 8pm, with last admission at 7:30pm; the entrance is on Perge Caddesi in Aksu.
- The theatre seats roughly 13,000 and keeps a decorated two-storey stage building of the 2nd century AD.
- The stadium, built in the 2nd century BC, holds about 12,000 and is one of the best preserved in Türkiye.
- Perge stands on UNESCO’s Tentative List, so expect active excavation and changing access in parts of the site.
On your own
Use a car or arranged transfer, then set your own time among the ruins.
With a guide
The reviewed TG1 circuit includes Perge admission but moves on to Aspendos and Side.
Termessos: a mountain-ruins hike
Termessos is for the walk as much as the ruins. The ancient city climbs inside Güllük Dağı National Park, so treat the approach and descent as part of the day.
- Arrange a return vehicle or use the reviewed guided hiking option from Antalya.
- Look for the Hellenistic wall near Yenicekahve on the Antalya to Korkuteli road; the remains start there.
- Follow the uphill path from the parking area to the ruins; wear suitable footwear.
- Check closing and return timing before committing to the climb.
Good to know
- The gymnasium, colonnaded street, theatre, bath, agora, council building and cisterns are all reached on foot from the car park.
- The Solymians held Termessos against Alexander’s siege in 333 BC, which is why the site was never levelled.
- Its cemeteries are unusually large, and include the tomb of Alketas, one of Alexander’s commanders, dated to 319 BC.
- The reviewed guided option excludes the site entrance charge and quotes no dependable per-person starting total.
On your own
Use a car or arranged driver; do not assume a city bus reaches the archaeological entrance.
With a guide
The reviewed hike adds transport and interpretation; entrance payment remains separate.
Aspendos: the theatre and the eastern circuit from US$85
Aspendos earns a stop for its standing Roman theatre. If you want Perge and Side too, the reviewed eastern circuit solves the sequence and its TG1 option includes admissions.
See the eastern circuit with entry
- Leave Antalya eastward with a planned driver or the reviewed pickup.
- Visit the theatre and allow time for the wider ancient site at Belkıs, Serik.
- Continue to Side only if your transport and return are already arranged.
Good to know
- Open every day from 8am, but it shuts at 6:45pm and takes its last admission then, earlier than Perge or Phaselis.
- An audio guidance service runs at the site, so an independent visit is not a silent one.
- A separate Museum Night session runs from 7pm to 9:30pm; it is not the daytime admission.
- The reviewed circuit includes admissions in TG1; its TG3 option excludes key admissions.
| Item | US$ per adult | € |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewed eastern circuit, from | US$81.46 | ≈ €74 |
| Named site admissions added to TG1 | US$0 | ≈ €0 |
On your own
Choose Aspendos alone for more theatre time and arrange admission separately.
With a guide
TG1 links Perge, Aspendos and Side with pickup and admissions in one long day.
The reviewed circuit starts from US$85; independent admission and transport are separate.
Prices checked 18 Sep 2026 · per adult, selected guided circuit only; independent travel and meals excluded
Phaselis: western ruins and bays
Phaselis combines an ancient trading port with three bays and a pine-backed shore. It is a west-coast outing, so do not append it to an eastern Perge–Aspendos day.
- Arrange a westbound vehicle toward Tekirova and the Phaselis archaeological entrance.
- Walk the ancient street and the three harbour basins, then use the shore if conditions suit.
- Find the sea walls near the harbours and the Roman aqueduct arches that carried water from Tahtalı.
- Confirm the closing time and the return vehicle before leaving Antalya.
Good to know
- Open every day from 8am to 8pm, with last admission at 7:30pm; the entrance is in Tekirova, Kemer.
- Founded as a port city in the 7th century BC, it worked three harbours: the North, the Central or War harbour, and the South.
- Pine trees shade both ruins and shore, which makes this the most forgiving of these five sites in high summer.
- The Antalya culture directorate places the turnoff at the 44th km of the Antalya–Kemer road; the site continues beyond it.
On your own
A car or arranged driver gives the ruins and bays a flexible day.
With a guide
Book only after confirming the product actually enters Phaselis; broad west-coast cruises may not.
Side: coastal peninsula, temples and a museum
Side rewards a longer eastern trip: a peninsula of streets, temples, a museum and coastal time. Go knowing the ancient theatre itself is shut, so the day is not built around it.
- Go east toward Manavgat and continue to Side’s peninsula.
- Start at Side Museum, in a restored Roman bathhouse inside the ancient city.
- Walk on to the Apollo Temple and the shore; the theatre is closed, so do not plan around it.
- Return to Antalya with the return connection or driver planned in advance.
Good to know
- Side Theatre is closed to visitors for restoration, and its admission also covers Side Museum.
- Side Museum is open every day from 8:30am to 9pm, with last admission at 8:30pm, the latest of these five sites.
- The museum holds the finds of the Side excavations led by Arif Müfid Mansel.
- The provincial culture office places Side about 75 km east of Antalya.
On your own
Arrange a car or verified coach connection; keep enough time for the peninsula.
With a guide
TG1 bundles Side with Perge and Aspendos; use it for breadth rather than a slow Side day.
If you only do one
Choose the eastern Perge–Aspendos circuit if this is your only archaeological day: it contrasts city streets with a remarkably intact theatre. Pick Termessos instead if the mountain walk is the point of your trip.
Good to know
- The reviewed circuit continues to Side; it is efficient but gives each site less time.
- Choose Perge alone if you have only part of a day; choose Phaselis if your priority is coast plus archaeology.
- Build the day around Aspendos, which closes at 6:45pm, rather than Perge or Phaselis, which stay open to 8pm.
- Side Museum is the one stop that runs into the evening, to 9pm, so it works as the end of a long eastern day.
Earliest closing · Aspendos
Shuts at 6:45pm and takes its last admission then, so visit it first.
Latest closing · Side Museum
Open to 9pm, last admission 8:30pm, which makes it a workable final stop.
Attractions & day trips from Antalya
What it costs, and where to book
| Plan | Tickets and transport | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern three-site guided circuit | about US$85 | Book the eastern ruins circuit |
Prices checked 18 Sep 2026 · per adult, selected guided circuit only; independent travel and meals excluded. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Where a guided day tour earns its money
The eastern circuit buys the transfer sequence and admissions; the Termessos hike buys a supported mountain outing but leaves admission separate. For a single nearby site with your own vehicle, independent travel buys more time.
Mubboo compares flights and tours and may earn a commission when a traveller uses a partner link. Booking and payment happen with the provider.
Questions people ask
Can I still see Side’s ancient theatre?
No. It is closed to visitors for restoration. The same admission covers Side Museum, so make the museum and the Apollo Temple the visit instead.
How late can I arrive at Perge or Phaselis?
Both open every day at 8am and close at 8pm, and both take their last admission at 7:30pm, so a late-afternoon start still works.
Which of these sites closes earliest?
Aspendos. It shuts at 6:45pm and stops admitting visitors at the same time, so put it first in any eastern day. It also runs an audio guidance service and a separate Museum Night session from 7pm to 9:30pm, which is not the daytime admission.
Does the guided Perge–Aspendos–Side circuit include tickets?
The reviewed TG1 option includes named attraction admissions; another option of that product does not. None of these four sites closes for a day each week, so the circuit runs any day.
Can I do Termessos without a guide?
Yes, with arranged transport and a suitable walking plan. The remains begin at the Hellenistic wall near Yenicekahve on the Antalya to Korkuteli road, and a footpath climbs from the car park to the gymnasium, colonnaded street, theatre and tombs above.
Is Phaselis on the same route as Aspendos?
No. Phaselis lies west toward Tekirova, while Aspendos is east of Antalya, so give them different days. Phaselis was a 7th-century-BC port with three harbours, and its pine cover makes it the easier of the two in high summer.
Plan deeper in Antalya
Sources (14)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Antalya Culture Directorate, Perge — antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-310900/perge.html (checked 2026-09-20)
- Türkiye Museums, Perge hours and access — muze.gov.tr/muze-detay?DistId=PRG&SectionId=PRG01 (checked 2026-09-20)
- Antalya Culture Directorate, Termessos — antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-310935/termessos.html (checked 2026-09-20)
- Antalya Culture Directorate, Aspendos — antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-67535/aspendos.html (checked 2026-09-18)
- Türkiye Museums, Aspendos hours and access — muze.gov.tr/muze-detay?SectionId=ASP01&DistId=ASP (checked 2026-09-20)
- Antalya Culture Directorate, Phaselis — antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-310911/phaselis.html (checked 2026-09-18)
- Türkiye Museums, Phaselis hours and access — muze.gov.tr/muze-detay?distId=PHS§ionId=PHS01 (checked 2026-09-20)
- Antalya Culture Directorate, Side — antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-310923/side.html (checked 2026-09-18)
- Türkiye Museums, Side Theatre hours and restoration notice — muze.gov.tr/muze-detay?SectionId=SDO01&DistId=SDO (checked 2026-09-20)
- Türkiye Museums, Side Museum hours and combined admission — muze.gov.tr/muze-detay?SectionId=SDM01&DistId=SDO (checked 2026-09-20)
- Antalya Culture Directorate, regional geography — antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-68451/inanc-turizmi.html (checked 2026-09-18)
- Antalya Culture Directorate, city and Side geography — antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-66213/genel-bilgiler.html (checked 2026-09-18)
- The booking platform Partner API, eastern circuit TG1 — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=586&term=Perge%20Aspendos%20Side%20from%20Antalya%20with%20entry (checked 2026-09-18)
- The booking platform Partner API, Termessos hike TG1 — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=586&term=Termessos%20hiking%20from%20Antalya (checked 2026-09-18)