If you haven’t planned a vacation for two in Istanbul for a long time, and don`t look towards things to do in Istanbul for couples, since you have a big family. So, then this list of activities for children in Antalya will suit you better.
Are you going to the Turkish Riviera and want to know what you can experience in the region around Antalya with children? We tell you the 10 best excursion tips for families, which guarantee a lot of fun.
6 great destinations in and around Antalya with children
Antalya is THE destination for a beach vacation in Turkey. The hotels in the province on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast have fully geared up for families with children during the summer months. Here is about all the important tips for a trip with the family, including the best excursions, attractions and useful tips on traveling in Turkey. Check the best hotels of the region at https://karta.com
1. The Land of Legends Theme Park
A theme park with roller coasters, 55 water slides, a fairy tale castle, daily live shows with dozens of performers and a shopping center make The Land of Legends in Belek the “Disneyland by the sea” in Antalya. The theme park is currently the most popular attraction for the whole family in the province of Antalya. You can book tickets for The Land of Legends with a shuttle bus transfer in all the surrounding resorts. This already includes admission to the theme park. The water slides, roller coasters and all other attractions are already included in the entrance fee.
If you are looking for a great hotel for a special occasion, such as a birthday, The Land of Legends Kingdom Hotel is a recommendation. All rooms have a Playstation, there are various playgrounds and a Kids Club in the hotel. Admission to the theme park is automatically included in the Kingdom Hotel.
2. Great Aqua Park Hotels in Antalya
Antalya is the destination with the most aqua park hotels on the Mediterranean. Almost all big 5 star resorts between Kemer and Alanya have at least a couple of slides at their pool, like our hotel recommendation: Limak Lara. But other hotels stand out especially. Aquaparks with more than 20 slides belong, for example, to Paloma Orenda Hotel*, Paloma Finesse Hotel*, Delphin BE Grand* and Ali Bey Club & Park Hotel*. Somewhat less expensive is Club Grand Side* with Amazon Water World. An excellent high class hotel with an aqua park is the Selectum Luxury in Belek*.
These hotels have at least one kids and teen club. Children meet new friends there, play together and spend the day. For parents, good hotels have their own quiet pool to relax.
3. Excursion to the Old Town of Side
Side is the center of tourism in Turkey from the German point of view. The ancient city looks back on more than 3,000 years of history. Huge monuments from the rich history of Side are buildings like the Roman Theater with more than 10,000 seats. You can visit it well together with your children.
The peninsula of Side is today also one of the best places for shopping, eating and walking. You can see ancient ruins on every corner of the alleys of Side, you can shop in the bazaar, visit the Archaeological Museum and have a meal at the harbor. If you like, there are also small tours at the port of Side. How to get to Side? From the surrounding resorts between Colakli and Titreyengöl, the easiest and cheapest way is to take a public Dolmus minibus. From the other resorts we recommend a rental car or a trip with a minibus.
4. Sailing Trip in a Pirate Boat
Antalya was a feared base for pirates at the time of Julius Caesar. They even took Caesar hostage once before his great time as a general. Pompey, the adversary of Julius Caesar in the Roman Civil War, defeated the Cilician pirates in Antalya in today’s Alanya. The pirate looking ships in the whole province of Antalya still date back to this story. They depart for sailing trips from the marina in Antalya’s old town of Kaleici, the port of Alanya and the port of Kemer.
The program depends on the port. In Kemer you will take the boats to the former city harbor of the ancient city of Phaselis. There you will have a swim, a barbecue on the boats and depending on the program there will be a party or a leisurely trip back to the harbor. The program in Alanya is similar: Here you drive along the peninsula with the castle mountain to quiet beaches and then back again. From the marina in Antalya you go to the 50 m high Düden waterfall at the cliffs of Antalya and back again. Time for swimming is usually not included in the excursion.
If you live near Kemer, the boat trip to the harbor of Phaselis is my recommendation. Where else can you swim between the ruins of an ancient city that once had more than 40,000 inhabitants?
5. Nature: Sea turtles, Ancient ruins and Gas Fields burning for 2,700 years.
Cirali in Olympos Beydaglari National Park is the ecotourism destination in Turkey. Here, no house can be taller than a palm tree, the beach is protected for the Caretta Caretta sea turtles, and the restaurants grow vegetables organically themselves in the gardens. Along the kilometer long Olympos beach there is still enough space to lie in the sun. In addition, you can visit the ruins of the ancient port city of Olympos in Cirali.
Another highlight in the province of Antalya with children is the hike to the Yanartas-Chimeira. This is a natural gas field in the mountains that has been burning for at least 2,700 years. The hike from the north end of Olympos beach to the first burning flames takes only 30 minutes. It is especially popular in the evening, with a few marshmallows in your backpack. The small hotels in Cirali are happy to organize the excursion.
6. Visit Santa Claus in Myra with the family
Nicholas of Myra is the real historical person behind the stories of “Saint Nicholas”, “Father Frost” and “Santa Claus”. He was the bishop of the Roman city of Myra on the Lycian coast, in the west of Antalya province. The ruins of Myra, together with the 2,300-year-old Lycian rock tombs, a Roman theater with more than 10,000 seats and the St. Nicholas Basilica in Demre, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
How to get there. The D-400 highway connects all the seaside resorts along the coast of Antalya province directly to Myra. This makes it easy to get there with a rental car. The Lycian Coast is famous for the scenic road with switchbacks along the sea. Alternatively, there are excursions by minibus from all the seaside resorts to Myra.
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