Antalya International Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended…

Antalya is the main airport for the Turkish Riviera, with a historic centre reachable in under 25 minutes and several resort strips stretching along the coast at very different distances: Lara and Konyaaltı stay within the city limits, while Belek and Kemer are genuine satellite towns further away. The choice depends mainly on the type of holiday: sandy beach and city life at Lara, pebbles and a more local atmosphere at Konyaaltı, golf at Belek, mountains dropping to the sea at Kemer.

Kepez, around the airport

Airport area · About 8 minutes by car or shuttle from the terminal.

Best for: Short layovers and dawn flights, staying a few minutes from the terminal instead of heading down to the coast.

Pros

Dedicated airport shuttle at both hotels
A position halfway between the airport and the city, useful also for those who need to get downtown for work

Cons

No beach within easy reach: the sea still needs 15-20 minutes
A transit area, of little interest for a genuine holiday

Recommended hotels in this area

Hampton by Hilton Antalya Airport: In Kepez, 8 minutes from the terminal with a dedicated shuttle; free breakfast and parking included.
IC Hotels Airport: 800 metres from the terminal, opened in 2002 by the Turkish group IC Hotels (not linked to the InterContinental chain despite the similar name); indoor and outdoor pool, shuttle around the clock.

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Kaleiçi, the historic centre

City centre · About 14 km and 20-25 minutes by car from the terminal.

Best for: Those who want the historic centre, the Venetian walls and the evening life of the old harbour.

Pros

Hadrian's Gate, the Clock Tower and the old harbour reachable on foot
Mermerli beach about 500 metres away, in the heart of the historic centre

Cons

The old bazaar's alleys are noisy and crowded in high season
Few parking spaces: those with a rental car must leave it outside the walls

Recommended hotels in this area

Alp Pasa Hotel - Special Class: Restored Ottoman house within the walls of Kaleiçi, 3 minutes from Hadrian's Gate and 500 metres from Mermerli beach; 50 individually furnished rooms.

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Lara Beach

Neighbourhood · About 12-15 km and 15-20 minutes by car from the terminal, the shortest transfer to a real beach among the zones in this guide.

Best for: Those who want the sandy beach closest to the airport, with all-inclusive hotels a few minutes from the centre.

Pros

Lara's sandy beach just steps away, among the closest to the airport in all of Antalya
All-inclusive hotels designed for families, with lower prices than Belek or Kemer

Cons

The area is almost entirely hotels and resorts: little to see beyond the beach
In high season, Lara's seafront is very crowded

Recommended hotels in this area

Adalya Elite Lara Hotel - Ultra All Inclusive: Ultra all-inclusive resort just steps from Lara beach, with a wide choice of restaurants and evening entertainment.
Holiday Inn Antalya - Lara by IHG: More intimate than the area's large resorts, a few minutes from Lara beach.

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Konyaaltı

Neighbourhood · About 15-20 km and 20-30 minutes by car from the terminal.

Best for: Those who prefer Konyaaltı's pebble beach and a more residential district than Lara.

Pros

Konyaaltı Beach Park about 15 minutes on foot, with the city's longest pedestrian seafront
A more local, less touristy district than Lara, often with lower prices

Cons

The beach is pebbly, not sandy like Lara's
Fewer direct connections to the historic centre than from Lara

Recommended hotels in this area

Mercure Antalya Konyaalti: Recently opened hotel about 15 minutes on foot from Konyaaltı beach.
Wyndham Garden Antalya Konyaalti: On the D400 highway, about 17 km from the airport, with easy access to Konyaaltı beach.

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Belek

Nearby town · About 35 km and 25-35 minutes by car from the terminal, longer in high season on the road to Belek.

Best for: Those coming for golf or wanting a resort on a long sandy beach, away from the bustle of the centre.

Pros

Next to the PGA Sultan and Pasha courses of the Antalya Golf Club
Wider, less crowded beaches than those in the city centre

Cons

An area made up almost entirely of resorts: without a car it's hard to leave your own hotel
Further from the airport than Lara or Konyaaltı

Recommended hotels in this area

Kempinski Hotel The Dome Belek: In Kadriye, next to the Antalya Golf Club; a 2,123 sqm pool with connected lagoons and a private beach on the Mediterranean.
Mercure Antalya Belek: 7 minutes on foot from Belka Golf Club and 2 minutes by car from Kadriye beach.

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Kemer

Nearby town · About 45 km and 40-55 minutes by car from the terminal to central Kemer; some resorts in the area, such as Akra Kemer, state up to 65 km and 70-80 minutes on their own official website.

Best for: Those who want the coast at the foot of the Taurus Mountains, greener and less built-up than Lara or Belek.

Pros

Taurus Mountains dropping sheer to the sea, more dramatic scenery than the central beaches
Central Kemer with its harbour and evening life a short distance from the resorts

Cons

The transfer from the airport is among the longest in this guide
In high season, traffic on the coast road to Kemer can noticeably lengthen travel times

Recommended hotels in this area

DoubleTree by Hilton Antalya-Kemer All-Inclusive Resort: In central Kemer, with Ibiza Beach Club and food trucks among the evening offerings.
Akra Kemer - Ultra All Inclusive: 600 metres from central Kemer, born as the Barut brand in 1971 and renamed Akra in 2023; 360 rooms and a wide range of sports facilities.

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