Kaleici

It’s just simply beautiful, to wander around these old streets of an ancient Roman port is so magical . It’s so nice at sunset to see the sun disappear behind the Taurus mountains and hear the call to prayer echoed around the streets . I fell in Love with Turkey and Antalya because of this place , of course you pay a little more for everything in an around here , for the views I’d imagine . I directed friends here and they got out of the taxi and walked into the newer part of town with all the bazaars and guys trying to get you into the shop and they hated it , jumped back into the taxi and went back to their hotel . I was horrified they missed the best bit of Antalya. So make sure it’s the old town ( on the water ) that you visit .

On the plus side, Kaleici has a beautiful marina surrounded by cliffs, shops and restaurants. Walking around the Old Town Kaleici is interesting due to history and architecture with lots of interesting local shops. The town is built on a hillside so you are either walking upbank or down bank interspersed with steps here and there - people with mobility issues might struggle getting around. There is a great tram service that takes you into Antalya city or local beaches. Also lots of taxis. There are plenty of money exchange bureaus and we found the exchange rates much better there than at at home.
The down side is that you are harassed by shop keepers and stall holders desperate for you to buy from them. They will (eventually) take no for an answer but when you walk down a street and it’s one after another, it can get a bit tedious. Also, be careful of ‘rip off’ restaurants. We got stung with a bill more than 3 times expected. We subsequently learned some restaurants will show you their menu with prices for locals then charge you tourist prices. When you ask to see the menu again, they produce one with the higher prices. Thankfully we only experienced this once, on our second day. We were more wary for the rest of the holiday but everywhere else were honest and in some cases gave free items such as bread & olives before meal or plate of fruit after.
If you’re a ‘sea, sun and sand’ person, I would say Kaleichi is probably not for you but if you enjoy walking, sightseeing and soaking up local culture then you will probably love Kaleichi.

What a place !!! Just wonderful, little streets of yesteryear winding from the "Hadrian's Gate" down to the waterside marina with Ottoman and Byzantine buildings lovingly restored to gaze at in awe.
Numerous Cafes, Restaurants and boutique hotels where one is welcomed with typical Turkish generosity.
The view point at the "Toplani" cafe is where this picture is taken from which allows you to see how much the Romans achieved of which a lot remains to view.
Within the old city walls the narrow streets are adorned with numerous colourful Bougainvillea plants which are just stunning in flower.
Finally if your after those quaint Boutique hotels for a night or two on a city break this is the place ! Everything on your doorstep with Sunshine too, most have their own pools if you prefer to the sea.
My favourites were The White Garden an Ottoman merchants mansion just superb, or the Dogan both of which are surrounded by great bars and restaurants.

Fantastic place in Antalya. Romantic, cozy, great views and a glance at old times. A multitude of places to chose from going from street food, nice hipster hostels/pubs, traditional Turkish meals to healthy juice bars. Great hidden places where you can dream away of ancient times, walks between the ancient city walls and terraces with views you only see in postcards. Worth visiting

I must say, I am very impressed with Kaleici. I am here for 5 nights before heading towards Kas, probably stopping off at Adrasan on route. I thought 5 nights in Kaleici might be to many nights, I thought we might run out of things to see and do, but the place is a labyrinth of bars, restaurants, shops, bazaars, it is absolutely fantastic. Bars for young and old, classy and local food eateries, I am well impressed. You can stay in the old town, book a pension or small hotel, and wander around for hours. Go outside the gates (Hadrian) and discover further afield on the excellent Tram/Bus systems

It's not too expensive to get there from any hotel. Bus or Taxi. We went on a warm Feb day and it was so funny to see Turks in their full clobber with their big coats on when it was so warm for us. Lovely views, We had a Horse and cart/carriage ride which you can haggle the price. They pull over half way and take your photos by the sea for you with your own camera then he takes you back. Lots of little stalls and millions of shops. Visited Hadrian's Wall so don't forget that bit. Only went there to see the sights and brought back some lovely souvenirs. They will try and encourage you to buy from their stalls in the markets but that's to be expected.

Kaleici, or the Old Town, is a lovely place to visit and a must for anyone staying in or passing through Antalya. Situated in the centre of the city, it contains many museums and restaurants, hotels cars and cafes. It has a lovely historic feel to it and even in the summer, some of the narrow streets can be covered in shade making them bearable to wander around even in the hot hours of the day. That said, some of the shopkeepers you will encounter can be very insistent on inviting you into their shops and push their merchandise. While their goods are not bad quality, you’ll find very similar ones in shops all over Antalya and at better prices. Be especially wary of shops without prices as they’ll likely overcharge you for even the most basic of trinkets. Many will only accept cash.
Overall if you’re careful not to get scammed, it’s a lovely place to visit and walk around. The views are very nice.

It's cute but a little more expensive than it's worth. It's not expensive per say but it is a tourist trap so be prepared to be sold things you don't want, in a really bad Euro Lira exchange and expect to get shafted royally by taxis.

We called our hotel and they said jump in a taxi, it's a famous hotel, everybody knows it.

We thought this driver must have been from out of town because he didn't seem to know the hotel, punched it into Google maps and still asked for directions 4 times before going doing the wrong street to then ask for directions again

Then we got another taxi who pretty much did the same. Because the tourism industry is dying the taxi drivers all seem to play dumb on famous locations and not only drive the wrong way but dangerous ways and waste your time.

The old town is cute with lots of nice things to see and bit keep your eyes pealed for scams and people taking advantage of tourists.

A group of four of us went to Antalia in June. We stayed at Eftalia marin (all inclusive) upon arrival we were told at reception that all of us had to share an apartment even though we'd payed for two separate apartment's.
When we disproved we were told that the hotel was full and there was no alternative.
Dismayed and quite annoyed i insisted that it had to be sorted IMMEDIATELY!
After a brief conversation between the staff, we were told that our request to have what we paid for would be granted.
Appart from this episode we couldn't find any faults tbh.
Friendly staff, good food but no live entertainment.
Would recommend, but be prepared to be stern if they try to fob you off where apartment's are concerned.

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