Turkish Riviera Coast Guide: Kemer, Belek, Side, Olympos

7 min read · Published: September 2, 2023 · Updated: October 29, 2026 · Prices and details checked: October 2026

The Turkish Riviera is the Mediterranean coast around Antalya, and it works best if you treat it as a strip of very different stops rather than one destination. Belek suits golf and large family resorts, Kemer sits between pine forest and mountains, Side combines a beach town with Roman ruins, and Olympos is the quiet, simple end of the coast. Pick the stop first, then the hotel.

Table of contents

1. Which stretch of the Turkish Riviera suits which kind of trip?
2. Why do families and golfers choose Belek?
3. Is Side worth a stay for the ruins and the beach?
4. What does Kemer offer that the flat resort coast does not?
5. Which ancient sites are worth a day trip?
6. What is there to do around Olympos and Çıralı?
7. All-inclusive resort or small pension: which should you choose?
8. When is the best time to visit?
9. FAQ
10. Plan your Turkish Riviera trip

Which stretch of the Turkish Riviera suits which kind of trip?

Choose by the type of holiday: Belek for resorts and golf, Side for beach plus history, Kemer for mountain scenery and boat trips, Olympos for a simple, nature-led stay.

Going from west to east, the coast changes character. Around Olympos and Çıralı the mountains drop almost straight to the sea and there is little development. Kemer is a purpose-built resort town with forested hills behind it, which makes it greener and often a little cooler than the flatter stretches. Antalya forms the middle, with its old town and airport. East of the city, Belek and Side lie on a flat coastal plain with long sandy beaches, and the resorts there are the biggest on the coast.

Why do families and golfers choose Belek?

Belek is a resort area rather than a town: a long line of large hotels and golf courses behind a wide sandy beach, close to Antalya Airport. That makes transfers short, which matters with small children.

Almost everything happens inside the hotel grounds, including pools, kids’ clubs, restaurants and sports. Outside the resorts there is little to walk to, so you rely on excursions or a taxi for anything else. If you want to wander through a real town in the evening, Side is the better base.

Is Side worth a stay for the ruins and the beach?

Yes, if you want to combine a beach holiday with sights you can reach on foot. Side sits on a small peninsula, and the Roman theatre and the Temple of Apollo at the water’s edge are part of the town itself.

The old quarter is compact and busy with shops and restaurants, and the beaches on either side are sandy and long. The Temple of Apollo is most atmospheric late in the day, when the light is softer and the day-trip crowds have left. Side is also a practical base for the wider coast, since buses and tour operators run from here in several directions.

What does Kemer offer that the flat resort coast does not?

Kemer gives you mountains, pine forest and boat trips along a rugged shoreline. The beaches here are mostly pebble or mixed, and the water drops off quickly, so it is a good fit if swimming from a platform or a boat appeals more to you than a wide sandy shore.

From Kemer the Taurus mountains are close, and so is Phaselis, a ruined Greek and Roman port city set among pines around three small harbours. You can swim in the bays beside the ruins, which makes it one of the easiest ancient sites to combine with a beach day.

Which ancient sites are worth a day trip?

Three sites stand out: Perge, Aspendos and Phaselis. Each takes a half day, and none is hard to reach from the main resort areas by organised tour, rental car or public transport plus a taxi.

• Perge: a Greek and Roman city just east of Antalya, with a colonnaded main street, a theatre and a large stadium. Go early, because the site has little shade.
• Aspendos: home to one of the best preserved Roman theatres anywhere. The stage building is still largely intact, and concerts are held there in summer, so check the programme if you want an evening visit.
• Phaselis: a harbour city south of Kemer, best combined with a swim, as described above.

Ticket prices and opening hours change, so check the operator’s current information before you go. We do not list figures here because they are updated often.

What is there to do around Olympos and Çıralı?

Olympos and neighbouring Çıralı are the quiet end of the coast: a forested valley with Lycian ruins, a pebble beach and very simple accommodation. People come for walking, swimming and slow evenings rather than for entertainment.

The ruins lie along a stream that runs down to the sea, and you pass through them on the way to the beach. Nearby are the Chimaira flames, small natural gas fires that burn on a mountain slope and are best seen after dark. Take a torch and sturdy shoes for the walk up. The Lycian Way, a long-distance hiking trail, runs through this area, so shorter stretches of it make good day walks outside the hottest months.

All-inclusive resort or small pension: which should you choose?

Choose all-inclusive if you travel with children, want fixed costs and plan to spend most of the day at the hotel. Choose a small pension or boutique property if you want to eat in town, move around and spend less time inside one complex.

All-inclusive is the norm in Belek, Side and parts of Kemer, and it usually covers meals, snacks and local drinks, with extras charged separately. Check what is included before you book, particularly for à la carte restaurants and activities. Small pensions are concentrated in Olympos, Çıralı and the older parts of Side. They tend to offer breakfast and sometimes dinner, which pushes you out into the local restaurants. Book early for peak summer, because the best-placed small properties are few and fill first.

When is the best time to visit?

Late spring and early autumn give the best balance: the sea is warm enough for swimming, the days are hot but manageable and the sights are far less crowded than in high summer. July and August can be very hot, and walking around the ancient sites is much more comfortable in the morning.

Winter is mild but not a beach season, and many seasonal resorts and restaurants close or reduce service. Golfers often prefer the shoulder months for exactly this reason.

FAQ

Plan your Turkish Riviera trip

Decide first which stretch of the coast fits your travel style, then match the hotel type and the day trips to it. If you would like help with flights, hotels and transfers, we can arrange them through our booking service.

Image credits: Camille Minouflet, Unsplash; Leo Rivas, Unsplash; Pixabay / sulox32; Feyza Gonulal, Pexels; Pixabay / hulkiokantabak