What are the best self-guided day trips and excursions from Antalya, Turkey?

There's a current question about whether tourists are allowed inside the Yivli Minaret and the mosque itself in Kaleiçi, Antalya, as of August 2026.

From Beldibi, Göynük Canyon is easy to reach on your own by Yandex taxi. The 'Relax' yacht boat trip was a highlight worth repeating. Other recommended stops include the Olympos cable car (teleferik) and Kaleiçi old town in Antalya, though long walks around Kaleiçi may be tiring for elderly travelers.

For a leisurely route, take the road via the ancient Lycian city of Arykanda — free entry, worth about two hours to see the amphitheater, stadium, baths, agora and mosaics. Further along are lavender fields before the town of Elmalı, which itself has an old mosque, a craft street, Ottoman houses with tiled roofs, and a free two-floor archaeological museum with a decent collection.