Historic Antalya: A Quick Guide to the Landmarks of Kaleiçi (The Old Town)

Gigi Goes
2 hours ago
3 min read

Antalya’s Old Town, Kaleiçi, isn’t very big, and somehow it carries 2,000 years of history without feeling heavy. You can walk a few minutes and pass Roman arches, Ottoman mansions, forgotten wooden houses, and cliffs that drop straight into the Mediterranean. It’s one of those places where history doesn’t sit behind glass in some museum. It’s just there, casually blending into city life and waiting for you to walk its cobblestone roads.

Here’s a simple guide to the historic side of Antalya, based on the spots we wandered through.

Hadrian’s Gate: The Roman Welcome Arch

You can’t miss Hadrian’s Gate: three marble arches built in the year 130 CE to honor Emperor Hadrian’s visit. Most Roman monuments look distant and fenced off, but this one still functions as a passageway into daily life. Kids run under it, tourists pose in the arches, and locals use the surrounding stones as casual seating. When the sun comes through the carved ceilings of the arches, it makes me wonder how many humans have witnessed the same sight.

Hıdırlık Tower: The Ancient Cliffside Watchpoint

Down by the cliffs sits Hıdırlık Tower, a round stone structure from the 2nd century. Its original purpose is a bit of a mystery (maybe a lighthouse, maybe a defensive tower) but its location makes total sense. The view over the bay is massive: blue water, mountains in layers, and boats gliding below. Even if the tower itself is closed, standing beside it gives you one of the most dramatic history-meets-nature moments in Antalya.

The Old Harbor Cliffs: History Meets the Sea

From the upper park paths, you can look down at Antalya’s harbor, the same one used by ancient traders, sailors... and probably a few pirates. Today it’s calmer (restaurants, boats-for-hire, families strolling), but the cliffs still have that untouchable Mediterranean energy. This photo of the coastline captures that unreal blue water and the curve of the cliffs that once protected the city.

Ottoman Buildings, Old and New

Wandering through Kaleiçi, you’ll see a mix of restored Ottoman houses and ones that look like they’re one strong breeze away from collapsing. That’s part of the town’s charm. The restored homes have wooden bay windows, colorful façades, and tiled roofs, while the older ones show their age in a way that makes you slow down and stare. We found a perfect example, a wooden house with its beams sagging and vines taking over, and a new found appreciation that not everything old gets polished for tourism.

The City Walls and Stone Structures

Throughout the old town, the original fortification walls pop up in unexpected places. Some pieces have shops built directly into them, others are draped in vines. The stones date back to the Roman and Byzantine periods, reworked again by the Seljuks and Ottomans. It’s the kind of thing you notice when you take a step back and look up...

Everyday Life Surrounded by History

One of the best scenes I captured was a street café full of local men drinking tea and playing games, completely unfazed by the ruins and historic homes around them. (If that's retirement then sign me up!) That’s the essence of Kaleiçi: history is the backdrop, not the event. Life goes on.

Sunset Over the Ancient Bay

If you can, end your walk with a view of the Mediterranean at sunset. Here, I captured the sun dropping behind the mountains, a soft, almost pastel sky reflected on the water. The silhouette of the boats makes you wonder what age you're actually in. It’s the perfect place to realize you’re standing in a city that has been home to Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans… and now, for a day, you.