Kaleici ('inside the castle') is Antalya's walled historic quarter, a well-known old-town area on a clifftop above the Roman harbour. The bazaar is not a single building but a network of cobbled Ottoman lanes — most concentrated along Uzun Carsi Caddesi (Long Bazaar Street) and the streets running between Hadrian's Gate and the marina. Shops sell leather goods, handwoven carpets and kilims, hand-painted ceramics and tiles, gold and silver jewellery, glass mosaic lamps, spices, meerschaum carvings, and a wide range of Turkish souvenirs. Haggling is common, and many vendors start above their expected final price. Most shops accept Turkish Lira cash and some take cards, though cash is often preferred for negotiation.
The visit combines shopping with one of the best-preserved ancient town centres in Turkey. Hadrian's Gate, the Kesik Minaret Mosque, the Roman harbour, and the clifftop promenade are all within the same pedestrian zone. Most visitors spend 2–3 hours on shopping and extend the day to a half-day by walking the harbour and taking lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants. From any resort hotel outside Antalya city, this is a committed day trip — and the parking and transport challenges around Kaleici mean the logistics require thought.
Practical Information for Your Visit
- Best Time to Visit
- Early morning (before 10:00) or late afternoon (after 16:00) in July and August — the narrow lanes get extremely hot and crowded at midday in peak season. April–June and September–October offer comfortable temperatures and noticeably fewer crowds. Most shops are open 7 days a week throughout the tourist season, typically from around 09:00 to 19:00–20:00.
- Time Needed
- Plan around 3 hours as the standard transfer waiting window for focused bazaar shopping. If you also add the harbour, Hadrian's Gate, Kesik Minaret, and lunch, the visit can extend to half a day. Standard wait included; extra waiting can be arranged on request.
- What to Bring
- Cash in Turkish Lira for the best prices (some vendors accept cards at a small premium). Comfortable walking shoes for cobbled streets — heels are impractical. A reusable bag for purchases. In summer: water, sunscreen, and a hat. Bargaining is expected — it is a normal part of the transaction, not confrontational.
- Opening Hours
- Individual shops set their own hours. Most open around 09:00–09:30 and close between 19:00 and 20:00. Some stay open later in high season (June–September). The area is open-air and accessible at all hours, but most shops close by 20:00. In winter (November–March) a significant number of shops close or reduce hours.
Private Transfer vs Taxi or Dolmuş to Kaleici Old Bazaar
A metered taxi from Lara or Belek to Kaleici is possible, and many tourists do use them for the outbound journey. The taxi can drop you near Hadrian's Gate. The return is the complication. After several hours walking the bazaar in summer heat, carrying bags through narrow streets and then trying to flag a taxi outside the pedestrian zone — one that will take you back to Belek or Side for a fair metered fare — is not the end to the day most people plan for.
Dolmus from resort strips does not directly serve Kaleici. From Belek you would take a dolmus to Antalya otogar and then arrange an onward taxi or bus into the city centre — a multi-leg journey that takes the better part of an hour in each direction and requires local knowledge to navigate. From Alanya, the long-haul bus to Antalya is available but the whole trip by public transport from a Side or Alanya hotel to Kaleici and back takes most of the day in transit alone.
For Belek, Kemer, and particularly Alanya guests, the private transfer is not a luxury; it is what makes the Kaleici day trip realistic at all. The fixed price eliminates fare negotiation, the door-to-door routing removes the parking problem, and the confirmed return vehicle means the end of the day is as relaxed as the morning.
