Antalya City Center→Kemer

Antalya city center and Kemer feel like two different holidays, and the drive between them is the bridge. You leave behind the old walled town of Kaleiçi, the cafés of Konyaaltı and the busy streets around Cumhuriyet Square. About 36 minutes later you arrive in a pine-covered resort district where the Taurus mountains reach almost to the water. The distance is about 34 km, and for most of it you travel along the Mediterranean shoreline.

This page describes how the journey goes, what Kemer is like when you arrive, which part of the district suits which kind of traveller, and how to plan the return trip. Your transfer with Turkey Transfer is private. The vehicle carries your party only, your driver collects you from your hotel or address, and the drop-off is at your Kemer hotel or apartment.

The route follows the D400 coastal highway out of the city, heading west. At first it is an urban drive. You pass the long pebble sweep of Konyaaltı beach on the side of the sea, with the Beydağları mountains rising behind it. Palm-lined promenades, beach cafés and the last big city hotels slip by on the left and right.

After the city edge the character of the road changes. Houses thin out, the foothills close in, and the highway starts to curve along the shoreline. The Taurus range rises on one side and the open sea spreads out on the other. This is what makes the route more pleasant than a plain motorway run. The light changes with every bend, and on a clear afternoon the mountains look very close to the road.

The standard journey time is around 36 minutes in free-flowing traffic. That is a good figure to remember for planning, but a few things move it up or down:

• Where you start. Kaleiçi, Konyaaltı and the streets near Cumhuriyet Square all count as the city center, but a pickup inside the old town starts with a slow few minutes of narrow streets before you reach the main road.
• Where you finish. Beldibi and Göynük come first as you approach from Antalya. Kemer town follows. Kiriş, Çamyuva and Tekirova lie further down the coast beyond Kemer itself, so those drop-offs take longer.
• Time of day. Mid-week mornings and late evenings are usually the quietest. In the summer high season, weekend afternoons and public holidays add minutes. Summer evenings between about 17:00 and 19:00 can add roughly 10 to 15 minutes because of D400 traffic east of Kemer.
• Where in Antalya you begin. If you are staying in Lara or Kundu, the starting point is further across the city, and the trip adds about 10 kilometres of driving compared with a start in Muratpaşa. Mention the area when you book, so the driver plans for it.

If you have a time-sensitive plan, such as a boat trip or a dinner reservation in Kemer, add a comfortable margin. A margin costs you nothing. A rushed arrival is a poor start to a holiday.

Sit on the sea side if you can. The cliff coast between Beldibi and Kemer is the most dramatic part of the drive. The road runs high above small coves, and the pines fall steeply to the water. There are several viewpoints along this stretch. If you want a short photo stop, tell the driver before the cliffs begin, so he can choose a safe place to pull in.

Because the car is private, you decide how the journey feels. You can ask the driver about the towns you pass, you can sleep after an early flight, or you can keep the windows of the cabin quiet and just watch the coast. The air-conditioned cabin is a real advantage in July and August, when the temperature outside is high.

The pickup is simple, but a few practical details help the start go smoothly.

Hotels in the center. The driver meets you in the lobby or at the entrance. If your hotel is on a pedestrian street, the driver may wait at the nearest road point where cars can stop. Check this with your hotel the day before. The reception can tell you where the car will wait.

Kaleiçi. The old town has narrow lanes with Ottoman-era houses, and some of them are closed to larger vehicles. If you stay in a small boutique hotel inside the walls, it is normal to walk a short way with your bags to the vehicle. Tell us the name of the hotel and the nearest landmark, for example Hadrian's Gate or the Yivli Minaret, and the driver will meet you at the most practical point.

Apartments and private addresses. Send the full address and a phone number, preferably one that works on WhatsApp. The driver can then message you when he arrives.

Luggage. Tell us how many bags you carry, and the number of people, when you book. A couple with two cases fits an economy van without any trouble. A family with a pushchair, a child seat and four large bags needs a business van. A group of ten or more with luggage needs the 13-seat minibus. A correct vehicle at the start means nobody sits with a case on the lap for 36 minutes.

Kemer is a resort town set beneath the Taurus pines, where the mountains meet the Mediterranean. It is a small town with a clear centre and a long chain of resorts on either side. The beaches are of Blue Flag pebble, so bring water shoes if you have sensitive feet. The sea is clear and cool, and the mountain backdrop gives the whole place a green, shaded feel that is different from the open sand and flat horizon of other parts of the coast.

Your driver takes you to the entrance of your hotel. Kemer-area resorts are used to arriving transfer vehicles. Large hotels have wide forecourts and a lobby team that helps with luggage. Hotels in the area include Maxx Royal Kemer, Rixos Sungate, Crystal Sungate, Amara Premier Palace, Akra V and Phaselis Resort. All of them accept pre-booked vehicles at the lobby.

If you stay in a small apartment complex or a hillside villa, send the exact address, and a map pin if you can. Some streets in Kemer are steep and narrow, and a pin helps the driver find the right gate the first time.

The Kemer district is not one place. It is a coastal strip with several different characters. The transfer covers all of them, and the drop-off is at the hotel lobby in any of these areas, so you can choose the area that fits your holiday.

The centre is the best choice if you want to walk to restaurants, shops, the marina and the beach in the evening. The marina sits at the heart of the town. The Moonlight (Aquapark) beach is a short walk away, and the open-air Yörük park overlooks the bay. Couples, groups of friends and families with older children often like this area, because everything is close and you do not need a car during the stay.

Beldibi is the first resort area you reach when you come from Antalya. Göynük follows. These areas suit travellers who want a slightly quieter holiday and a shorter transfer. They are also practical for people who plan to return to Antalya for sightseeing in the old town, because the drive back is short. Göynük is also near the Göynük Canyon, where you can walk and cool off in the water. This is a good outing on a hot day.

These areas lie further down the coast beyond Kemer town. Here the pines are thicker, the resorts are larger, and the feel is more of a retreat. Many of the big all-inclusive resorts are here. Families who plan to spend most of the week inside the hotel grounds, with a pool, a children's club and a private stretch of beach, often choose this part of the coast. The transfer from Antalya takes a little longer, so plan for it. Tekirova is also the closest base for the ruins of Phaselis and for the Olympos coast.

Kemer is a good base because the best outings are all close. A private car transfer gets you settled at the hotel. After that you can plan the days.

• Phaselis. The Roman-Lycian harbour ruins sit among pines on the coast. There are harbours and coves where you can swim. Walk among the old stones, then cool off in the sea. This is one of the most attractive day trips from Kemer.
• Olympos. The ancient site and its beaches lie further down the coast. It is a longer day out, and it suits people who like a mix of history and a wild, natural setting.
• Tahtalı cable car. The cable car climbs to a summit high above the sea. The views reach over the coast and the mountains. Go on a clear day, and take a light jacket, because it is cooler at the top.
• Boat trips. Many visitors use Kemer as a jumping-off point for boat trips along the shoreline. The marina is the natural starting point.

Kemer in the evening is relaxed. The marina area has restaurants and bars, and the main streets fill with people after sunset. A walk along the marina at sunset, with the mountains turning dark behind the boats, is a classic Kemer evening. If you come from Antalya, you will notice the calmer pace. The city center has fish restaurants at the old harbour and cafés on every corner. Kemer is quieter and greener.

A family trip on this route works well when you plan three things.

Child seats. Infant, toddler and booster seats (ISOFIX) are available free of charge on request. Tell us the children's ages when you book, so the correct seats are fitted before pickup. Do not wait until the driver arrives.

Space. A child seat, a pushchair and the family luggage take more room than you expect. If you travel with small children, choose a business van, even when the group is small. The extra room makes the 36 minutes calmer.

The road. The D400 has curves along the shoreline. A child who gets car sick may want to sit near the window and look at the horizon. Keep water and a light snack in the cabin. The driver can stop at a safe place if a child needs a break.

Many guests use this route to connect with Antalya Airport (AYT). The airport is about 13 km from the city center. If your transfer is linked to an arrival or a departure, the driver follows your flight, so the pickup time adjusts to the real landing or departure time. A delayed flight does not cause a problem.

Late arrival in Kemer. If your flight lands late and you drive to Kemer at night, tell your hotel. A hotel that knows your arrival time keeps the desk open and prepares the room. The roads are quieter at night, so the drive is usually comfortable. Your driver still takes you to the entrance of the hotel.

Early start from Kemer. Early morning departures are straightforward to arrange. Choose the pickup time carefully, and send the hotel name and room number before you go to bed. Then there is nothing to organise in the morning except the bags.

The route back from Kemer to Antalya city center or to the airport is the same road in the other direction. The return is easy to book together with the arrival, and you can ask for both directions at the same time. This keeps the same service for the whole trip, and you do not need to organise a second booking from your hotel.

Some practical points for the return:

• Plan the pickup time with a margin. For a flight, count backward from the departure time. Allow for the drive down the coast, time at the airport for check-in and security, and a margin for traffic on the D400. Summer evenings, between about 17:00 and 19:00, can be slower east of Kemer.
• Count the distance inside Kemer. If your hotel is in Tekirova or Çamyuva, you start further down the coast than a hotel in Kemer town, so you need to leave earlier.

If you plan a day trip from Kemer to Antalya for sightseeing, tell the driver the time you want to return, and agree on a place for the pickup. Konyaaltı beach and the entrance to Kaleiçi are both easy meeting points.

Kemer works for a stay of a few days or a full week, and its position means you settle into resort life quickly once the transfer drops you at the door. The seasons change the character of the journey and the destination.

Spring and early summer. The pines are green, the sea is cool, and the day trips to Phaselis and the Tahtalı cable car are pleasant, with fewer people. The drive along the D400 is usually quiet.

High summer. July and August are the busiest months. The beaches, the marina and the roads are full. The air-conditioned cabin makes a large difference after a hot day in the city. Allow extra time for weekend afternoons and public holidays, and for the early evening traffic near Kemer.

Whatever the season, Kemer is a place for slowing down. The trip from Antalya city center is short enough that you arrive fresh, and long enough to give you a first taste of the coast.

Kemer attracts more than beach holidaymakers. The pine hills behind the town suit walkers, cyclists and divers, and the Lycian Way, the long-distance footpath of this coast, passes through the Kemer area. If your group arrives with bike boxes, diving bags, trekking packs or golf clubs, the vehicle choice matters more than the distance.

Sports luggage is bulky rather than heavy. A bike box does not fit in the space of a normal suitcase, and a diving bag takes the room of two. When you book, list the items and the number of passengers. Then the team can match your party to the right vehicle. A group with sports gear usually needs a bigger vehicle than the head count suggests.

• Twelve or thirteen people. The 13-seat minibus keeps everyone together, with one pickup time and one driver to follow.
• Two families on one flight. Two smaller vehicles can be easier than one crowded one, especially if the families stay in different parts of the Kemer district. Give both hotel names when you book.
• Mixed pickups in the city. If part of your group stays in Kaleiçi and part in Konyaaltı, agree one meeting point in advance. The old town lanes are narrow, so a wide vehicle waits on the nearest road.

If you plan to hire bikes or join a diving trip, ask your hotel how it handles equipment on arrival. Some resorts keep a storage room. Others do not. A short message before you travel saves a long conversation at the lobby.

July and August are not the only good months for this coast. The shoulder seasons suit travellers who prefer a calmer pace.

Autumn. The crowds thin out after the summer peak, while the sea stays warm from the long hot months. Beach days are still comfortable, and the marina in Kemer is easier to enjoy without a queue at every table. The D400 is quieter, so the 36-minute estimate is easier to trust.

Winter. The Taurus mountains look their best now. The air is clear, and the peaks behind the road can carry snow while the coast stays mild. This is the season for walking in the pines, for visiting Phaselis without the heat, and for a quiet stay in a hotel with few other guests. Expect rain on some days, and pack a light waterproof jacket. Some seasonal beach cafés and boat operators work a reduced schedule or close for the winter, so check your plans with the hotel before you travel.

Early spring. The road is green, and the days warm up quickly. The sea is still cool, so this is a time for hiking, for the Tahtalı cable car and for exploring Antalya city center on foot.

One point applies to all three seasons. Daylight is shorter outside summer. If your flight lands in the evening, the cliff section of the coast road is dark, and the views are not visible. If the scenery matters to you, choose a daytime arrival, or save the cliffs for the return journey.

An evening departure gives you a whole extra day, and Kemer is a good place to use it. The problem is the hotel room. Check-out is usually in the morning, and the flight is many hours away.

Ask the reception three things the evening before. Can they keep your bags after check-out? Can you use the pool or the showers afterwards? Can they give you a late check-out? Many hotels in the area handle these requests often. When your suitcases are safe at the lobby, you can travel light.

Then choose one outing that finishes early enough:

• A slow morning at Phaselis. Walk among the old harbour stones and swim in one of the coves.
• Göynük Canyon. A short, cool walk in the water works well on a hot day. Wear shoes that can get wet, and bring a dry change of clothes.
• A last walk in Kemer town. Buy small gifts, drink a final Turkish tea by the marina and watch the boats.

For lunch, look for the dishes of the Antalya region. Piyaz, a salad of white beans with tahini and egg, is a local speciality that many visitors miss. Fresh fish, grilled meat and gözleme, the thin filled flatbread, are easy to find in Kemer and at the old harbour in Antalya. Local markets in the district sell fruit, spices and olive products, which travel well in a bag. Ask your hotel which day the nearest market runs.

Do not leave the last hours to chance. Count backward from your flight time, as described in the return trip section above, and allow for the evening D400 traffic. Choose a pickup time with a clear margin, and tell the driver where the bags wait. Then the last afternoon is a pleasure, not a race.