Antalya City Center→Kundu

Antalya city center and Kundu sit only about 10 km apart, yet they feel like two separate holidays. The center is a working Mediterranean city with a walled old town, a harbour, parks and busy shopping streets. Kundu is a resort strip of large five-star hotels, themed architecture and long sandy beach. The private transfer between them takes around 11 minutes on a clear road. That is short enough to treat as a simple change of scenery, and long enough that a comfortable car with your luggage loaded for you makes a real difference.

This page walks through the journey as a holidaymaker lives it: pickup, the road, the hotel gate, late and early travel, children, and the return trip to the airport.

From the center the car heads east, away from the old town and the harbour, toward the stretch of coast known as the Lara side of Antalya. You leave behind the crowded streets around the historic core and join the wide, fast roads that carry traffic along the bay. The D400 is the main artery in this direction, and the route continues toward the Aksu area, where Kundu lies. The city thins out quickly. Apartment blocks give way to hotel complexes, landscaped entrances and palm-lined approach roads.

Distance is about 10 km and the usual driving time is about 11 minutes. In practice that means you can finish a coffee in the lobby, meet your driver, and be unpacking in your resort room before the coffee has gone cold. For most guests this is the most relaxed leg of the whole trip. There are no transfers between vehicles, no stops at other hotels, and no need to follow a map.

The view changes as you go. The city skyline fades, the Mediterranean opens up for much of the way, and then the first big resort building appears. Kundu is famous for its replica landmarks, and they often rise above the roofline before the car reaches the hotel gate. Children enjoy spotting them.

Eleven minutes is the figure for a clear run. Mornings outside peak weeks are usually quiet. Midday in high summer brings more traffic toward the beaches. Late afternoon and early evening are the slowest hours, so add a margin if you have a dinner booking or a flight. Check-in and check-out times at the big hotels can also make the resort access roads busy.

Your transfer is private and pre-booked. A busy road changes the clock but not the plan. The driver still takes you straight to your hotel without collecting anyone else on the way.

Your driver meets you at the hotel, residence or address you give when you book. For hotels with a normal front entrance on a street where cars can stop, the pickup is simple. The driver arrives at the agreed time, helps with every bag, and you leave from the door.

The old town needs a little more planning. Kaleiçi has narrow lanes and pedestrian areas, and some boutique hotels there cannot be reached by a full-size car. In that case the driver meets you at a nearby point where cars are allowed. Common meeting points are the parking area by Hadrian's Gate, the area around Karaalioğlu Park, and the Mermerli side of the old harbour. The driver can help with bags to the car, but it is wise to travel light through the lanes and tell your hotel the time of your pickup so staff can help you carry luggage to the meeting point. If you are not sure whether your hotel is in a pedestrian zone, write the hotel name in your booking notes and we will confirm the best meeting point with you before the day.

For larger hotels around the center, such as business hotels near the beach and the main streets, the driver can normally come to the entrance directly. Give the exact hotel name and, if you want, the room or lobby area where you will wait.

Check-in at a resort usually opens in the afternoon, and many Kundu hotels hold luggage if you arrive early. A pickup soon after your city check-out lets you drop bags in Kundu and use the pool straight away. If you want the old town first, ask reception to keep your bags and book the pickup for late afternoon.

Kundu hotels are large, and many sit behind long landscaped entrance roads. The strip contains a number of big properties close together, some with similar styles and names. This is where a local driver is useful. The drivers on this route know the main resorts, among them Mardan Palace, Royal Wings, Spice, Limak Lara, Asteria Kremlin and Bellaresort, Topkapı Palace, and Delphin Be Grand and Imperial. They take you to the correct main entrance on the first attempt, so you do not end up at the neighbouring hotel's gate with your bags.

At the entrance the doormen or bellboys usually take over the luggage. Reception staff then handle check-in. If your room is not ready, the hotel will normally store your bags and you can go to the pool or beach. If the hotel has a separate villa section or a beach entrance, send us the hotel name and booking details beforehand. We pass them to the driver.

Kundu is a resort district east of central Antalya, in the Aksu area, along the Lara beach coastline. It is best known as Antalya's luxury hotel strip. The big five-star resorts are the main attraction. Many are all-inclusive, several have bold themed architecture, and a number are built around replica landmarks that have become sights in their own right. The beach is soft and sandy and runs along the whole strip.

Kundu is a place where you can stay put. Pools, restaurants, bars, kids' areas and evening shows are inside the resort grounds, so you can arrive, unpack and not think about transport again for several days. Details of facilities vary from hotel to hotel, so check directly with your property for the exact services.

Kundu suits several kinds of traveller:

• Families with children. Big resorts, long beach, pools and entertainment on site. The short transfer from the city also means a gentle start for small children.
• Couples who want a resort break. Large, polished properties with beach, spa-style relaxation and several evening options without leaving the grounds.
• Groups of friends or extended family. The big hotels have space for many rooms, and a larger vehicle can bring everyone together from the city in a single ride.
• Guests who want both a resort and the city. Kundu is close to the center and close to the airport, so day trips are easy.

It does not suit travellers who want to walk out into a street of small cafes. That is the city center, and the contrast is the point of staying in both.

The main draw is the beach along Lara. It is a soft, sandy stretch and a clear change from the pebble shoreline at Konyaaltı on the other side of the city. Many Kundu hotels have their own beach frontage, but rules differ by hotel, so ask at reception about towels, sunbeds and sea access. East of the city, the Lower Düden Waterfall drops straight into the Mediterranean. Many visitors go there by boat to see it from the water.

Most Kundu guests eat in the hotel. Many resorts are all-inclusive, with a main buffet restaurant and several themed restaurants where the kitchen specialises in a particular cuisine. Evenings often bring live shows, music, and a lively bar scene inside the grounds. The same is true in the quiet hours: late-evening strolls on the hotel terraces and along the sea edge are pleasant after a hot day.

If you want a change, the city center is a short ride away. A popular evening plan is the old harbour in Kaleiçi, where the marina is lined with fish restaurants and the yachts make a good view for a sunset drink. The old town is atmospheric after dark, with Hadrian's Gate, the Yivli Minaret and the Clock Tower all within walking distance. The ride back to Kundu takes about the same 11 minutes. To be sure of a ride home at a late hour, book the return together with the outbound transfer.

Antalya city has much to see, and the short distance makes day trips easy. Kaleiçi has Ottoman-era houses and Hadrian's Gate, the triple-arched marble gate built for the emperor's visit in AD 130. Karaalioğlu Park gives sea views from the cliff edge. The Antalya Archaeological Museum holds statues and mosaics from the ancient cities of Perge, Side and Aspendos. TerraCity and Mark Antalya are the larger malls, and the Antalya Aquarium is popular with families. A private car can take you to the center in the morning and bring you back to Kundu in the afternoon at an agreed time.

A short ride suits children well. Eleven minutes is usually not long enough for boredom or for a tired child to fall asleep and wake up cross.

• Child seats. Child seats are free on request. When you book, tell us how many children are travelling and their ages. We then fit the right infant, child or booster seat before you get in.
• Pickup timing. If your child sleeps in the afternoon, ask for a pickup that avoids this time. The drive is so short that the child will probably be awake for it, and a calm arrival is easier for the family.

Once you reach Kundu, the big resorts are built with families in mind, so the first afternoon in the pool is often the best way to forget the journey.

Your driver loads and unloads the bags, and you sit in the back. Choose the vehicle by group size and luggage. The economy van suits couples, small families and standard luggage. The business van gives more space and a more polished finish for arrival at a five-star resort. The 13-seat minibus suits larger families and groups who travel together. If you are not sure, send us the number of passengers and suitcases and we will advise.

Not every guest moves between hotels at a convenient time. Some transfers connect with a late flight, some with an early departure, and some follow a dinner in town.

• Late arrivals. If you arrive in the city late in the evening and continue to Kundu, tell us your flight details. We track the flight when your journey connects to an arrival, so the driver adjusts to your real landing time. Kundu hotels with a staffed reception can check you in late, but tell the hotel your expected time.
• Late nights out. If you spend the evening in the center and want to go back to Kundu afterwards, book the return in advance with a clear time. It removes the need to look for a taxi at midnight.
• Early starts. If you leave Kundu early for the airport or for a day tour, agree the pickup time the evening before and be ready in the lobby. Early roads are generally quiet, which suits a short trip.

Our team can be reached by WhatsApp on +90 551 086 83 68 if your plans change on the day.

Kundu lies between the city center and the airport, which makes it a convenient base for flights. The airport is about 13 km from the city center, and Kundu is on the same side of the city, so the trip from your resort is short as well.

• Plan the pickup by the flight time, not by the distance. Leave enough time for the drive, for check-in and for security. For an international flight, many travellers prefer to be at the terminal well ahead of departure.
• Allow for traffic. Summer afternoons can slow the access roads. Build in a margin.
• Check out before the pickup. Settle your bill early so that the driver does not wait.
• Tell us your flight number. Then we can see the departure time and agree the best pickup with you.

If you spend your last day in the city center before flying, ask for a pickup from the center to the airport. The transfer from the center is also quick, and you can enjoy the old town, the harbour or the beach until the afternoon.

Summer is the hottest and busiest season. The sea is warm, the beach is full, and the roads between the city and Kundu need more time. Spring and autumn bring warm days and a calmer pace, which suits a mix of beach time and sightseeing in Kaleiçi. Winter is quieter and some hotel facilities may be closed, so check with your hotel. The city center stays alive all year.

Booking takes a few minutes.

1. Go to antalyatransfer.taxi and enter your route, date, time, and the number of passengers and bags.
2. Choose your vehicle: economy van, business van or 13-seat minibus.
3. Add child seats and flight details if needed, and confirm.

You can also message us by WhatsApp on +90 551 086 83 68 with your pickup address, your Kundu hotel name, the date and time, and the size of your group. We confirm the details and send you the booking information. Turkey Transfer drivers meet you with a name sign at the pickup point, help with all bags, and take you directly to your hotel entrance.

For a trip of about 10 km and 11 minutes, the aim is simple: no stress at the start of your stay in Kundu, and no stress on the way back.

Kundu sits on the eastern side of Antalya bay, which puts several famous ancient sites within reach. The distances below are approximate and based on well-known geography, so ask our team to confirm timings for your chosen day.

• Perge. This ancient city lies a short way east of Antalya, toward Aksu. Its colonnaded main street, theatre, stadium and Hellenistic gate make an easy half-day. Many of the statues found here are displayed in the Antalya Archaeological Museum, so seeing both tells the full story.
• Aspendos. Further east, Aspendos is famous for its Roman theatre, one of the best-preserved in the Mediterranean world. Allow most of a morning or an afternoon, as the trip is much longer than the short hop from the city to Kundu.
• Side. Roughly an hour or so along the coast to the east, Side has a Roman theatre, the Temple of Apollo beside the sea and a pleasant old harbour. It suits a full day, with lunch by the water and a walk through ruins that sit among the modern streets.
• Upper Düden Waterfall. Closer to home, this wooded park around the falls is a shaded stop on a hot afternoon. It pairs well with a morning in the city center.

To see more than one site in a day, a private car with a driver who waits is simpler than juggling buses. Tell us the places you have in mind when you book. We will suggest a sensible order so you do not cross the bay twice.

Kundu hotels feed you well, but a day in the city center is a good moment to try local food that a standard resort buffet may not offer.

• Antalya piyaz. The city's signature plate is a white bean salad with onion, parsley and a tahini-based dressing, often served with a boiled egg. Many local restaurants offer it as a starter or a light lunch.
• Fresh orange juice. The Antalya plain is citrus country. Juice sellers in the center press oranges to order, and a glass in the shade of Karaalioğlu Park is a classic break during a walk.
• Turkish breakfast. Cafes in the old town serve cheeses, olives, tomatoes, honey, jam and warm bread with strong tea. It is a good reason to start a city day before the heat builds.
• Fish by the harbour. The restaurants around the old marina in Kaleiçi serve grilled fish and meze with a view of the boats.
• Sweets and ice cream. Turkish ice cream, baklava and lokum are sold in the old town lanes and around the main shopping streets.

For souvenirs, the small shops of Kaleiçi sell ceramics, textiles and spices. The larger malls offer an air-conditioned alternative on very hot days. Many Turkish towns also hold a weekly street bazaar selling local produce. Ask your hotel reception which neighbourhood bazaar runs on your dates.

Antalya is a popular base for sports travellers. The coast east of Kundu, around Belek, is well known for its golf courses, and the bay also draws cyclists and divers. Some guests therefore arrive with far more than one suitcase each. A ride of about 10 km does not make bulky luggage any smaller, so plan the vehicle around the largest items, not only the passenger count.

• Golf bags and bike boxes. Tell us the number and type of bags when you book. A bike box or a full golf set takes the space of a passenger or two, so a larger vehicle may suit a party of three or four.
• Large families. The 13-seat minibus keeps grandparents, parents and children in one vehicle, so everyone arrives at the hotel gate together.
• Strollers and mobility aids. Mention folding strollers, wheelchairs or walkers in the booking notes so the driver can plan the load.
• Two hotels, one group. If your party is split across two hotels in the center, ask for two pickups timed to reach the same Kundu entrance together. Check-in is then easier for the resort too.

In July and August the beach strip is full and the roads toward the sea carry more cars at midday. Treat the 11-minute figure as a best case if you have a booking waiting. In spring and autumn the same road is calmer, and sightseeing at Perge, Aspendos and Side is more comfortable in milder temperatures. In winter the coast is quiet, so a city base with a visit to Kundu may feel livelier than the resort strip.