Things to Do in Döşemealtı: 7 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Döşemealtı

• 3 Historic
• 1 Ancient City
• 2 Nature
• 1 Other

1 📍 Other

Kırkgöz Caravanserai

Built by Sultan Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev II between 1236 and 1246, the caravanserai stands on the Antalya–Burdur highway.

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i Photo: Klaus-Peter Simon (CC BY 3.0) · Source

2 🏛️ Historic

Karain Cave

Continuously inhabited since the Palaeolithic (around 500,000 years ago), Karain Cave is the oldest human settlement site in Türkiye. Stone tools and bone remains found in the cave, which is on UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, are displayed in the Antalya Museum.

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3 🏛️ Historic

Termessos Ancient City

Termessos sits at 1,050 metres on Mount Güllük, and is an ancient city that even Alexander the Great could not conquer. The theatre, agora, cisterns and necropolis on the mountainside offer an ancient city experience set within nature.

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i Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · Source

4 🌳 Nature

Mount Güllük Termessos National Park

Covering 6,702 hectares, the national park is known for its rich vegetation and wildlife. More than 680 plant species and a variety of wild animals live in the park.

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5 🌳 Nature

Düden Waterfall (Upper Düden)

Formed by the Düden River, the waterfall, with its surrounding park and cave, is one of Antalya's most visited natural beauties.

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6 🏛️ Historic

Historic Kırkgöz Caravanserai

A historic caravanserai on the Antalya–Burdur highway. According to its inscription, it was built by Sultan Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev Bin Keykubat between 1236 and 1246.

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7 🏺 Ancient City

Ancient Road - Derbent Pass

A stone-paved ancient road and the Derbent Pass, which gave the district its name. The road was one of the routes linking the cities of Pamphylia and Pisidia.

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While you are in Döşemealtı, you can also see the highlights of Antalya province. These places are in other districts; Döşemealtı is about 20 km from the provincial centre.

• Kaleiçi — The historic city centre, enclosed by sea and land walls, is the heart of Antalya, with streets that carry Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman layers and restored old Antalya houses.
• Hadrian's Gate (Üçkapılar) — A monumental gate with three arches and four marble columns on each face, built into the city walls in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian's visit to the city in AD 130. Its upper storey has not survived; it was uncovered in 1882 and restored in 1959.
• Yivli Minaret — A 13th-century Seljuk work and the symbol of Antalya, with an eight-fluted shaft of brick and turquoise tiles rising from a cut-stone base.
• Antalya Museum — Founded in 1922 to protect antiquities from the occupying forces, the museum holds about a hundred thousand objects from Lycia, Pamphylia and Pisidia and is one of the largest archaeology museums in Türkiye; most of the marble statues come from Perge.
• Düden Waterfalls — The Düden Stream splits into two branches to form two waterfalls: Upper Düden near Varsak, and Lower Düden (Karpuzkaldıran) near Lara, which plunges straight from the cliffs into the sea.
• Kurşunlu Waterfall — A waterfall that drops 18 metres inside a 2-km canyon, 7 km off the Antalya–Isparta road at its 24th km, with seven small pools; it has been open to visitors as a nature park since 1986.

Practical Information for Visiting Döşemealtı

Suggested time

1–2 days

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

7 places

• 🥗

  Piyaz (white bean salad)

  Antalya piyaz, made with dried beans, onion, parsley and tahini, is an essential meze on traditional tables in Döşemealtı as well.

• 🍖

  Tandır Kebabı (tandoor-baked lamb)

  Tandır kebabı, lamb slow-cooked in a clay tandoor oven, is an important flavour of Döşemealtı's rural cuisine.

• 🍽️

  Döşemealtı halısı (Döşemealtı rug)

  A hand-woven rug registered as a geographical indication at the request of Döşemealtı Municipality. The registration has been valid since 8 July 2021.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Döşemealtı

• 🧶

  Yörük Culture and Rug Weaving

  Döşemealtı is one of the regions where Yörük nomadic culture is most vividly preserved. Traditional rug weaving, Yörük tent life and livestock culture are passed down from generation to generation.

• 🦴

  Palaeolithic Heritage

  The traces of 500,000-year-old settlement in Karain Cave make Döşemealtı one of the oldest living areas in human history.

Local Products

• Döşemealtı El Halısı (Döşemealtı hand-woven rug) — Döşemealtı El Halısı was registered as a protected geographical indication on 8 July 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 796). Product group: rugs and kilims. Registered by: Döşemealtı Municipality.
• Döşemealtı Halısı (Döşemealtı rug) — Döşemealtı rugs are among Türkiye's best-known carpet types, with geometric patterns and natural dyes that come from Yörük tradition. These hand-woven rugs are the product of a centuries-old tradition.
• Bal (honey) — Honey produced in the forests at the foot of the Toros Mountains, known in pine and flower varieties.

Economy

The economy of Döşemealtı consists of agriculture, livestock and tourism. Rug weaving is a traditional source of income. Termessos and Karain Cave contribute to cultural tourism. Greenhouse farming and citrus production also take place.

How to Get to Döşemealtı

Döşemealtı is 20 km from Antalya city centre. It lies on the Antalya–Burdur highway. Regular transport is provided by municipal buses.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Antalya

Döşemealtı: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Döşemealtı Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Antalya The province's 23 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Antalya

• Akseki 3 places Kartallı Cave, Düdencik Cave and Göktepe Plateau
• Aksu 5 places Kurşunlu Waterfall, Aksu Stream and Perge Ancient City
• Alanya 10 places Alanya Castle, Seljuk Shipyard and Kızılkule (Red Tower)
• Demre 6 places Andriake Ancient Harbour, Kekova Sunken City and Myra Ancient City
• Elmalı 4 places Elmalı Ovası, Semahöyük and Hacımusalar Beltesi
• Finike 12 places Limyra Ancient City, Arykanda Ancient City and Finike Harbour and Seafront
• Gazipaşa 12 places Gazipaşa Beaches, Selinus Ancient City and Gazipaşa Castle
• Gündoğmuş 8 places Gündoğmuş Castle, Geçit Gorge and Gündoğmuş Plateaus
• İbradı 11 places Altınbeşik Cave National Park, Manavgat River Valley and Historic Houses of Ürünlü Village
• Kaş 10 places Blue Cave (Mavi Mağara), Kekova Sunken City (Kekova Batık Şehir) and Antiphellos Ancient Theatre
• Kemer 6 places Phaselis Ancient City, Olympos Ancient City and Tahtalı Mountain Cable Car (Olympos Cable Car)
• Kepez 8 places Düden Waterfall (Lower Düden), Kepez Municipality Theatre Hall and Dokuma Park
• Konyaaltı 6 places Konyaaltı Beach, Antalya Aquarium and Beydağları Coastal National Park
• Korkuteli 11 places Korkuteli Plain, Around Karain Cave and Historic Houses of Korkuteli
• Kumluca 9 places Kumluca Sera Alanları, Rhodiapolis Ancient City and Korydalla Ancient City
• Manavgat 9 places Manavgat Waterfall, Side Ancient City and Oymapınar Dam (Green Canyon)
• Muratpaşa 10 places Kaleiçi (Antalya Old Town), Hadrian Gate (Üçkapılar) and Yivli Minare Mosque
• Serik 8 places Aspendos Ancient City, Sillyon Ancient City and Köprülü Canyon