Things to Do in Elmalı: 4 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Elmalı

• 1 Historic
• 2 Ancient City
• 1 Nature

i Photo: Volker Höhfeld (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

1 🌳 Nature

Elmalı Ovası

The plain in the south of the district, set in a bowl-shaped plateau, is an important geographical feature of the district.

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2 🏺 Ancient City

Semahöyük

Jar tombs have been uncovered through archaeological excavations in Semahöyük neighbourhood.

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3 🏺 Ancient City

Hacımusalar Beltesi

The archaeological site of this town, which is attached to the municipality, contains jar tombs.

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4 🏛️ Historic

Tarihi Elmalı Evleri

The historic houses of Elmalı, known for their old bazaars, arasta markets and narrow streets.

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While you are in Elmalı, you can also see the highlights of Antalya province. These places are in other districts; Elmalı is about 110 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 Elmalı

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

4 places

• 🥧

  Elmalı Böreği

  Elmalı börek, made by layering thin sheets of dough with cheese or potato and cooking them on a griddle, is the district's best-known flavour.

• 🍲

  Keşkek

  Keşkek, prepared by slow-cooking crushed wheat and meat and then pounding them, is the traditional dish of wedding and festival tables. Listed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, keşkek is a source of pride in Turkish cuisine.

• 🍎

  Elma Tatlısı

  A dessert made from Elmalı's famous apples, prepared by caramelising apple slices with sugar.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Elmalı

• 🏛️

  Likya Dönemi Mirası

  The Elmalı Plain was one of the important settlement areas in the interior of the Lycian civilisation. Lycian sarcophagi and rock tombs found in the region reflect this heritage.

• ⛰️

  Yayla Kültürü

  Elmalı, located in the high parts of the Taurus Mountains, is a district where highland pasture culture is kept alive. The tradition of migrating to the highland pastures in the summer months continues.

Local Products

• Elmalı Elması — The apple that gives the district its name grows in the cool climate of the high plain. Starking and Golden varieties are the most widely produced types.
• Elmalı Pekmezi — Grape and apple molasses, produced using traditional methods, is eaten at breakfast in the winter months.

Economy

Elmalı's economy is based on agriculture and livestock. Apples, cherries and walnuts are the main agricultural products. Small livestock farming is an important source of livelihood. The district's high-altitude location allows cool-climate farming.

How to Get to Elmalı

Elmalı is 110 km from Antalya city centre. It is reached via the Antalya–Burdur road. There are regular minibus services from Antalya.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Antalya

Elmalı: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Elmalı 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
• Döşemealtı 7 places Kırkgöz Caravanserai, Karain Cave and Termessos Ancient City
• 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