The main reason history buffs visit Antalya is to make the day trip to Aspendos, about 47 kilometers east.

This archaeological site is home to a Roman theater commonly thought to be the best preserved in the world and one of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.

The glory days of this dazzling, ancient town were during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, when most of the ruins that can be seen today were built.

Apart from the theater, which has been fully restored and can seat 15,000 people, much of the rest of the site still lies in ruins and is probably only interesting to the most enthusiastic sightseer.

If you're short of time but keen to pack in as many highlights of the Antalya region as you can, the Aspendos, Perge and Manavgat Waterfalls tour allows you to cover three of the most popular attractions all in one day.

It includes tours of the Roman ruins of Aspendos and Perge, entrance to Aspendos and the waterfalls (which are near Side), lunch, and pickup and drop-off from your Antalya hotel.

To the south of Antalya's center, Lara beach is popular for its soft white sand and good family-friendly facilities, backed by cafés and restaurants and with plenty of activities, from jet-ski rentals to stand up paddleboards for those who want to hit the water.

Sun loungers and umbrellas can be easily rented for those who want to do nothing more strenuous than soak up the sun.

This area is where the vast amount of Antalya's beach resort hotels are located, so for visitors arriving here for a holiday that's all about the sun, sea, and sand, Lara Beach is the main attraction.

Do be aware that during the peak summer months, this beach can get crammed.

If you're at all interested in the Classical-era history of this slice of Turkey's coast, don't miss this excellent museum.

The dazzling exhibits here showcase all the best finds from all the major excavation sites in the surrounding countryside. Even better, the collection is displayed in exemplary fashion, making the rich (and rather complicated) history of this section of the coast easy to understand.

The large archaeological section offers displays from the Bronze Age to Byzantium, though it's best known for its exhibits of fine statuary created during the Hellenistic and Roman eras of ancient cities such as Perge, Xanthos, and Patara.

The most dramatic entrance into Antalya's old town district is through Hadrian's Gate (known as Uçkapılar in Turkish), which is the main gateway leading into the old town's eastern section.

Considerable stretches of the Hellenistic and Roman town walls on the eastern side of the old town area have managed to be preserved in partial form, but Hadrian's Gate is the most notable of these sections.

Erected in honor of the CE 130 visit by Emperor Hadrian himself, this grand three-arched marble gateway, flanked by imposing towers, is decorated with rich sculptural decorations.

As you walk through the arches, look up at the ceiling to view the best preserved carvings.

For water fans and anyone after an adrenaline rush, the Köprülü Canyon National Park, 90 kilometers northeast from Antalya, is one of the top day-trip destinations for visitors to the city.

The green-blue water of the Köprülü River snakes through dramatic and craggy high cliffs and has become one of Turkey's most popular white water rafting destinations.

Most people head here from Antalya for a half-day rafting tour, though if you want to explore further, the national park also has plenty of hiking opportunities and a scatter of ancient city ruins to see.

If you don't fancy heading onto the water itself, but want to enjoy the canyon's scenery, the main village here has riverside cafés with great canyon views.

Köprülü Canyon National Park is also easily accessed from Side, which is 64 kilometers southeast from the park.

The Karain Cave, about 27 kilometers northwest of Antalya, near Dösemalti, was inhabited by prehistoric man and has yielded finds from both the Lower and Middle Paleolithic eras.

Excavated finds here include bones and teeth belonging to Neolithic man. Some of the finds are on show in the small but remarkably comprehensive museum on-site.

The wide, arching caverns here are a good opportunity for some easy caving and are very popular with local families having a break from the city.

If you can, try to come on a weekday, when they're less busy. If you have a rental car, the cave and museum combined with the karst springs a little farther north make a good day trip.

Enthusiastic cavers can explore many other caves within day-tripping distance from Antalya.

About 45 kilometers north of the city is the Kocain Cave, which lies hidden deep within the karst mountains of the region. The 600-meter-long cave was first investigated by K. Kökten, whose finds here prove that it was inhabited in prehistoric times.

At the entrance is a huge Roman cistern and also traces of a very early settlement. The cavern here is colossal and boasts some mammoth stalagmites, which have formed into weird and wacky shapes.

Bring along a torch and wear sturdy shoes if you want to explore the cave's interior, as it can get slippery underfoot.

Perfectly restored whitewashed and red-roofed Ottoman mansions line the cobblestone streets, now home to a plethora of boutique hotels, souvenir shops, art galleries, and restaurants.

Although it's more a place to simply breathe in the old-world ambience, there are also plenty of small tourist attractions for those who want to sightsee.

The main square has a fortress gate and stone-clad clock tower while the 18th-century Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque is worth a look just for its intricate interior tile work.

Along Hesapçi Sokak, you'll find the graceful Kesik Minare (truncated minaret). Destroyed by fire in the 19th century, this is all that is left of a building that started its life as a Roman temple, was converted into a Byzantine church, and finally became a mosque.