Our Antalya Aquarium tour from Side packs three quite different experiences into one day: the Lower Düden Waterfall pouring off a cliff into the sea, the underwater world behind the glass of a 131-metre tunnel, and the lanes of Kaleiçi, Antalya’s old town. In the aquarium you make your own way through the halls and the glass tunnel, and in Kaleiçi you’re free to stroll the cobbled streets, walk down to the old harbour and have lunch in a local café.
We pick up guests from hotels in Gündoğdu, Çolaklı, Evrenseki, Kumköy, Side, Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Kızılot and Kızılağaç.
Book your seat online with no prepayment — you pay on the bus on the day of the tour.
Antalya Aquarium tour from Side at a glance
- Hotel pickup: 08:30–09:30
- Back at your hotel: approximately 17:00–18:00
- Itinerary: Lower Düden Waterfall, Antalya Aquarium (1.5 hours of free time) and the old town of Kaleiçi (1.5–2 hours of free time).
- Payment: cash on the bus ($, €, ₺)
Tour programme
- 08:30–09:30 | Hotel pickup
We pick you up at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier. We’ll put the exact pickup time for your hotel on your e-ticket once your booking is confirmed.
- Drive to Antalya
On the bus the guide tells you about Antalya and its sights.
- Lower Düden Waterfall
A stop at the viewpoint to watch the river plunge 45 metres from the cliff into the sea.
- Antalya Aquarium — 1.5 hours of free time
Halls on three floors and a 131-metre glass tunnel, home to sharks, rays, moray eels and tropical fish. The extra attractions are optional and cost extra.
- Kaleiçi old town — 1.5–2 hours of free time
A walk on your own: Hadrian’s Gate, narrow cobbled streets and the old harbour. Lunch is optional, at your own expense, in one of the local cafés or restaurants.
- 17:00–18:00 | Back at your hotel
The bus takes the group back to the Side area. The time is approximate and depends largely on where your hotel is and on traffic.
How does the Antalya Aquarium tour from Side work?
The drive from Side to Antalya
We pick you up at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier, between about 08:30 and 09:30. We’ll put the exact pickup time for your hotel on your e-ticket once your booking is confirmed.
Lower Düden: a 45-metre drop into the Mediterranean
Our first stop in Antalya is the Lower Düden Waterfall. The river tips over a 45-metre cliff straight into the Mediterranean, and a haze of fine spray often hangs over the waves.
From the viewpoint you can see the whole waterfall, from the cliff edge down to the sea, and it’s a good spot for photos.
Three floors and 40 themed tanks
From the waterfall we drive on to Antalya Aquarium. You have about 1.5 hours of free time here and choose your own route: where to linger and where to move on more quickly.
The aquarium opened in 2012 and covers about 15,000 m². A spiral staircase links its three floors, and its 40 themed tanks hold about 8 million litres of water. More than 10,000 sea creatures live in them, from small tropical fish to sharks.
A 131-metre glass tunnel
The aquarium’s centrepiece is a 131-metre glass tunnel. The glass curves above you and on both sides, giving a 180-degree view: fish swim not only alongside you but overhead too.
Behind the glass live sharks, rays, moray eels and tropical fish; with a bit of luck, a shark or ray will glide right above you. Along the tunnel you’ll pass a life-size sunken plane, a pirate ship laden with treasure, a submarine and the sunken city of Atlantis.
Snow World, Wild Park, a wax museum and a cinema
For an extra charge you can add other attractions to your aquarium visit:
- Snow World — a hall kept at around −5 °C, with snow slides and ice sculptures
- Wild Park terrarium — reptiles, insects and rare animal species
- Face 2 Face Wax Museum — more than 50 celebrity figures in about 1,000 m²
- Oceanride XD Cinema — a three-dimensional film about an underwater journey
You visit these within the same 1.5 hours set aside for the aquarium, so the time we meet at the bus and the rest of the programme stay the same. There’s a café and a children’s play area in the complex, but we can’t promise they’ll be open on the day of your tour.
Kaleiçi: Hadrian’s Gate and the old harbour
We end the day in Kaleiçi, the oldest part of Antalya. You have 1.5–2 hours of free time here and explore the old town on your own, at your own pace; the guide doesn’t lead a walk here. The way in is through Hadrian’s Gate, a marble triumphal arch.
The narrow cobbled streets lead to the Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi), Hıdırlık Tower, the Mehmet Pasha Mosque, the Karatay Madrasa and the Yivli Minaret, and further down, by the water, to the old harbour. If you’d like to eat, there are cafés and restaurants in the old town, at your own expense.
Back at your hotel
At the agreed time we meet at the bus, leave Antalya and head back to the hotels. You should be back at your hotel at around 17:00–18:00.
Book your seat online with no prepayment. You pay for the tour on the bus on the day.
Tour video
See what the day looks like
Press Play twice to start the video.
What is included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Entrance ticket to the aquarium
- Guide
- Insurance
What is not included
- Lunch in Kaleiçi — optional
- Snow World — optional
- Wild Park terrarium — optional
- Face 2 Face Wax Museum — optional
- Oceanride XD Cinema — optional
- Drinks during the tour
- Personal expenses: photos, souvenirs and other purchases
What to bring
- Phone or camera
- Drinking water for the journey
- Comfortable shoes for walking around the old town
- A light jumper — it’s cooler inside the aquarium than outside
- Money for lunch, optional extras and personal expenses
Distance to Antalya
- Kızılot to Antalya: 97 km, about 1 hour 30 minutes
- Kızılağaç to Antalya: 94 km, about 1 hour 25 minutes
- Titreyengöl to Antalya: 85 km, about 1 hour 15 minutes
- Sorgun to Antalya: 85 km, about 1 hour 15 minutes
- Side to Antalya: 80 km, about 1 hour 15 minutes
- Kumköy to Antalya: 75 km, about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Evrenseki to Antalya: 70 km, about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Çolaklı to Antalya: 68 km, about 1 hour 5 minutes
- Gündoğdu to Antalya: 65 km, about 1 hour 5 minutes
Distances and travel times are based on Google Maps and are intended as a guide. The actual journey time depends on traffic and on how long it takes to pick up guests from other hotels.
Discounts
- Book at least 7 days in advance — 4% off
- Book at least 30 days in advance — 5% off
- $1 off for each person in your booking who follows our Instagram (@goldwaytravel)
- Discounts can’t be combined: choose either the early booking discount or the follower discount, whichever saves you more
FAQ about the Antalya Aquarium tour from Side
How much does the Antalya Aquarium tour from Side cost?
Adults (10+) $60, children 3–9 $55, children 0–2 free. The price includes transfer, aquarium entry, a guide and insurance.
How do I book the Antalya Aquarium tour from Side?
Choose the date and the number of adults and children in the “Online Booking” form; the total is worked out automatically. In the form that opens, enter your full name, hotel, WhatsApp number and email, then send it. No prepayment: you pay on the bus on the day of the tour. Once your booking is confirmed, we send you an e-ticket with the exact pickup time via WhatsApp or Telegram. For step-by-step instructions with pictures, see
“How to book and pay on the bus”.
What time does the tour start?
We pick up guests at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier, between about 08:30 and 09:30. We’ll put the exact pickup time for your hotel on your e-ticket once your booking is confirmed.
What time will we be back at the hotel?
Guests are usually back at their hotels between 17:00 and 18:00. The exact time depends on where your hotel is, on traffic and on the overall pace of the group.
How much time do we get in the aquarium?
You have about 1.5 hours of free time in the aquarium. The time is planned so that you can see the main halls and the glass tunnel. Paid attractions such as Snow World also have to fit into those 1.5 hours, so it’s worth deciding in advance what matters most to you.
How much time do we get in Kaleiçi?
You have 1.5–2 hours of free time in the old town of Kaleiçi. This time is without the guide: you choose your route, your pace and where to have lunch, which is paid separately.
What is included in the price?
The price includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an entrance ticket to the aquarium, a guide and insurance. Lunch, drinks and the aquarium’s extra attractions — Snow World, the Wild Park terrarium, the Face 2 Face Wax Museum and the Oceanride XD Cinema — are paid separately.
What will I see in the glass tunnel?
It is a 131-metre glass walkway with a 180-degree view: tropical fish and moray eels swim beside and above you, and sharks and rays may glide past. Along the walkway lie a sunken plane, a pirate ship, a submarine and the sunken city of Atlantis.
Can I take photos in the aquarium?
Yes, you can take photos with your own phone or camera. Flash isn’t allowed in most halls, as it can disturb the animals.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes, children find the aquarium fascinating: there’s plenty of sea life, and in the glass tunnel sharks and rays may swim over their heads. Bear in mind that this is a full-day trip, and the drive from Side to Antalya takes one to one and a half hours each way.
What will we see on the tour?
Lower Düden Waterfall
A waterfall right in Antalya, where the river plunges off a 45-metre cliff into the Mediterranean.
Antalya Aquarium
Three floors of themed halls, more than 10,000 sea creatures and a 131-metre glass tunnel with a sunken plane and a pirate ship along the way.
Kaleiçi, Antalya’s old town
The oldest part of Antalya. Its main landmarks are Hadrian’s Gate, the Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi) and the Yivli Minaret, and down by the sea lies the city’s old harbour.
