Aksu

Aksu is the plain district east of central Antalya where the airport and greenhouse farming sit side by side. Because tourist accommodation clusters in Lara and Belek, Aksu itself usually gets driven straight through — yet two of the most important ancient cities of Pamphylia and the closest waterfall to the city are here.

Perge is at the centre of it: with its colonnaded street, stadium and baths, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in Anatolia. Around 20 km east, on a table hill standing alone in the middle of the plain, sits Sillyon — the city Alexander besieged and failed to take, and one that now sees almost no visitors. Both fit into a single morning.

Kurşunlu Waterfall is a completely different kind of stop: a fall dropping into seven small pools inside pine and laurel forest, with walking paths around it. Being close to the airport, this area makes the most practical half-day route in Antalya for the gap before or after a flight.