Kemer
Where the Taurus mountains meet the sea
Kemer is the bit of the Turkish Riviera where the Taurus mountains drop straight into the Mediterranean and the water turns Caribbean-clear over white pebble beaches.
Forty-five minutes west of Antalya airport, Kemer is cooler in summer than the eastern Riviera (those pine forests work hard), the marina is one of the prettiest on the Med, and the resort villages running south — Goynuk, Beldibi, Kiris, Camyuva, Tekirova — each have a different character. We send British clients who want proper scenery with their all-inclusive, walkers who plan to combine the coast with the Lycian Way, and couples after a quieter base than Antalya itself.
The five experiences that make a Kemer trip unforgettable
Moonlight Beach and Marina
A horseshoe of white pebbles backed by Taurus pines, with the Kemer Marina (yacht charters from £140 per day) at the eastern end and a 4km seafront promenade.
Olympos and the Chimaera flames
The natural eternal flames at Yanartas and the ruined Lycian harbour at Olympos sit forty minutes south; we run a sunset jeep tour that combines both.
Phaselis ancient harbour
Three Roman harbours linked by a stone-paved street, all within a pine grove you can swim from. Best visited at 8am before the cruise crowds.
Tahtali cable car
The longest cable car in Europe rises from sea level to 2365 metres in ten minutes; on a clear day you see Cyprus.
The right month makes the trip
Ideal: May, June, September and October
Kemer is two to three degrees cooler than Antalya in summer thanks to the mountain shadow, but the shoulder months still deliver 26 to 30 Celsius daytime, warm sea, and proper hiking weather for the Lycian Way sections above the resort.
Combine in a single trip
- →Antalya old town (50 minutes by car)
- →Olympos and Chimaera (40 minutes south)
Kemer: questions British travellers ask us
Is Kemer better than Antalya for a UK family holiday?
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For families who want proper sea-and-mountain scenery and a slightly cooler micro-climate, yes. Antalya is bigger and more urban; Kemer feels like a chain of mountain-backed bays with shorter walking distances between hotel, beach and town. The water is famously clear because the beaches are pebbled rather than sandy.
Are Kemer beaches sand or pebble?
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Mostly fine white pebble, which is why the water looks Caribbean blue. Hotels lay sun-bed mats and most have a sand-fringed swimming area. If you specifically want sand for young children we steer you towards Goynuk Beach or the eastern Riviera.
Can we walk the Lycian Way from a Kemer hotel?
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Yes. Stages 1 to 4 of the Lycian Way (Ovacik to Faralya is the famous bit, but the Kemer end runs Goynuk Canyon to Olympos) are all reachable as day walks. We arrange guided sections with a vehicle pickup so you walk one-way and return to your hotel by 5pm.
What is the difference between Kemer, Goynuk, Kiris, Camyuva and Tekirova?
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Kemer town has the marina and most nightlife. Goynuk (10km north) is family-flat with a long pebble beach. Kiris and Camyuva (5-10km south) are quieter all-inclusive belts. Tekirova (15km south) is the most secluded, surrounded by pine forest and closest to Phaselis. We match the village to your group.
Is Kemer safe for British holidaymakers in 2026?
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Yes. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office continues to advise normal travel to the Mediterranean coast and Kemer is one of the longest-established resort areas in Turkey. There is a tourist police office in Kemer town, English-speaking pharmacies in every village, and the coast road is well patrolled at night.
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