What five days unlocks
Five days is the point where a proper day trip — the Köprülü Canyon, or a second ancient site further out — fits comfortably alongside the old-town-and-beach basics, without every day feeling like a checklist.
Day 1: Kaleiçi & the harbour
As with a shorter trip, start in the old town: Hadrian's Gate, the Yivli Minare, and the lanes down to the harbour. See the full Kaleiçi guide.
Day 2: Waterfalls & a boat trip
Morning at the Upper Düden Falls, afternoon on a harbour boat trip that swings past the Lower Falls from the water — the better angle on that particular waterfall, plus usually a swim stop.
Day 3: Aspendos & Perge, or Aspendos & Side
With a full day, combine Aspendos with either Perge (more ruins, closer to the centre) or Side (ruins plus a beach town, further out). Both pairings work well as a single organised day or a taxi-for-the-day.
Day 4: Köprülü Canyon
A full-day rafting trip in the Köprülü Canyon — the best active break from ruins-and-beaches, roughly 90 minutes from the centre and typically sold with transport included.
Day 5: Beach day, or Termessos
Wind down with a full day at Lara Beach, or, if you'd rather end on one more site, hike up to Termessos — the mountaintop city that outlasted Alexander the Great, and one of the quietest, most dramatic sites near the coast.