Car Rental in Antalya: What to Know Before You Book

6 min read Updated August 2026

Is renting a car in Antalya worth it?

If you're staying entirely within one resort and its beach, no — you won't need one. If you want to reach Termessos, the Köprülü Canyon, quieter beaches west toward Kemer, or explore at your own pace, a car opens up a lot that tour buses don't reach easily. Central Antalya itself (Kaleiçi, the harbour) is best explored on foot; a car is more of a liability there than a help, given narrow one-way lanes and limited parking.

What you need

A valid driving licence from your home country. Many nationalities can drive on their national licence for short stays, but an International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended and sometimes requested by rental desks, particularly if your licence isn't in Latin script.
A credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit — debit cards are often refused.
Minimum age is usually 21, sometimes with a young-driver surcharge under 25.

Booking tips

Book ahead in summer

June–August sees cars sell out at popular airport desks; booking a couple of weeks ahead usually gets a better rate too.

Photograph the car

Walk around and photograph every existing scratch or dent before you drive off — and again at drop-off.

Check the excess

The headline price often excludes a large damage excess; a separate excess-reduction policy (bought locally or from a specialist insurer at home) can be far cheaper than the counter upsell.

Fuel policy

Confirm whether it's full-to-full (return with a full tank) — the most common and fairest option.

Driving in and around Antalya

Turkey drives on the right. Motorways (the D-400 coastal road and the O-56/otoyol sections) are in good condition and toll roads use an electronic HGS tag system — rental cars are usually already fitted, with charges billed back to you, so check this with the rental desk. Speed limits are generally 50 km/h in town, 90 km/h on open roads and 120 km/h on motorways unless signed otherwise.

City driving in central Antalya (narrow one-ways, aggressive merging, scarce parking near Kaleiçi) is more stressful than driving between towns along the coast, which is straightforward. Many visitors pick up their rental car on the day they leave the city for Belek, Side or a road trip further along the coast, rather than for their whole stay.

Car rental vs. taxi vs. tour

	Best for
Rental car	Flexible, multi-stop day trips; travelling with a family; exploring beyond the standard tour routes
Taxi / private driver	One-off transfers or a single day trip without the hassle of driving yourself
Organised tour	Sites with limited or confusing parking (e.g. Pamukkale from Antalya as a long day trip), or if you'd rather not navigate

Our take: if your trip is resort + Antalya old town only, skip the car. If you're combining Antalya with Kemer, Side or inland sites like Termessos and the Köprülü Canyon, a rental car for part of the trip is usually the most efficient option.