🏌️‍♂️ Serik and Belek 2026: Golf Coast, Aspendos and Uçansu Waterfall

حكايات تركية · Sep 16, 2026

A sandy beach and coastal waters with boats and a platform near the shore.

A stone theatre with tiers of seating and arcaded passageways.

A waterfall flowing over a rocky cliff surrounded by trees.

Serik and Belek 2026
Modern resorts, ancient Pamphylia and the Taurus foothills

East of Antalya city, before Manavgat, Serik brings together a different set of landscapes from Kemer, Kaş or Side.

Along the southern coast, Belek and Kadriye combine woodland, beaches, golf courses and modern tourism facilities. Inland stands Aspendos, one of ancient Pamphylia's most famous cities, with an exceptionally well-preserved Roman theatre.

Farther north, the Taurus foothills reveal less familiar natural attractions such as Uçansu Waterfall, alongside archaeological sites including Sillyon. The district combines the Mediterranean, golf, forests, ancient heritage, waterfalls, mountain slopes and agricultural plains.

The district at a glance

Serik lies on the D400 east of central Antalya, between Aksu and Manavgat. For planning purposes, think of three broad areas:

The southern coast: Belek, Kadriye, Boğazkent and the main seaside tourism areas.
Central Serik: the district's administrative and service centre.
The northern hinterland: villages, hills, Taurus foothills and natural and archaeological sites.

This geography explains the variety encountered within a relatively short journey.

Belek's wooded coast

Belek's character is shaped by spacious landscaped grounds, coastal woodland and tourism complexes set among trees. Pine forests separate parts of the shore from the hinterland, while long sandy beaches face the Mediterranean.

Between the coast and the woodland lies one of Türkiye's leading concentrations of golf courses. Belek consequently looks quite different from Kaleiçi, Kaş or Alanya: much of its visitor landscape developed as a planned tourism area, rather than around an old historic town.

A major golf destination

Golf has been central to Belek's international reputation. Relatively mild winters, extensive grounds and proximity to Antalya Airport helped support the development of numerous courses, particularly around Belek and Kadriye.

Many courses incorporate pine trees and artificial lakes. Some offer floodlit evening play, and the area has hosted numerous international competitions and events.

A longer tourism season

Golf attracts visitors beyond the conventional summer beach season. Cooler months can offer more comfortable playing conditions, helping activity continue through a wider part of the year.

Belek continued to feature on the international golfing calendar in 2026, including the Turkish Amateur Open and the DP World Tour's Turkish Airlines Open. These events underline its continuing role as an international sports destination.

Kadriye: seaside and local life

Neighbouring Kadriye is another major part of Serik's tourism area. Its local centre and shopping streets provide a more visible sense of everyday life alongside the hotels and resorts.

Kadriye also has a public beach, green spaces and golf courses. Entertainment and shopping have become increasingly prominent parts of its visitor offer.

Public beaches at Belek and Kadriye

Serik's coast includes public areas as well as beaches associated with tourism establishments. Belek Public Beach and Kadriye Public Beach are two of the best-known options.

The coastline here is generally long and sandy, contrasting with the pebbly or rocky shores of parts of western Antalya. In places, nearby woodland brings sand and trees into the same coastal view.

Boğazkent

East of Belek towards Manavgat, Boğazkent offers a relatively quieter coastal setting. Beaches, natural areas and open land include habitats used by various bird species.

It forms a gradual transition from Belek's main tourism zone towards the coast approaching Manavgat.

Aspendos: beyond the resorts

A short distance east of Serik stands Aspendos, one of Pamphylia's great ancient cities. It developed near the Köprüçay, known in antiquity as the Eurymedon.

The river connected the city with the Mediterranean, supporting trade and the movement of agricultural produce. Its famous theatre is only one part of a much larger settlement.

The Roman theatre

Aspendos Theatre was built in the second century AD, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, and is attributed to the architect Zeno. Its extraordinary survival is especially apparent in the monumental stage building.

Inside, look for the stone seating, towering stage façade, entrances, passages and arches. The theatre is also renowned for its acoustics. Official descriptions give its historical capacity as approximately 15,000–20,000 spectators.

A historic stage still used for performance

Aspendos continues to host selected artistic and cultural events. The announced programme for the 33rd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival ran from 12 to 26 September 2026, featuring opera, ballet and a staged cantata. That programme period ended on 26 September.

The festival demonstrates the rare experience of contemporary performance in a Roman theatre retaining so much of its original architectural setting. For future visits, consult the current programme rather than treating the 2026 dates as a recurring schedule.

The aqueduct and Roman water engineering

Aspendos's water system deserves attention alongside the theatre. Supplying the ancient city required water to be carried from more distant sources through a network of channels, stone arches, pressure towers and storage facilities.

Surviving sections form one of the Mediterranean's most impressive examples of ancient water infrastructure.

The pressure towers

The towers are particularly striking. The system carried water across changes in elevation before it reached the city, using hydraulic engineering more complex than an open stone channel alone.

Its remains reveal an understanding of levels, water pressure, storage and urban distribution. Exploring the aqueduct adds a different perspective to the architectural experience of the theatre.

The upper city

Behind the theatre, the hilltop preserves remains of Aspendos's historic centre. Leaving immediately after visiting the theatre means missing much of the ancient town.

The upper area includes the agora, a monumental fountain, basilica, other public buildings, old streets and religious and administrative structures.

The elevated ground also makes the relationship between the city, the Serik plain and Köprüçay easier to understand.

Aspendos Bridge

Nearby, Aspendos Köprüsü crosses the Köprüçay. This historic bridge provides another reminder of the river's importance to transport, trade and agricultural settlements.

The river descends from the Taurus Mountains towards the Mediterranean. Seeing the bridge and surrounding landscape helps place the theatre within that wider geographical network.

Sillyon: a city above the plain

North-west of Serik, Sillyon occupies an elevated rocky mass overlooking the Pamphylian plain. Its naturally defensive position differs markedly from riverside Aspendos.

Ancient accounts describe Alexander the Great's forces attempting to take the fortified settlement during his Pamphylian campaign without succeeding.

Surviving remains

The city preserves evidence from several periods:

City gates and defensive towers.
The ascending road to the acropolis.
Public buildings and theatre remains.
Byzantine structures.
Traces of later Turkish-Islamic settlement.

These layers make Sillyon a rewarding place to consider the continuity and transformation of settlement over time.

Uçansu Waterfall

Heading north towards Gebiz, the landscape changes again. Uçansu Şelalesi descends in two stages amid rocks and dense greenery.

Official visitor information describes each fall as approximately 25–30 metres. Greenish-turquoise water, rock faces, trees and natural pools create a very different setting from Belek's sandy shore.

Check the approach road

The route beyond Gebiz passes through rural areas and can be more demanding than the main tourist roads. Official information warns that water can affect some sections, particularly during spring and wet periods.

Confirm the road's condition before setting out. A report from a visitor in a different season may not reflect current access. Use navigation alongside your own assessment of the actual road, carry water and wear shoes suitable for uneven natural terrain.

Serik's agricultural hinterland

Away from the resorts, Serik is an important agricultural district. Fields, citrus orchards, greenhouses, olive trees and other crops appear beside the roads and between villages.

International coastal tourism and the working agricultural plain exist alongside each other. Both are central to the district's identity.

A varied day in Serik

If staying in Antalya or Belek, plan a day with time to appreciate each stop.

Morning: arrive early at Aspendos. Visit the theatre, see the aqueduct and explore the upper city as your time and energy allow.

Late morning: stop at the historic bridge and look across the Köprüçay.

Afternoon: return to Belek or Kadriye for time on the coast and a walk around the area.

Evening: explore Belek or Kadriye, or attend an Aspendos performance if one coincides with your visit.

Uçansu and Sillyon generally deserve separate time rather than being squeezed into this same day.

Choosing your focus

Belek: beaches, green spaces and a resort atmosphere.
Belek and Kadriye: golf and sports tourism.
Aspendos: Roman history and ancient engineering.
Sillyon: a less familiar archaeological site in an elevated setting.
Uçansu: water, woodland and the inland landscape.
Boğazkent: a relatively quieter coast east of Belek.

Photographic highlights

The interior and monumental stage façade of Aspendos Theatre.
The aqueduct's stone arches.
Aspendos Bridge and the Köprüçay.
The Belek and Kadriye coastline.
Woodland close to the sea.
Views from Sillyon's hill.
Uçansu's waterfalls among the trees.

Practical points

Aspendos: much of the site is exposed; mornings are preferable in summer.
Footwear: wear comfortable shoes for the slopes around Aspendos and Sillyon.
Uçansu: check road and weather conditions before travelling.
Belek: the area is extensive; do not assume every attraction is within walking distance.
Transport: a car is useful for combining the coast with inland sites.
Archaeology: follow paths and barriers, particularly around excavations and restoration work.

Antalya's ancient and modern landscapes

Kaleiçi tells the story of Antalya's historic city, Kemer brings the mountains to the sea, and Side preserves a Roman town beside the Mediterranean. Serik offers another combination.

Belek represents modern resort and sports tourism. Aspendos takes you back roughly two thousand years through its theatre and sophisticated water engineering. Sillyon overlooks Pamphylia from its rocky heights, while Uçansu introduces the green Taurus foothills.

This variety makes Serik much more than a transit district between Antalya and Manavgat. Within a manageable area, a journey can lead from beaches and golf courses to a great Roman theatre and an inland waterfall surrounded by woodland.

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🏌️‍♂️ Serik and Belek 2026: Golf Coast, Aspendos and Uçansu Waterfall

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