The Tunektepe Cable Car

The line runs from the shore at Sarisu up the face of Tunektepe to a ridge at roughly six hundred metres, a climb of a few minutes in a glazed gondola. What it buys is the geography of Antalya laid out at once: the curve of the gulf, the cliffs the old town sits on, the ranks of hotels along Konyaalti and Lara, and behind all of it the Beydaglari, snow-covered well into spring. It opened in 2017 and is a straightforward piece of infrastructure rather than an attraction with much on top, a terrace, a cafe and a viewing platform, which is fair enough, because the point is the ride and the view.

What you actually see

• The gulf from above - Antalya's bay, cliffs and coastline in a single sweep.
• The Beydaglari - the mountain wall inland, snow-capped into late spring.
• The ride itself - a few minutes of cable over pine slopes and the shoreline.
• The summit terrace - viewing platform and cafe at the top station.

When to go

Spring and autumn have the clearest air; summer haze flattens the view and the cabins get hot. Late afternoon into sunset is the popular slot and the queue at the lower station reflects it. High wind closes the line without notice, sometimes for a full day, so check before making the trip out from the centre.

Honest expectations

There is little to do at the top beyond looking and buying a drink at inflated prices, so an hour covers it. Weekend queues run long in both directions and the last cars down fill up. The lower station is a taxi ride from central Antalya with awkward parking. Cabins are shared and crowded at peak times.

Nearby

Konyaalti beach below, the archaeological museum along the coast and the old town at Kaleici.