Travel glossary · 45 terms

Antalya travel glossary

The Turkish words and Antalya travel terms tourists actually need. Money, food, transport, hotels, ancient sites and the essential phrases — with pronunciation. Free to use, link to, or screenshot.

Last updated 18 May 2026Reviewed by SooTransfer dispatchPublished by SooTransfer editorial

Airports + transport

AYT: Antalya Airport — the city's main international gateway. Two terminals (T1 domestic, T2 international).
GZP: Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport — secondary airport 40km east of Alanya, ~120km from central Antalya.
TÜRSAB/TOOR-sahb/: Association of Turkish Travel Agencies — official tourism licensing body. Licensed transfer operators carry "D-XXXXX" numbers.
D-12490: SooTransfer's TÜRSAB licence number — verifiable at tursab.org.tr.
Dolmuş/dol-MOOSH/: Shared mini-bus, runs fixed routes on tourist corridors. Cheap but luggage-unfriendly.
Havaş: Airport shuttle bus service. Runs AYT ↔ central Antalya every 30 min — not direct to resort hotels.
Transfer otoparkı: Designated transfer-vehicle waiting area at AYT, just outside arrivals. Where licensed operators park.
Plaka/plah-KAH/: Vehicle licence plate. Türkiye uses province codes (07 = Antalya) followed by 3 numbers + 2 letters.

Money + tipping

TRY / TL: Turkish Lira — the local currency. Volatile against EUR / USD; check rate before exchanging large amounts.
Bahşiş/bah-SHISH/: Tip / gratuity. Standard 10% at restaurants, never expected for taxis but appreciated.
Döviz/DOO-veez/: Currency exchange counter. Found at every airport, big mall, tourist street.
Eczane/EJ-zah-nay/: Pharmacy — recognisable by red cross sign. 24/7 rotation in most resort towns.
Kayıt/kah-YIT/: Registration / receipt. Ask for "kayıt" if you want a printed receipt.
KDV: Turkish VAT — 20% standard, 10% for hospitality. Included in shown prices.

Food + drink

Meze/MEH-zay/: Small starter dishes shared family-style. 5-15 options served at the start of a meal.
Çay/CHAI/: Black tea, served in small glass cups. Free at most restaurants and shops.
Lokanta/lo-KAN-tah/: Casual local restaurant. Display kitchen, point-to-order. Standard daily meal for Antalyans.
Kebap/keh-BAHP/: Grilled meat — many regional varieties (Adana, Urfa, İskender, Cağ).
Pide/PEE-day/: Boat-shaped flatbread topped with cheese, meat or vegetables. Cheaper Turkish answer to pizza.
Baklava/bak-lah-VAH/: Filo pastry dessert with nuts + syrup. Antakya / Gaziantep style considered best.
Rakı/rah-KUH/: Aniseed-flavoured spirit, drunk with water (turns milky-white). Traditional with meze.
Lahmacun/lah-MAH-joon/: Thin spiced lamb flatbread. Roll it up, eat with parsley + lemon.

Hotels + service

All inclusive: Hotel package covering room + all meals + most drinks (sometimes including alcohol). Standard for Belek / Lara / Side resorts.
Ultra all inclusive: All-inclusive plus premium spirits, à la carte restaurants, in-room minibar. Maxx Royal / Cornelia category.
Yardımcı/yar-DUM-juh/: Service staff helper. Use for "lütfen yardım edin" = "please help".
Resepsiyon/reh-sep-see-YOHN/: Reception / front desk.
Hamam/hah-MAHM/: Turkish bath — traditional spa experience. Standard at most large hotels, public hamams in Kaleiçi.

Places + ancient sites

Kaleiçi/kah-leh-EE-chi/: Antalya's walled medieval quarter — old town with Roman + Ottoman heritage.
Lykian Way: 540 km coastal hiking trail from Fethiye to Antalya, following the ancient Lycian civilisation's settlements.
Aspendos: 2nd-century AD Roman amphitheatre — world's best-preserved. Still hosts opera festivals (June-September).
Pamukkale/pah-MOOK-kah-leh/: White travertine terraces 3h north of Antalya. Hierapolis ancient city + Cleopatra's pool on the same site.
Antik/AHN-tik/: Ancient / classical era — used on signs ("Antik Kent" = Ancient City).
Caretta caretta: Loggerhead sea turtle. Nests on Antalya region beaches (especially Olympos, Çıralı) May-September.

Logistics + driving

D400: The coastal highway — Antalya's main east-west route. AYT, Belek, Side, Alanya are all on D400.
Otoyol/oh-toh-YOL/: Motorway. Toll-paid; HGS or KGS electronic toll required.
Trafik/trah-FEEK/: Traffic. Antalya summer Saturday transfer cycle is famously congested.
Park: Parking. "Otopark" = parking lot. "Park yasak" = no parking.
Benzin/ben-ZEEN/: Petrol / gas. Most pumps full-service, attendant fills the tank.

Essential phrases

Merhaba/mer-HAH-bah/: Hello (formal, used any time of day).
Teşekkür ederim/teh-shek-KEYR eh-deh-rim/: Thank you (formal).
Lütfen/LOOT-fen/: Please.
Pardon/pahr-DON/: Excuse me / sorry.
Hesap lütfen/heh-SAHP loot-fen/: "The bill, please" — what you say to a waiter.
Ne kadar?/neh kah-DAHR/: "How much?" Use in markets, taxis, anywhere without printed prices.
Anlamadım/AHN-lah-mah-dum/: "I did not understand" — buy time, ask them to repeat slower.

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Airports + transport

AYT

Antalya Airport — the city's main international gateway. Two terminals (T1 domestic, T2 international).

GZP

Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport — secondary airport 40km east of Alanya, ~120km from central Antalya.

TÜRSAB/TOOR-sahb/

Association of Turkish Travel Agencies — official tourism licensing body. Licensed transfer operators carry "D-XXXXX" numbers.

D-12490

SooTransfer's TÜRSAB licence number — verifiable at tursab.org.tr.

Dolmuş/dol-MOOSH/

Shared mini-bus, runs fixed routes on tourist corridors. Cheap but luggage-unfriendly.

Havaş

Airport shuttle bus service. Runs AYT ↔ central Antalya every 30 min — not direct to resort hotels.

Transfer otoparkı

Designated transfer-vehicle waiting area at AYT, just outside arrivals. Where licensed operators park.

Plaka/plah-KAH/

Vehicle licence plate. Türkiye uses province codes (07 = Antalya) followed by 3 numbers + 2 letters.

Money + tipping

TRY / TL

Turkish Lira — the local currency. Volatile against EUR / USD; check rate before exchanging large amounts.

Bahşiş/bah-SHISH/

Tip / gratuity. Standard 10% at restaurants, never expected for taxis but appreciated.

Döviz/DOO-veez/

Currency exchange counter. Found at every airport, big mall, tourist street.

Eczane/EJ-zah-nay/

Pharmacy — recognisable by red cross sign. 24/7 rotation in most resort towns.

Kayıt/kah-YIT/

Registration / receipt. Ask for "kayıt" if you want a printed receipt.

KDV

Turkish VAT — 20% standard, 10% for hospitality. Included in shown prices.

Food + drink

Meze/MEH-zay/

Small starter dishes shared family-style. 5-15 options served at the start of a meal.

Çay/CHAI/

Black tea, served in small glass cups. Free at most restaurants and shops.

Lokanta/lo-KAN-tah/

Casual local restaurant. Display kitchen, point-to-order. Standard daily meal for Antalyans.

Kebap/keh-BAHP/

Grilled meat — many regional varieties (Adana, Urfa, İskender, Cağ).

Pide/PEE-day/

Boat-shaped flatbread topped with cheese, meat or vegetables. Cheaper Turkish answer to pizza.

Baklava/bak-lah-VAH/

Filo pastry dessert with nuts + syrup. Antakya / Gaziantep style considered best.

Rakı/rah-KUH/

Aniseed-flavoured spirit, drunk with water (turns milky-white). Traditional with meze.

Lahmacun/lah-MAH-joon/

Thin spiced lamb flatbread. Roll it up, eat with parsley + lemon.

Hotels + service

All inclusive

Hotel package covering room + all meals + most drinks (sometimes including alcohol). Standard for Belek / Lara / Side resorts.

Ultra all inclusive

All-inclusive plus premium spirits, à la carte restaurants, in-room minibar. Maxx Royal / Cornelia category.

Yardımcı/yar-DUM-juh/

Service staff helper. Use for "lütfen yardım edin" = "please help".

Resepsiyon/reh-sep-see-YOHN/

Reception / front desk.

Hamam/hah-MAHM/

Turkish bath — traditional spa experience. Standard at most large hotels, public hamams in Kaleiçi.

Places + ancient sites

Kaleiçi/kah-leh-EE-chi/

Antalya's walled medieval quarter — old town with Roman + Ottoman heritage.

Lykian Way

540 km coastal hiking trail from Fethiye to Antalya, following the ancient Lycian civilisation's settlements.

Aspendos

2nd-century AD Roman amphitheatre — world's best-preserved. Still hosts opera festivals (June-September).

Pamukkale/pah-MOOK-kah-leh/

White travertine terraces 3h north of Antalya. Hierapolis ancient city + Cleopatra's pool on the same site.

Antik/AHN-tik/

Ancient / classical era — used on signs ("Antik Kent" = Ancient City).

Caretta caretta

Loggerhead sea turtle. Nests on Antalya region beaches (especially Olympos, Çıralı) May-September.

Logistics + driving

D400

The coastal highway — Antalya's main east-west route. AYT, Belek, Side, Alanya are all on D400.

Otoyol/oh-toh-YOL/

Motorway. Toll-paid; HGS or KGS electronic toll required.

Trafik/trah-FEEK/

Traffic. Antalya summer Saturday transfer cycle is famously congested.

Park

Parking. "Otopark" = parking lot. "Park yasak" = no parking.

Benzin/ben-ZEEN/

Petrol / gas. Most pumps full-service, attendant fills the tank.

Essential phrases

Merhaba/mer-HAH-bah/

Hello (formal, used any time of day).

Teşekkür ederim/teh-shek-KEYR eh-deh-rim/

Thank you (formal).

Lütfen/LOOT-fen/

Please.

Pardon/pahr-DON/

Excuse me / sorry.

Hesap lütfen/heh-SAHP loot-fen/

"The bill, please" — what you say to a waiter.

Ne kadar?/neh kah-DAHR/

"How much?" Use in markets, taxis, anywhere without printed prices.

Anlamadım/AHN-lah-mah-dum/

"I did not understand" — buy time, ask them to repeat slower.