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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Elmali
Elmalı
Do a day trip to Elmali for mountain hikes and a quick museum visit; skip if you only have a few hours.
Elmali is a small mountain town in Lycia, 110 km west of Antalya. Its sights are compact, so a single day covers the museum, mosque and a short hike; longer stays are only for serious trekking.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Local name
- Elmalı
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, limited mountain shelter)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺150–₺250 excl. bed · Mid ₺250–₺400 excl. bed · High ₺400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café) | ₺5–₺8 |
| Tea | ₺4–₺6 |
| Bus ticket (local) | ₺15–₺25 |
| Bottle of local wine | ₺30–₺50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AYT · Antalya Airport
- Bus EA01 from airport to Elmali ~2 h
Typical fares
- Antalya Airport → Elmali (bus EA01)
- about ₺120, 2 h (check)
- Local dolmuş downtown
- ≈₺5–₺10 per ride
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is walkable; from the new bus station head north up the slope to the centre.
See and do
Known for
- Elmali Archaeology Museum
- Green Mosque
- Oil‑wrestling festival (mid‑September)
- Apple orchards (≈10 % of Turkey's crop)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Korkuteli (E87 junction) | Bus EA01 to Korkuteli, then local dolmuş | ≈1 h 30 min |
| Finike (coastal town) | Bus EA01 south to Finike | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Tuba Otel
- Simple, clean rooms near town centre
- Şakir Akça Vakfı Konukevi
- Hostel‑style, friendly, on Hükümet Cd
- Otel Arzu
- Small rooms, clean, on Bülbüller Gç
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Afedersiniza-fe-der-sin-iz |
| Thank you | Teşekkür ederimte-she-kyur e-de-rim |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?ne ka-dar |
| Where is the bus stop? | Otobüs durağı nerede?o-to-bus du-ra-uh ne-re-de |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Bus EA01 runs every 30–60 min, but check the schedule for seasonal changes (check).
- Mountain routes (e.g., Kizlar Sivrisi) can be icy after rain; bring proper gear.
Elmali is low‑risk; main concerns are traffic on mountain roads and occasional snake sightings on hikes.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Elmali yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Elmali Archaeology Museum
- Green Mosque
- Oil‑wrestling festival (mid‑September)
- Apple orchards (≈10 % of Turkey's crop)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Elmali, revision 5191023 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5191023
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ElmaliElmalı
Bu adrese lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- General emergency112
US Consulate in Istanbul; other embassies in Ankara.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/elmali). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.