Cirali Beach
Best for. Families who want a long, quiet, low key beach with calm gentle water and easy access, set among small pensions and cafes rather than big resorts, with the Olympos ruins next door for an outing.
Best spot. The central stretch in front of the village pensions and cafes gives the easiest base, with shade from the trees behind the sand and the calmest water for a careful paddle on a still morning.
Know this. Cirali is pebble and coarse sand rather than soft sand, and it is a protected turtle nesting beach, so it stays gloriously undeveloped and asks for care at night. Bring water shoes, and treat it as the easier neighbour to rustic Olympos.
Cirali is the easy answer for a family who wants the wild, low key Lycian coast without the effort of its famous neighbour. It runs in a long, quiet sweep of pebble and coarse sand beside the ruins of Olympos, backed not by hotels but by small pensions, cafes and citrus gardens, because the whole shore is protected as a loggerhead turtle nesting beach and has stayed gloriously undeveloped. The water is clear and gently shelving and usually calm in the sheltered bay, which makes it one of the gentlest stretches on this coast for a careful paddle, and there is shade from the trees behind parts of the sand.
The honest read is that Cirali keeps the charm of Olympos while losing most of the hassle. Where Olympos asks for a ticketed walk through the ruins to reach a rustic shore, Cirali offers direct, easy access from a quiet village, with some sunbeds, cafes and shade close at hand. The trade is the same one the protection brings, that this is pebble and coarse sand rather than soft sand, so water shoes matter, and that facilities stay deliberately modest and low key rather than a full organised resort strip. It is calm, green and quiet, which is exactly the appeal, and a world away from the busy city sand at Lara or Cleopatra.
For a gentle family day this is one of the kinder beaches on the Antalya coast. Come in the morning for the calmest water and a shady spot under the trees, wear water shoes for the pebbles, and settle on the central stretch near the village cafes for the easiest logistics. Keep young children close since the water, while gentle, is unpatrolled, and respect the marked turtle nests and the request to keep the beach dark and quiet at night. The ruins of Olympos and the Chimaera flames in the hills make memorable outings to bookend a day on the sand.
A low key village shore, gently organised
Cirali keeps a small, low key run of sunbeds and village cafes by the sand rather than a busy club scene, in keeping with the protected shore. Names, opening and prices are set by the small operators and change by season, so we describe what is typically there and mark the rest to be confirmed. See the Antalya beach clubs guide for the organised beaches elsewhere on the coast.
Photo: PaylaşıYorum via GoogleThe village cafes and their sunbeds
Cirali gathers small organised areas of sunbeds and umbrellas by the village cafes near the centre of the shore, with the pensions and restaurants of the quiet village a few steps behind the sand. It is gentle and low key rather than a party scene, which is the whole point of the place, and long quiet stretches stay open for your own towel. Treat any sunbed rate as to be confirmed, since the small operators set the price by season, and come in the morning for a shady spot under the trees.
In the quiet village beside Olympos
Cirali lies on the Lycian coast south of Antalya, reached by a long drive and a winding road down to the quiet village that backs the sand. Access is far easier than at neighbouring Olympos, with a short flat walk from the village and small parking areas near the shore, so a pushchair and a cool bag are manageable, though the parking fills on a busy August day so arrive early.
The shore is low key and pleasant, with small pensions and cafes a few steps back, some sunbeds and umbrellas to hire and welcome shade from the trees along parts of the sand. Bring water shoes for the pebbles, come in the morning for the calmest water, and pair the day with the ruins of Olympos next door and the evening Chimaera flames in the hills for a memorable family outing.
Photo: PaylaşıYorum via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we can arrange a sunbed at Cirali or point you to another easy Antalya beach to match your day, from a calm family paddle to a quiet afternoon in the shade. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Cirali
Is Cirali beach good for families?
Yes, Cirali is one of the gentler family beaches on the Antalya coast, with calm, clear, gently shelving water, easy access from a quiet village and welcome shade from the trees behind parts of the sand. The honest catch is that it is pebble and coarse sand rather than soft sand, so bring water shoes, and the water is unpatrolled, so watch children closely. It is the easier, more comfortable neighbour to rustic Olympos.
Is Cirali or Olympos better for families?
For most families Cirali is the easier choice. It shares the same calm, sheltered shore as Olympos but offers direct, flat access from a quiet village with some sunbeds, cafes and shade, while Olympos asks for a ticketed walk through ancient ruins to reach a more rustic stretch. Many families base on the sand at Cirali and visit the Olympos ruins and the Chimaera flames as outings.
Is Cirali beach sandy or pebble?
Cirali is a pebble and coarse sand beach rather than soft sand, firm underfoot but comfortable on a mat or lounger, so water shoes are sensible for the whole family. The water is clear and gently shelving and usually calm in the sheltered bay on a still morning, which makes it one of the gentlest stretches on the coast for a careful paddle.
Why is Cirali beach so undeveloped?
Cirali is a protected loggerhead turtle nesting beach, which has kept it gloriously low key, with small pensions, cafes and citrus gardens behind the sand instead of big resorts. Visitors are asked to avoid marked nests and keep the shore dark and quiet at night through the nesting season, which is part of why it stays so calm and green.
How do you get to Cirali and is there parking?
Cirali is on the Lycian coast south of Antalya, reached by a long drive and a winding road down to the quiet village that backs the sand. Access is easy once there, with a short flat walk from the village and small parking areas near the shore, though they fill on a busy August day. Arrive in the morning for an easy spot and the calmest water.
