Mermerli Beach
Best for. Families staying in the old town who want a short, calm swim in clear water with the charm of Kaleici above, rather than a full day spread out on a wide sandy beach.
Best spot. A sunbed near the shallow steps into the water, claimed early in the morning before the small cove fills and the best loungers are gone.
Know this. Mermerli is a charming paid cove, but it is small, pebbly and reached down stairs through a restaurant, with cobbled lanes above that defeat a pushchair. For an easy open city beach with space for the children, choose Konyaalti or Lara instead.
Mermerli is the surprise of central Antalya, a small sheltered cove tucked at the foot of the cliffs below Kaleici, the walled old town. From the lanes above you would never know it is there, and that is the charm of it. The usual way down is through the Mermerli Restaurant and a flight of stairs to a built platform and a strip of pebble, where clear, calm water laps the steps and the old harbour sits just along the shore. For a family staying in the old town it is the closest swim to the door, and a genuinely pretty one.
The honest read is that Mermerli trades space and ease for charm and convenience. It is a paid cove, with the entry set by the restaurant and the exact price varying enough by season that we will not quote a figure we cannot stand behind, so treat it as to be confirmed. It is small, so on a summer afternoon the loungers fill and the platform feels busy, and it is more pebble and platform than soft sand, so it suits a dip and a sit rather than a long day of digging and ball games. The water is calm and clear and starts shallow by the steps, which is reassuring with children, but it is unpatrolled, so keep little ones close.
Getting there is the part families underestimate. The old town above is a maze of cobbled, uneven lanes that are hard going with a pushchair, so a baby carrier is the easier way to bring a small child down to the steps. Come in the morning for space and the calmest water, pack light, and treat Mermerli as a charming short swim woven into a day of wandering Kaleici and the old harbour. If what you actually want is room to spread out, shallow open sea and easy flat access with the buggy, the wide city sand of Konyaalti or Lara is the simpler family choice, with Mermerli saved for a memorable hour in the old town.
One cove, run from the restaurant above
Mermerli is a single small cove run by the restaurant that sits above it, with sunbeds, umbrellas and changing facilities behind the paid entry rather than a row of competing clubs. Names, opening and prices are set by the operator and change by season, so we describe what is typically there and mark the rest to be confirmed. For the larger organised beach clubs, see the Antalya beach clubs guide.
Photo: Hasan Al-Hammedi via GoogleMermerli, the old town cove
Mermerli is the cove and its service in one, run from the restaurant above, with a paid entry that typically buys a sunbed, umbrella and use of the changing facilities for the day. It is small and well kept rather than a party scene, which is the appeal, and the loungers go early on a busy afternoon. Treat the entry price as to be confirmed, since the operator sets it by season, and come in the morning for space and the calmest water.
Below the cliffs of Kaleici
Mermerli is hidden at the foot of the cliffs below Kaleici, the walled old town in the centre of Antalya, near the old harbour. The usual way in is on foot through the old town lanes to the Mermerli Restaurant, then down a flight of stairs to the cove. The lanes are cobbled and uneven, so a pushchair is hard work and a baby carrier is the easier way to bring a small child down to the water.
Down at the cove you pay an entry set by the restaurant that typically includes a sunbed, umbrella and changing facilities, with food and drink available above. Space is limited and the loungers go early, so come in the morning for the calmest, clearest water and a spot near the shallow steps. Pack light, wear water shoes for the pebble, and weave the swim into a wider day exploring Kaleici and the old harbour.
Photo: Hasan Al-Hammedi via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we can point you to the right Antalya beach for your day, from a calm old town dip at Mermerli to the wide easy sand families need at Konyaalti or Lara. 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 Mermerli
Is Mermerli beach good for families?
Mermerli works for families with toddlers and older children for a short afternoon dip, because the small cove has clear, calm water that starts shallow near the steps. The honest catches are that it is a paid entry, the space is tiny and fills early, the shore is more pebble than sand, and you reach it down a flight of stairs through a restaurant. For an easy open city beach with room to spread out, Konyaalti or Lara is simpler.
How do you get to Mermerli beach in Antalya old town?
Mermerli sits below the cliffs of Kaleici, the old town, and the usual way in is through the Mermerli Restaurant and down a flight of stairs to the cove. The old town lanes above are cobbled and uneven, which makes a pushchair very hard work, so a baby carrier is the easier choice for getting a small child down to the water.
How much does Mermerli beach cost to enter?
Mermerli charges a paid entry set by the restaurant that runs the cove, which typically includes a sunbed, umbrella and use of the changing facilities. Reported prices vary widely by season and source, so we mark the exact figure to be confirmed and suggest you check on the day, as you can usually pay by cash or card.
Is Mermerli beach sandy or pebble?
Mermerli is more pebble than sand, with a small platform and steps into clear water rather than a wide soft shore, so water shoes are sensible for the whole family. The water is calm and clear in the sheltered cove and starts shallow near the steps, which suits a careful paddle close in.
What time does Mermerli beach open?
In the summer months Mermerli is generally open from about 8am until about 8pm, though hours are set by the restaurant and can change by season. The cove is small and the best sunbeds go early, so arrive in the morning for space and the calmest, clearest water before the afternoon fills it up.
