Things to Do During COP31: What’s Near the Venue, Short Tours & Rest Day Ideas

COP31 (9–20 November 2026) leaves most delegates with scattered free time: an evening here, a half day there, maybe a day either side of the conference. Companions travelling with delegates have much more. This guide is organised by how much time you actually have, with honest notes on what’s open in November and how long each outing really takes from the eastern hotel areas.

What’s Near the COP31 Venue in Aksu

COP31 is held at the former EXPO 2016 site in Aksu, east of the city and around 20–30 minutes from the airport. That location works in your favour: several of the region’s best sights are closer to the venue than Antalya’s old town is. Perge is practically next door, and Aspendos, the waterfalls and Belek are all within about 40 minutes.

The easy combinations: Perge and Kurşunlu fit into a single morning; Perge and Aspendos make a comfortable half day; Aspendos and Side fill a full day. None of them needs a big tour if you have a car and driver waiting, which is often the most efficient option when your free time is squeezed between sessions.

If You Have an Evening (2–3 Hours)

Kaleiçi and the old harbour. Antalya’s walled old town is compact, lit up in the evening and full of restaurants, and the old Roman harbour sits at the bottom of it. Walk in through Hadrian’s Gate, wander down the lanes to the harbour and eat somewhere with a view. From the eastern resort areas, allow a realistic journey each way in evening traffic before you promise yourself a table. Our Kaleiçi walking guide has a route.

Eat like a local. Antalya’s own dishes, like piyaz (the local bean salad with tahini) and grilled fish from the coast, are easy to find in town. The Antalya food guide lists what to order and where. If you’d rather be guided, food tours are listed on Viator; check the meeting point and whether the date you want is running.

Check Food Tours & Availability

If You Have Half a Day (4–5 Hours)

Düden Waterfalls and the old town. The Lower Düden falls drop straight into the sea at Lara, which makes them an easy stop from the eastern hotels, and the Upper falls are a short drive inland. Combine one of them with a late afternoon in Kaleiçi. See the Düden Waterfalls guide.

Perge. One of the best-preserved Roman cities in the region, with a long colonnaded street and a stadium, and close to the Aksu side of Antalya. It’s a good fit for a morning or afternoon and much more pleasant in November than in summer heat. Check the current opening hours before you go; winter hours are shorter. See the Perge guide.

A hamam. A traditional Turkish bath is a good way to recover from long conference days and works in any weather. See our hamam guide.

Check City Tours & Availability

If You Have a Full Day

Aspendos and Side. The Roman theatre at Aspendos is one of the best-preserved in the world, and Side’s temple ruins sit right on the water. Both are east of the city, in the same direction as the venue, so they pair well for a day before or after the conference. See our Aspendos guide and Side guide.

Termessos. A mountain-top ancient city in a national park, west of Antalya. It involves a proper uphill walk, so it suits people who want fresh air after two weeks indoors. See the Termessos guide.

The Rest Day: Sunday 15 November

The official programme gives everyone a break on Sunday 15 November, when the conference premises, including the registration desk, are closed. It’s the one guaranteed full day of daylight most delegates will get, so it’s worth planning ahead rather than deciding on the morning, because tours and drivers will be in demand that day.

• Aspendos and Side: the classic full day east of the venue, a Roman theatre in the morning and a seaside temple and lunch in Side in the afternoon.
• Perge, Kurşunlu and Kaleiçi: a slower day that stays close: ruins first, then the waterfall, then the old town for sunset and dinner.
• Termessos and Düden: mountain air and an uphill walk, then the falls on the way back. The Antalya Canyon Ultra race weekend (13–15 November) falls on the same days, so check our Canyon Ultra guide if you’re heading west.
• Pamukkale: possible as a very long day trip, but it’s roughly 3.5–4 hours each way. Only worth it if you won’t be back at the venue early on Monday morning.

Prefer a shared group tour instead? Antalya operators also list Aspendos and Side day tours online:

Check Aspendos & Side Tours

For Companions: The Weekdays Are Yours

If you’re travelling with a delegate but not attending, you’ll have long weekdays while the conference runs. A realistic week might look like this: a slow morning in Kaleiçi and the old bazaar, a food walk or cooking-focused tour, a day to Perge and Aspendos, a hamam afternoon, and a seafront walk along Konyaaltı. Keep evenings free for dinners together in town.

Companions without accreditation can’t use conference facilities and shouldn’t count on official conference shuttles. For outings, use public transport, taxis, a booked tour with hotel pickup, or a private car with driver. If you want a half or full day with a driver on your own schedule, message us on WhatsApp and tell us the places you have in mind.

What’s Closed or Seasonal in November

• Antalya Archaeological Museum is closed for rebuilding. The museum status page has the latest and the alternatives.
• The Tünektepe cable car in Konyaaltı has been closed since April 2024. See the current status.
• Rafting, jeep safaris and many boat trips run on summer schedules; some operators continue into November, others stop. Check the specific tour’s dates before planning around it.
• Ancient sites such as Perge and Aspendos stay open but switch to shorter winter hours.

Keep an indoor fallback for a rainy day; our rainy-day activities guide has ideas, and Antalya in November covers the weather.

Arriving or Leaving? Sort the Airport Run First

The easiest way to free up an extra half day is to plan it around your flight. If you land in the morning or fly out in the evening, a private transfer can stop at Perge or Aspendos on the way, with your luggage staying in the car. Official shuttles only serve hotels on the official accommodation platform, so if you’re staying elsewhere, or travelling as a companion, a pre-booked transfer with a fixed price is the calmer option on busy arrival days.

Packing for the trip? Our guide to Antalya’s weather in November covers temperatures during COP31, rain and what to wear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do in Antalya with one free evening during COP31?
Walk Kaleiçi, the old town, and have dinner near the old harbour. Allow for the drive from the eastern hotel areas and back.

What is there to do near the COP31 venue?
Perge ancient city is only 5–10 minutes from the venue in Aksu. Kurşunlu Waterfall, the Lara and Kundu seafront, Lower Düden Waterfall and the Land of Legends in Belek are all within about 30 minutes, and Aspendos is around 35–40 minutes away.

What can I do on the COP31 rest day?
The venue is closed on Sunday 15 November. It’s the best day for a full outing: Aspendos and Side, Perge with Kurşunlu and Kaleiçi, or Termessos and Düden. Book a tour or a driver in advance, as demand will be high that day.

Are tours running in November?
City tours, ancient-site visits and many day trips run year-round, but some summer activities stop or run less often. Check the dates on the specific listing before you plan around it.

Can I book a private car and driver for sightseeing?
Yes. We arrange private cars with driver, with a licensed guide on request, operated with our TÜRSAB-licensed partner Sun Global Turizm (licence no. 11308). Tell us the date, your hotel, the places you’d like to see and when you need to be back, and we’ll reply with a fixed written quote.

Will traffic or security affect outings during COP31?
The World Leaders’ Summit is on 11–12 November. No official road-closure or traffic plan had been published when we checked on 1 October 2026, so check the current transport and traffic announcements from the organisers and local authorities before any longer outing.

These are independent suggestions for visitors during COP31, not part of the official conference programme. Conference dates, the Leaders’ Summit dates and the 15 November rest day checked on 1 October 2026 against cop31.tr. Check each attraction’s opening hours before your visit.

Page last updated: October 2026