Visiting Çakırlar – Traditional Village Near Antalya Famous For Turkish Breakfast

One of the places to visit near Antalya, in my opinion, is the village of Çakırlar. It is situated at the foot of the mountains within the city limit and is famous for Turkish breakfasts served all day long. This village attracts many people (mainly locals) who love coming here to escape busy city life, eat freshly made food that doesn’t cost a lot, and shop at a market that sells locally grown natural produce.

The idea to visit this village came up all of a sudden. During a short period of time, we just met too many people who advised us to go there for food, countryside, and enchanting landscapes. So that’s what we did.

On the third day of our arrival in Antalya after settling in the Konyaaltı Liman neighborhood, we wanted to taste a traditional Turkish breakfast and immerse ourselves in local culture. After being outside Turkey for a few months, we missed Turkish food and an authentic vibe. And since Çakırlar is only 10 km away from the Konyaalti area, we didn’t think for too long before making a decision to go there.  

Çakırlar village, although being a village near Antalya, is located within the city. It provides a wonderful opportunity to get away from a big metropolis to the world of amazing nature and traditional food. It is easy to get there on a day trip using a public bus, going by bike, taxi, or by rented car from Antalya. The village is open year-round, although in winter it gets quieter here.

We turned our visit into a little adventure and traveled to Çakırlar by bikes on a country road. Just before reaching it, we made dozens of stops to take photos, smell the pine, and enjoy the landscape. We also wanted to stop by the spring with icy drinking water on Altinyaka road to refill our bottles but missed it being hungry and wanting to find some food.

The spring, by the way, offers very clean water that tastes very different from the water you find in the city. Many people come here specifically with empty canisters to fill them in to take water home.

Turkey has a big problem with the quality of drinking water. Even though it is better filtered than in Istanbul, consuming it is still not recommended. Locals order water from a store or have filters at home. So if you happen to make your way to Çakırlar, feel free to stop by the spring (I put coordinates above) to fill your bottles too.

What to Do in Çakırlar Village Near Antalya

Eat. Shop. Relax. And walk around.

We came with the goal to have Turkish breakfast and spend half a day in the rural area. And that’s what we got. We have been to many other villages in Turkey, including the famous wine village Sirince and village of olive oil Küçükköy, so our expectations regarding this village were not high. In spite of that, both of us still had a fabulous time.  

The village is really tiny and consists of two streets only. But for foreigners (especially those on a holiday to Antalya for the first time), visiting Çakırlar will be a very unique experience. First of all, this is an opportunity to see Turkey outside a big city and get an idea of how ordinary people spend their days. And second, get a taste of incredible breakfast in Antalya. Çakırlar village is not a touristy place and if you come during the week, most likely you’ll be the only foreigner.

As soon as you enter the village (from Girne road), you’ll see two roads that connect in a roundabout. Each of them has cafes and shopping stands.

The choice of breakfast is pretty much the same in all cafes. There are no menus but visitors can order a typical Turkish breakfast that includes eggs, cheeses, jams, tea (Turkish chai), and famous for this region bazlama bread. You can additionally order more eggs, french fries, gözleme (stuffed flatbread), and soft drinks. But there are no alcoholic drinks available.

All cafes have a big beautiful territory. Owners usually live nearby and take good care of the grounds. There are fountains, flowers, playgrounds for children, and swings. Some places also have traditional music in the background. All the decor and setting, in general, is rather simple but very tasteful. So besides food, all visitors can have a relaxing time on the territory of a cafe. Just walk down the street and choose a cafe to your liking. We went to Sedir Gözleme Köy Kahvaltısı which I saw on many lists of the best places to eat breakfast in Antalya.

If you want to enjoy the silence and avoid crowds, then come on a weekday. All cafes are open, but most likely you will be the only visitor. On weekends, locals come here for breakfast next to nature, for a picnic, and to spend time with relatives.

It is worth noting that not everyone likes Turkish breakfasts. So if you have already tried it but didn’t like it, maybe you won’t enjoy it here too. In this case, there is lunch and dinner food available as well. Overall, Çakırlar village near Antalya is a very authentic destination with a peculiar atmosphere, fresh air, delicious and inexpensive food, and a peaceful environment. 

What to Know Before Visiting Çakırlar 

The staff in all cafes speaks only Turkish, so you need to know at least a few phrases to place an order. Since there are no menus, you need to know what you want to get. If you’d like to have breakfast food then ask for ‘kahvalti’. Clarify the price in the beginning to know in advance how much you’ll need to pay. Use a calculator on your phone for the host to write a price.

Except for breakfast food, you can also order marinated grilled chicken (Şiş tavuk), kızarmış balik (fried fish), and köfte (fried meatballs). Although the majority comes for breakfasts since they are excellent here. Some cafes don’t include gözleme or french fries (patates kızartmasi) in the main course and you need to order them as extras.

All food is very fresh and cooked on barbecue grills and in real Turkish stoves. You can sit in a cafe for several hours and enjoy the sound of nature.

After the meal, do not rush to return home. If you have a car, drive to Doyran pond or even Saklikent Mountain. If you would like to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, butter, honey, or jam, this is the best place to do that.

Our journey lasted around 6 hours. Since we were traveling by bikes, it took us much more time to get to the village and back to Antalya. But we also made many stops to take photos and walk around.

How to Get to Çakırlar by Public Transportation

The only way to reach this village by public transportation is by bus. To find out about the transit from different parts of the city, I recommend you checking out mooviit application. It is the only source that shows public transportation in Antalya and does it well. Here are suggested routes from the Old City of Antalya to Çakırlar to give you an example. 

Antalya Travel Essentials 

Here are some of the websites and services that I use when planning a trip to/around the Antalya region and Turkey in general:

– For affordable flights to Antalya, I always compare prices on Kiwi.com with prices on Turkish Airlines and Pegasus (low-cost Turkish airline).  

– Use iVisa to find out if you need a tourist visa for Turkey and apply for an expedited visa online.

– For a private transfer, use KiwiTaxi. They offer transfers from Antalya airport to different parts of the city. 

– For a car rental, we use only Myrentacar.com. In fact, I have a very detailed guide on car hire in Turkey that answers all important questions. It explains why we use myrentacar company and what are the companies to avoid at any cost in Turkey.

– Find the best Antalya hotel deals on Trip.com and Hotels.com. Use Booking from outside the country or through VPN when in Turkey. Trip.com has a good variety of hostels in and around Antalya.

– Find the best city tours in Antalya and day trips. 

– Order a copy of the latest version of Lonely Planet Turkey Guide book. 

– For more posts about travel in Turkey refer to my Turkey Blog Page.