Living in Kemer: What to Know Before Settling Year-Round

Say Kemer and most people picture a resort where pine forests and sea run into each other. But what is Kemer like once the summer is over and the hotels empty out? If you are considering living here all year round, there are things beyond the summer brochures worth knowing: seasonality, distance from the city, daily needs and housing types. This article describes Kemer as it is, without steering you towards a sale.

Where is Kemer and how big is it?

Kemer is a district on the Mediterranean coast west of Antalya, at the foot of the Bey Mountains. According to the Wikipedia district page, its population was 49,383 in the TÜİK address-based registration results of 31 December 2022, and it covers 412 km². The same page says the district is declared a first-degree tourism area and that most coastal businesses are tourism-related. Sources give the distance to Antalya city as roughly 35 to 45 km, meaning something like 45 minutes to an hour by car. The airport is also about an hour away.

The district is not a single centre. It is a string of settlements along the coast, each with its own character: from north to south Beldibi, Göynük, Kemer centre, Kiriş, Çamyuva and Tekirova (following the order on Wikivoyage's Kemer page). Kemer centre has the marina, the clock tower and the point where local buses meet; Wikipedia says the marina has 320 berths and that some liveaboard sailors spend the winter there.

Seasonality: the most important fact

Tourism sets Kemer's rhythm. Wikivoyage notes that nightclubs close in winter and that sites such as Phaselis and the Tahtalı cable car run shorter hours in the colder months. In daily life this means that in summer restaurants, shops and events are plentiful along the coast, while in winter many businesses close or scale down and the streets are quiet. For some people that is welcome peace; for others it means a narrower social life.

If you plan to live here year-round, check whether your neighbourhood keeps a core of life going in winter: do the grocer, baker, pharmacy, health centre, school and bus line all operate? Kemer centre is generally better placed than the outlying villages, but visiting in winter yourself is the most reliable test.

Transport: links to the city and local options

According to Wikivoyage, municipal buses run from Antalya to Kemer at frequent intervals (lines TA07 and TA08), and within Kemer there are local buses from the marina and yellow taxis. Line numbers and frequencies can change, so check the latest announcements from Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and Kemer Municipality. Having your own car noticeably raises daily comfort in many of the settlements.

For schools, hospitals and some official procedures you may need to go to central Antalya. Families moving here may find our guide to international schools in Antalya and healthcare guide for expats useful.

Photo: Соболєв Володимир / CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons

Nature and the outdoors: Kemer's real asset

Nature is Kemer's greatest strength. The district sits on the skirts of the western Taurus Mountains, with pine forest, sea and mountains together. Wikipedia notes hiking on the Lycian Way, mountain biking, and caves on the east face of Mount Tahtalı. Wikivoyage says the cable car climbs to the 2,365 m summit, that Göynük Canyon can be explored by boat or swimming, and that the ruins of Phaselis lie at Tekirova. For more day trips see places to visit near Antalya city centre and our Turkish piece on Olympos, Çıralı and Yanartaş.

Housing options and what to check

Kemer has holiday complexes, hotel-concept residences, detached villas and ordinary apartment blocks. For permanent residence, these points stand out:

• Is the complex active all year? In holiday-oriented complexes pool, security or cleaning services may be limited in winter. Ask management about winter services.
• Heating and damp. Homes close to sea and forest can suffer from damp and mould in winter; see our winter guide (Turkish).
• Location. Walking distance to the centre, a grocer and a bus line is among the details people value most in winter.
• Seasonal rental income. If you plan to let the property, remember that income can be seasonal.
• Looking after an empty home. If you will leave it closed for a while, read our guide to leaving a home empty (Turkish).

For the villa-or-apartment question, start from your own lifestyle; we collected the criteria in villa or apartment in Antalya.

Everyday environment and language

Wikivoyage reports that in the 2020s the tourist strip is visited mostly by Russians, so hotel and restaurant staff are more likely to speak Russian than English. If daily communication matters to you, this can influence your choice of neighbourhood. Those wanting a more local life usually look at neighbourhoods outside the tourist strip.

Comparing with neighbouring areas

Before settling on Kemer it helps to see the coastal neighbourhoods in the city: our piece on Liman Mahallesi and the Konyaaltı seafront covers the city end of Konyaaltı, and Lara or Konyaaltı? compares the two big central areas. For the golf region to the east see Belek and Serik.

In short

• Kemer is a nature-rich tourism district west of Antalya, with 49,383 residents at the end of 2022.
• The biggest difference is seasonality: lively in summer, quiet in winter.
• Transport and daily needs vary a lot by neighbourhood, so visit in winter.
• For permanent residence, ask about the complex, heating and damp.

To compare areas across Antalya, see our page on buying a home in Antalya; for questions, feel free to write to us. For a comparison of two central areas, our article Lara or Konyaaltı? may also help.

Sources: Wikipedia (Kemer district, TÜİK ADNKS 31 Dec 2022), Wikivoyage (Kemer), Turkey Travel Planner (Kemer).

Cover photo: Tatyana / CC BY 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons