| While you’re in Antalya for your treatment, your companion doesn’t have to sit and wait. And after your final appointment, neither do you. |
A week in Antalya for dental treatment is, in most cases, not a week spent entirely in a clinic chair. A veneer or crown course involves three to four clinical appointments spread across five to seven days — which means there are meaningful stretches of free time built into every treatment programme. A full free day on Day 4 whilst the laboratory works. Free afternoons after most appointments. And the entire evening every day.
This guide is for two types of reader: patients who want to make the most of their time in Antalya, and companions who’ve come along and want to know what there is to do whilst their partner or friend is in the chair.
How Your Time Breaks Down
| Day | What the day looks like |
| Day 1 (arrival) | Transfer from airport, settle into hotel. Evening free — Lara seafront walk, good dinner. |
| Day 2 (assessment) | 2–3 hours in the clinic for assessment and treatment planning. Rest of the day free. |
| Day 3 (preparation) | 3–4 hours for tooth preparation and temporaries. Free afternoon. |
| Day 4 (lab day) | Entirely free — the laboratory is making your restorations. Full day for yourself. |
| Day 5 (trial fitting) | 1–2 hours in the clinic. Free afternoon and evening. |
| Day 6 (final bonding) | 2–3 hours for final fitting and bonding. Evening: celebratory dinner. |
| Day 7 (departure) | Optional short check, then transfer to airport. |
In practice, you’ll spend roughly 12–15 hours across the week in the clinic. The other 60+ hours are yours. Here’s how to use them.
Lara: What’s on Your Doorstep
The clinic is in the heart of Lara, and the immediate neighbourhood has everything most patients want within a 10–15 minute walk or short taxi ride.
| <10 minWalk to Lara Beach — one of Antalya’s finest | 20 minTaxi to Kaleiçi Roman & Ottoman old town | 10 kmDüden Waterfalls — coastal falls, easy half-day | 50 kmAspendos — one of the world’s best Roman theatres |
Activities by Energy Level
Some days after treatment, you’ll feel completely fine. Other days — particularly Day 3 after tooth preparation, or the day after implant surgery — a gentler activity is more appropriate. Here’s a practical guide organised by how much energy you’re likely to have:
Low energy — good for recovery days
| Ideal for the day after a surgical or preparation appointment |
| ✓ Lara Beach — lie on a sun lounger, swim gently, eat at a beachside restaurant |
| ✓ Hotel pool and terrace — every hotel in Lara has one, and they’re genuinely excellent |
| ✓ Seafront walk — flat, relaxed, excellent people-watching and seafood restaurants |
| ✓ Boat trip from Antalya harbour — 3–4 hour cruise, very gentle, spectacular coastal scenery |
| ✓ Düden Waterfalls — a short taxi ride, easy walking, genuinely impressive falls into the sea |
Moderate energy — free days
| Perfect for the full free laboratory day |
| ✓ Kaleiçi old town — Roman harbour, Hadrian’s Gate, Ottoman mansions, excellent lunch options |
| ✓ Perge — Roman ruins 15km away, well-preserved stadium and theatre, easy half-day |
| ✓ Aspendos — 50km east, one of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere in the world. Worth every minute. |
| ✓ Side — charming harbour town with ancient ruins built into the streets, 70km east |
| ✓ Antalya Museum — one of Turkey’s finest archaeology collections, air-conditioned (useful in summer) |
For companions with more time
If your companion has come along for the full week and doesn’t have treatment, Antalya and the surrounding region are genuinely excellent. Beyond the sites above, the Taurus Mountains offer a day of dramatic scenery, gorges and traditional villages about 90 minutes inland. Köprülü Canyon has guided rafting through a spectacular gorge — well organised and suitable for most fitness levels. Termessos, a hilltop Greek city with staggering views, is reachable via a short but steep hike.
Food: What Antalya Does Well
The food in Lara and central Antalya is genuinely excellent, and considerably cheaper than comparable quality in the UK. A few categories worth seeking out:
| What to try | Where to find it |
| Mezze and meze plates | Most restaurants in Lara serve traditional Turkish starters — hummus, stuffed vine leaves, grilled halloumi. Perfect for post-preparation soft food days. |
| Fresh fish | The seafront restaurants in Lara have excellent grilled fish. The catch is local and seasonal. |
| Turkish breakfast | Hotels often include breakfast, but the local café version — eggs, cheese, olives, fresh bread, honey — is a different experience worth seeking at least once. |
| Baklava and Turkish sweets | The sweet shops in Kaleiçi are spectacular. Not ideal on the day of bonding, but a Day 4 indulgence is perfectly reasonable. |
| Good coffee | Antalya has a strong café culture. Modern coffee shops in Lara serve excellent espresso alongside the traditional Turkish option. |
A Note on Post-Treatment Eating
Specific dietary guidance is covered in our aftercare blog, but the general principle for the first 24–48 hours after any treatment: avoid very hot foods and drinks, hard or crunchy items, and anything requiring significant biting pressure on the treated teeth. Turkish cuisine is excellent for soft-food days — soup, yoghurt-based dishes, eggs, soft grilled fish, rice. The hotel kitchen will always accommodate if you explain what you’ve had done.
If You Want to Extend Your Stay
Several patients arrive for treatment and then stay on for a few extra days once it’s complete. If you’re planning a 10–14 day trip with treatment in the first week, the surrounding region offers considerable variety: the coast west of Antalya (Kas, Kalkan, Ölüdeniz) is beautiful and easily reached by car hire or bus. Many patients tell us the extra days were the best part of the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it appropriate to be active during dental treatment?
For most treatments — veneers, crowns, whitening — there are no activity restrictions. For implant patients, we advise avoiding strenuous exercise for 48–72 hours after surgery, which rules out the more demanding day trips on recovery days. From Day 4 onwards, most implant patients feel well enough for moderate activity. We give you specific guidance based on your treatment.
What if my companion doesn’t enjoy historical sites?
Lara itself has plenty for non-archaeology types: the beach, good restaurants, shopping, boat trips, and the sort of uncomplicated warm-weather relaxation that’s hard to find in the UK in May. Antalya is consistently ranked among Turkey’s most liveable and visitor-friendly cities. It works well as a pure beach break as much as a cultural destination.
Are there any activities I should avoid in the first 24 hours after treatment?
After veneer or crown preparation: avoid very hot or cold food and drink, hard foods, and anything requiring strong biting pressure with the front teeth. After implant surgery: avoid smoking, vigorous exercise, swimming in the sea for 48 hours, and anything that significantly raises blood pressure. After both: lying on a beach in the sun with a cold drink is absolutely fine.
| Ready to plan your dental holiday? We handle the treatment planning — your coordinator will help with the rest. |