The two answers, first
Transfer: on the Troy Dance Show round-trip hotel transfer is part of the price. On Fire of Anatolia you choose — a ticket-only reservation, or ticket plus round-trip transfer from hotels in the Antalya, Side, Belek, Kemer and Alanya areas. Pick ticket-only and getting to the theatre is entirely your problem, which is worth knowing before you save the money.
Booking ahead: yes. These are not nightly performances, seating on the stone tiers is unnumbered and first-come, and reserving costs nothing — you pay on the day of the show and can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before. There is no financial reason to leave it.
What the transfer actually covers
An air-conditioned vehicle collects you from your hotel's main entrance gate in the evening, timed to how far your resort sits from Aspendos, and brings you back after the final curtain. We confirm your individual collection time after you book, because it depends on your hotel rather than on the show — anyone quoting you a fixed pickup time for an entire coastline is guessing.
- Fire of Anatolia: transfer options run from the Antalya, Side, Belek, Kemer and Alanya areas; travel insurance and host and driver service are included on those options.
- Troy Dance Show: round-trip transfer in an air-conditioned, non-smoking coach is included, with departures across the Antalya region and from Side, Belek, Alanya and Kemer. Guests staying in the Old Town meet near the Hadrian's Gate area rather than at a hotel gate.
- Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival: return coach transfer is included, with your pickup time confirmed individually one day before the event.
Return drop-off is late at night in every case. That single fact decides whether this evening suits your family more than any other on this page.
How far ahead should you reserve?
Far enough to land on a night the show actually runs.
- Fire of Anatolia plays on selected evenings each week through the summer and early-autumn season. Tell us your preferred date and we confirm the nearest performance.
- The Troy Dance Show runs on selected evenings in the current season — Tuesdays, from early August to the end of September.
- The Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival runs 12–26 September 2026, on selected event nights: Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Because performance dates differ between productions and shift with the season, we confirm the exact night for your booking rather than printing a calendar that ages badly.
Seating: what "unnumbered" means in a Roman theatre
Standard seating is on the theatre's original stone tiers. It is not allocated, so within your ticket category you sit where you find space. Transfer guests are delivered with comfortable time to choose a spot; ticket-only guests who arrive at the last minute take what is left. A VIP upgrade is available on both dance shows — on the Troy show it is a section in the centre of the theatre directly in front of the stage, subject to availability. At the opera and ballet festival, Category 2 seating on the free stone and marble tiers is included and Category 1, closer to the stage, is the paid upgrade.
Bring a small cushion. The seating is bare stone, it is two thousand years old, and it does not soften during the second half.
What the evenings cost
- Fire of Anatolia — €65 per adult, €30 per child aged 1–11. Children's arena entry is free; on transfer options a child still needs a paid seat in the vehicle, and security may ask for ID to confirm a child's age.
- Troy Dance Show — €68 per adult, €31 per child aged 7–11.
- Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival — €45 per adult and €30 per child in Category 2 seating; bookings are accepted from age 8.
Food, drinks, personal expenses and the VIP or Category 1 upgrades sit outside those prices on every option.
The quick ones
Do I need Turkish or English to follow it?
No. Both dance productions are entirely non-verbal — story told through choreography, live rhythm, costume and light. Opera and ballet work the same way for an international audience.
What time does it start?
Fire of Anatolia begins at 21:00, and every festival performance begins at 21:00. Your hotel collection is earlier in the evening and confirmed to you individually.
What should I wear and bring?
Smart casual, a light jacket — open-air evenings turn cool even in summer — and comfortable, sure-footed shoes for stone steps and uneven surfaces. Camera rules are set at the gate: flash and professional equipment are usually refused.
When do I pay?
On the day. Reservation is free, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the performance.
Who should not book an Aspendos evening
- Families with toddlers on a fixed bedtime. A 21:00 curtain plus a drive home means a very late night.
- Guests with mobility concerns. The theatre is open-air with stone steps and uneven surfaces; contact us before booking rather than after.
- Anyone sensitive to loud sound and strong stage lighting. Fire of Anatolia in particular is built on both.
- Anyone who needs an allocated seat and does not want to pay for the upgrade.
- Ticket-only bookers without their own transport. Aspendos is not somewhere you casually find a taxi at midnight.
- Children under 8 for the opera and ballet festival — the age restriction is applied, and the late finish suits older children anyway.
Reserve your evening
Compare the two dance shows on Fire of Anatolia at Aspendos and the Troy Dance Show at Aspendos, or take the September classical route with the Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival. Everything ticketed sits together under shows, parks and tickets, and the resorts these evenings run from are covered on Belek and Antalya.
Still shaping the week? Read which Side excursion to choose, which Antalya day trip is worth it, or whether Land of Legends is worth it if the family wants a second big night out.