Alanya
Those looking to travel Alanya will soon find themselves in one of Turkey's top tourism districts. With a population of over 130,000 inhabitants, Alanya is lively with both foreigners and locals. Almost 10,000 of its inhabitants, in fact, are European expatriates. Visit our Antalya destination page for more information about the surrounding sites.
Located in the Antalya province on Turkey's sunny southern Mediterranean coast, it's no surprise that Alanya sees a lot of visitors. In fact, the city has been nicknamed "Where the Sun Smiles." Alanya's weather ranges from average temperatures in July and August of 28 degrees, while the coldest months, January and February, dip to 10 and 11 degrees, respectively.
Alanya’s Best Attractions
With days like this, things to do in Alanya often involve the water. Visitors can take advantage of balmy summer weather with a dip in the water at Cleopatra's Beach. One of the most well-ranked tourist attractions in Alanya, Turkey, Cleopatra Beach hosts over 2 million visitors each year, according to the Hurriyet Daily News. According to rumor, the ancient queen's lover Marc Antony gave her the nearby Sedre village, and Cleopatra fell in love with the beach. Cleopatra Beach is home to unique, rice-like grains of sand, supposedly imported from Egypt at Cleopatra's request. To protect the special sand, visitors are asked to shower before they exit the beach, so as to keep the sand from leaving the area. Cleopatra Beach considered to be one of Alanya's best beaches, and visitors can choose to rent a sunbed and umbrella for a small price.
Alanya, Turkey travel advice might recommend that you also visit Dim Cave. Just 11 km from Alanya, Dim Cave is a huge limestone cave, the second biggest cave in Turkey. Adventurous travelers can cool off by visiting the cave and check out stalactites and stalagmites, though visitors with babies or wheelchairs should be warned that the cave has plenty of stairs and can be slippery. For those who love caves, another option is the Damlatas cave, also in Alanya. Some say that the cave has healing powers for those with asthma. Whether you believe that or not, Damlatas cave still has special hours every day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when it is only open to people with respiratory issues.
Not far from Damlatas cave and Cleopatra Beach is Alanya Kalesi (castle). The castle itself is a Seljuk fortress from the 1200s, but it now serves as an open-air museum that visitors can take a cable car up to. Visitors can explore the castle itself, for a small entry fee, take in the nearby streets and shops, or just check out the terrific view of Alanya that the castle offers.
Tours are available for Alanya, and they can serve as a sort of travel guide for the city, giving visitors a glimpse of the highlights of the area. Some options include horseback riding, Jeep safaris and boat tours, which can include stops at must-see attractions like Cleopatra Beach and Dalmatas Cave.
City Center of Alanya
The city centre of Alanya shouldn't be missed, either. With daily markets offering up the region's treats, visitors may want to prioritize a stop to a market like the Alanya Cuma (Friday) Bazaar. Whether you want some fresh orange juice, some Turkish tea, an evil eye bracelet or a hand-painted lamp, markets can provide a fun, local way to do your shopping.
Accessibility and Travel to Alanya
If you've decided that Alanya is your next destination, it's time to find the best way to get there. The local Gazipasa-Alanya airport isn't far, about an hour's drive from Alanya Castle, for example. This airport sees both domestic arrivals (like Istanbul and Ankara) as well as international arrivals. A few of the nations serviced by Alanya's airport include Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Russia. For visitors stopping by Alanya from other areas of Turkey, Alanya is just over two hours by car from Antalya and a little under eight hours by car from Izmir.
Accommodations: Hotel and Hostel Availability in Alanya
Visitors will be pleased to find that hotels are readily available in the bustling Alanya area, perhaps because of its reputation as a tourism hub. Whether it's an all-inclusive resort, an adults-only accommodation, or a budget hostel, a quick search can reveal that an option for everyone at one of Alanya's 600+ accommodations.
Located in the Antalya province on Turkey's sunny southern Mediterranean coast, it's no surprise that Alanya sees a lot of visitors. In fact, the city has been nicknamed "Where the Sun Smiles." Alanya's weather ranges from average temperatures in July and August of 28 degrees, while the coldest months, January and February, dip to 10 and 11 degrees, respectively.
Alanya’s Best Attractions
With days like this, things to do in Alanya often involve the water. Visitors can take advantage of balmy summer weather with a dip in the water at Cleopatra's Beach. One of the most well-ranked tourist attractions in Alanya, Turkey, Cleopatra Beach hosts over 2 million visitors each year, according to the Hurriyet Daily News. According to rumor, the ancient queen's lover Marc Antony gave her the nearby Sedre village, and Cleopatra fell in love with the beach. Cleopatra Beach is home to unique, rice-like grains of sand, supposedly imported from Egypt at Cleopatra's request. To protect the special sand, visitors are asked to shower before they exit the beach, so as to keep the sand from leaving the area. Cleopatra Beach considered to be one of Alanya's best beaches, and visitors can choose to rent a sunbed and umbrella for a small price.
Alanya, Turkey travel advice might recommend that you also visit Dim Cave. Just 11 km from Alanya, Dim Cave is a huge limestone cave, the second biggest cave in Turkey. Adventurous travelers can cool off by visiting the cave and check out stalactites and stalagmites, though visitors with babies or wheelchairs should be warned that the cave has plenty of stairs and can be slippery. For those who love caves, another option is the Damlatas cave, also in Alanya. Some say that the cave has healing powers for those with asthma. Whether you believe that or not, Damlatas cave still has special hours every day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when it is only open to people with respiratory issues.
Not far from Damlatas cave and Cleopatra Beach is Alanya Kalesi (castle). The castle itself is a Seljuk fortress from the 1200s, but it now serves as an open-air museum that visitors can take a cable car up to. Visitors can explore the castle itself, for a small entry fee, take in the nearby streets and shops, or just check out the terrific view of Alanya that the castle offers.
Tours are available for Alanya, and they can serve as a sort of travel guide for the city, giving visitors a glimpse of the highlights of the area. Some options include horseback riding, Jeep safaris and boat tours, which can include stops at must-see attractions like Cleopatra Beach and Dalmatas Cave.
City Center of Alanya
The city centre of Alanya shouldn't be missed, either. With daily markets offering up the region's treats, visitors may want to prioritize a stop to a market like the Alanya Cuma (Friday) Bazaar. Whether you want some fresh orange juice, some Turkish tea, an evil eye bracelet or a hand-painted lamp, markets can provide a fun, local way to do your shopping.
Accessibility and Travel to Alanya
If you've decided that Alanya is your next destination, it's time to find the best way to get there. The local Gazipasa-Alanya airport isn't far, about an hour's drive from Alanya Castle, for example. This airport sees both domestic arrivals (like Istanbul and Ankara) as well as international arrivals. A few of the nations serviced by Alanya's airport include Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Russia. For visitors stopping by Alanya from other areas of Turkey, Alanya is just over two hours by car from Antalya and a little under eight hours by car from Izmir.
Accommodations: Hotel and Hostel Availability in Alanya
Visitors will be pleased to find that hotels are readily available in the bustling Alanya area, perhaps because of its reputation as a tourism hub. Whether it's an all-inclusive resort, an adults-only accommodation, or a budget hostel, a quick search can reveal that an option for everyone at one of Alanya's 600+ accommodations.