A short Guide to Alanya | Attractions worth Visiting

Alanya is located in the province of Antalya in the southern part of Turkey. The region has a Mediterranean climate, which hot summers up to + 37 ° C and mild, slightly rainy winters when the temperature does not drop below + 10 ° C.

Historic Sites in Alanya

Alanya is a place where many ancient settlements were made, such as the Pamphylia and Cilicia. It is still not known for sure who was the founder of the city. But, we can say that the modern name of the town was given in 1935 by Ataturk in honor of the Sultan Allaaddin Keykubat.

Castle

In ancient times, castles and its fortifications were built in cities to protect against external enemies. The Alanya castle and the buildings on its territory show features of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman civilizations. During the Byzantine period, the castle served as a port for sailors. In certain locations, you can find ruins of the Byzantine church of St. George, the monastery, a statue of an Arab saint.

In the Seljuk era, the fortress was renovated, fortified, and even expanded. Thanks to the double fortified walls that have survived to this day, you can see brick cisterns, a shipyard, the Red Tower, weapons and palace complexes, mosques of Ashkabe Sultan, Suleyman the Magnificent, medieval baths of the Seljuks were built.

Fortress walls divide the castle into three parts:

1. The first is like a crescent moon, at one end is the Red Tower, and at the other the shipyard.
2. The western peak, where the Castle is located. Previously, there was a bastion with the most important buildings: the residence of the Sultan, the mint, etc.
3. It surrounds the small fortress Ehmedek and the territory towards the inner castle.

Red Tower

This is a well-preserved monument of medieval architecture, where you can see the masonry of the XIII century. The octagonal five-story red brick building was built in 1226 by an architect from Syria to defend the fortress, port, and docks. The dimensions of the tower are impressive: 33 m in height, 29 m in diameter, and each of the eight walls extends to 12.5 m. To get to the top of Kizil Kule, you need to go up 90 steps. Currently, it is used as an ethnographic museum.

Damlatas cave

The cave got its name from the combination of two words, meaning "drop" and "stone" in Turkish. It was discovered in 1948, and it is located 100 meters from the sea on the western side of the peninsula. In this cave, it has a volume of 2.5 thousand cubic meters and consisting of a huge number of stalactites and stalagmites, formed by the dripping water. Due to the constant temperature of + 22 ° C, the humidity is up to 98%, and air ionization, visiting the cave, is recommended for asthma patients.

Shipyard

From the tower to the dock, you can walk along one of the walls of the fortress. The shipyard extends 56 m in length and 44 m in width. Inside there are five compartments in the form of arches, each of which goes to a depth of 42 m. At the entrance of the shipyard, there is a sign with the emblem of Sultan Aladdin. The building was for construction, repairs, and the launch of ships. On the right of the shipyard, you will find a mosque

A single ticket to visit these three attractions will cost $ 3 (instead of 5 if you buy tickets separately).

What to Try in Alanya

Of course, in Alanya, many cafes and restaurants are serving different cuisines of the world. But to experience the local flavor and culture, we recommend trying the local food.

National dishes include:

• Dolma (cold appetizer)
• Turkish soups (corba)
• Meat dishes, represented by different types of kebabs, kokorec
• Balik Ekmek (baguette with fish)
• Unsweetened pastries: simit, gozleme, borek, etc
• Turkish sweets: Turkish delight, Kunefe, baklava, and many others.

Local drinks (tea, coffee, salep) also have a unique taste.

Where to stay

In Alanya are hotels for every taste and many stars, on the coast and remote from the coastline. The hotels closest to city attractions are central hotels near Cleopatra's Beach, where, among other things, the nightlife is in full swing.

An alternative accommodation option is to rent an apartment or villa. Real estate agents in Turkey Summer Home will help you find the right accommodation.

How to get to Alanya

The holiday resort can also be reached by car or fly here by plane. There is an airport in Gazipasa, Alanya. But it is small, so there are mostly seasonal flights there. The international airport is located in Antalya, which is a two-hour drive from Alanya.

As you can see, Alanya is a magnificent city in which there are many attractions, if you want to buy property in Alanya, make sure to contact our agency!