Alanya is an indispensable destination for travelers with high energy in the Mediterranean region of Antalya giving its visitors a chance to see Alanya Castle along with many ancient castles remaining in other ancient cities, the unique beaches which are the best beaches of Turkey, natural wonders of the cave formations, plateaus and rivers.
Places to Visit in Alanya
Alanya Castle and Kızılkule
Alanya Castle, the symbol of Alanya, is located on the Alanya-Antalya Road in Alanya District Center. Built in 1221 by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, the castle consists of three parts: the Outer Castle, the Middle Castle and the Inner Castle. In Alanya Castle, where Hagia Yorgi Church, Magnificent Suleiman Mosque, Akşabe Sultan Mausoleum, Seljuk Bath, Arasta, Bedesten, Sitti Zeynep Mausoleum, Sultan Alaaddin Palace, large and small cisterns, lighthouse and dungeon takes place, Kızılkule, one of the unique examples of Seljuk art built during the reign of Alaeddin Keykubat, catches the attention of visitors. Kızılkule, located at the intersection point of the east walls and the north walls that protect the coast of the town, is located at the east of Alanya Harbour, at a point that dominates all ports and the dockyard. The entrance door of Kızılkule, which takes its name from the red brick used in construction, has an inscription decorated with rosettes carrying the coat of the Sultan. In the inscription, It was written that Alaaddin Keykubat was given the title “Sultan of the Two Seas” as it was the second sea base of Seljuks after Sinop.
Ancient Cities
Ancient City of Syedra
Syedra Ancient City, a Roman remain which was founded in the 3rd century BC on a hill where today’s Kargacı and Seki villages are formed, is located 20 kilometers away from Alanya district center. The Great City, which was built on a large hill about 3 km from the sea, was the center of the city of Syedra, and it was understood that the city was Roman ruins from the inscriptions found in the area and from the coins inscribed in the names Marcus Aurelius and Antonius between the years 138-161 AD. The lintel of the monumental entrance door is still intact and there are structures and mosaics on both sides of the colonnaded street, and there are probably three pools used as reservoirs in the city.
The Seljuk Shipyard
The Seljuk Shipyard, which was started to construct in 1227, is a structure completed in a year near Kızılkule six years after the Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad conquered the city of Alaiye (Alanya). The front of the shipyard, consisting of five arches, facing the sea, was built 56.5 meters and 44 meters in depth. On one side of the dockyard, there is a masjid and a guard room on the other side, and a dump well in one of the cells. The place chosen for the shipyard is planned to be the most suitable for efficient daylight use and reinforced with a two-story two-room tower against the dangers that may come from the South. The inscription at the entrance door of the Alanya Shipyard, the first shipyard in the Mediterranean of Seljuks, carries the coat of Sultan Keykubat and is decorated with badges.
The Ancient City of Leartis-Learti
Leartis-Learti, which is known as the Big Church, is located on the slopes of the small hills of Alanya, 22 km from Alanya district center, consists of a church, bath, cistern, small stadium theatre, a columned street and temples. In the church, located in the south part of the stadium, are inscriptions with reliefs and frescoes and eagle legs and Ox heads. According to the information obtained from the inscriptions in the city where coins were issued by Trayan and Empress Hernia Etruscill, it is known that between the 1st and 3rd centuries was the brightest period of the city. Among the temples in the city, temples of Zeus, Megistos, Apollo and Cesar are among the well-known ones.
Iotape Port City
The port city of Iotape, which is 30 kilometers east of Alanya, bears the name of Iotape, the wife of King Antichus. Iotape also has a port, which passes through the middle of today’s Mediterranean coast road. Although it is difficult to climb the Iotape Castle, which is built on a rather high hill in the shape of the peninsula, the view from here really worth the effort. The Ancient City of Iotape has its street, bath, church, necropolis and acropolis with single-room covert burial chambers.
The Ancient City of Hamoxaia
The ancient city of Hamoxaia, known as the Fly Castle, is located northwest of Alanya, about 15 kilometers away from Alanya district center, which can be reached through a dirt road passing Ulaş Beach and making a turn after Elikesik Village. This point, with a fascinating view, is described by Strabon, an ancient geographer, as a place where timber used to build ships was obtained, abundant in cedar trees. The city, which is thought to have been built before the Roman period, has a tower with Hellenistic features at its highest point. The most important ruins of the city consist of a large exedra in semicircular plan with seating rows and still visible inscriptions, religious building complex and necropolis with a fountain and pool. It is known that the city, which shows the existence of a temple belonging to Hermes, survived as a small but not-rich community of Coracesium between 100 and 200 AD. Most of the remains belong to Roman and Byzantine periods.
The Ancient City of Selinus
Although there is a medieval castle at the top of the ancient city within the borders of Gazipaşa District of Alanya, structures such as churches and cisterns in the Acropolis are among the buildings that have managed to reach the present day. Other structures, such as the city’s baths, the Seljuk pavilion, Aqueduct and Agora, are located on the coastal side of the city. The ancient city is also important as the region where the city was founded is the most important point of the city of Cilicia.
Mosques, Masjids and Mausoleums
Süleymaniye Mosque
Suleymaniye Mosque, also known as Alaeddin and Castle Mosque, was built by Alaeddin Keykubad, the Seljuk Sultan in 1231, just outside the inner castle during the reconstruction of the city. The single-minaret mosque, which was rebuilt by Kanuni Sultan Süleyman in the 16th century, was built in the form of a square of rubble stone. The mosque, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of Ottoman wood engraving, has a brick dome that sits on the skeleton. In order to provide acoustic features, there are more than a dozen small cubes on the piece that acts as the rack of the dome.
Emir Bedruddin Mosque
Emir Bedruddin Mosque, also known as the Juniper Mosque, takes its name from the juniper tree right next to it. The mosque, located in the Tophane neighborhood, was built by Emir-ül Haç Zade Bedrüddin Ömer in 1227 at the era of Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev. The minbar of the mosque, which bears the characteristics of Seljuk architecture and made of cut stone, is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of Seljuk wood engraving art. The mosque with its inscription indicating that it had been repaired in 1725 is entered through a door below the Red Tower minaret. Beneath the last community place of the structure is a large Seljuk cistern and an old well below the road called the Arab well.
Akseba Sultan Masjid
The mosque built in 1230 by Akseba Sultan, one of the first commanders of Alanya Castle, has its own unique architecture and a minaret built of red brick. There are two chambers, one of which is a masjid and the other of which is composed of a few graves belonging to Akşebe and other unknown owners.
Tophane Masjid
Tophane Masjid, an Ottoman structure of the nineteenth century, was restored with traditional construction techniques of local craftsmen. The upper floor ceiling coverings of the building were cedar and black pine, used in traditional buildings of Alanya during that period and the door of the building is made of massive wood seen in the same period buildings around it.
Siti Zeynep Mausoleum
Siti Zeynep Mausoleum, a 16th century Ottoman structure, was built with a rectangular plan, rubble stone and lime mortar. From the door to the right of the “L” – shape mosque facing east, a square-shaped place covered with a mirrored vault is entered. To the left of this building, a small door with a pointed arch and a square planned Masjid section, which is higher than the ground level, combined with a vaulted long room from the West in the east-west direction. In the middle, there is a sarcophagus-shaped burial place built with rubble stone plaster.
Churches
Hıdrellez Church
Hıdrellez Church, which is unknown when it was founded in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains overlooking the Mediterranean, but it was written in its inscription that it was repaired on April 23, 1873, is located in Hıdır İlyas area within the borders of Hacı Mehmetli Village, which is 10 km away from Alanya district center. Hıdrellez Church, which is used as a gathering-place for woman after its conversion to the mosque for a while, is considered sacred by Muslims and is also visited by tourists. The church, which the locals of Hacı Mehmetli Village visit every year to meet the spring in Hıdırlez week, has a magnificent view of Alanya and the Mediterranean. At the same time, there is a chapel with a cistern in it.
With the population exchange in 1924, the Turkish-speaking Alanya Orthodox community settled in Greece and became a sister city in their former homeland Alanya, after founding Neo Ionia district. The name of the Church their grandchildren still visit in the village used by Christians is Agios Georgios, the Church of St. Georgi. The church is a stone structure with a small apsis and a rectangular plan, similar to those found in Antalya Kaleiçi. The ruined ceiling decorations and frescoes of the Hıdrellez Church are exhibited along with its inscription written in Greek and Karamanli language in the Alanya Museum.
Hagia Yorgi Church
Hagia Yorgi Church, known as Hagios Georgios, is located just across from the inner castle palace ruins in Alanya Castle. Aya Yorgi, a small Byzantine church with frescoes on its internal walls, even though clover planned and destroyed, is thought to have been built in the 6th century AD. Aya Yorgi, the only structure not belonging to the Seljuk period in the inner castle, is known to have been converted into an episcopate over time as religious importance increases. The church, which is a rare structure of Alanya that has survived before the Turkish-Islamic period, is under protection along with the castle. It is one of the places to be seen in Alanya.
The mihrab is located to the east of the stone structure, which is completely adjacent to the southeast wall of the castle and has a dome. Hagia Yorgi, which was interesting in terms of usage, was built on the structure of a 6-meter-wide square tower belonging to the Hellenistic period Tower during the Byzantine period. During the Seljuk period, the church was preserved during the construction of the old wall walls and used as a masjid.
Caravanserai
Şarapsa Caravanserai
Located on a hill on the Alanya-Antalya road, fifteen kilometers from Alanya district center, Şarapsa caravanserai was built between 1236 and 1246 by Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev II, son of Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad.
To the east of the rectangular structure, there is a minaret similar to a watchtower. The North and South walls of the building, which are in the form of a ten-division inn, were placed on an outside margin to increase its durability. To the left of the inn, there is a mosque opening to the North and a section used for the purpose of a tanyard.
Alara Caravanserai
Alara Caravanserai, an architectural complex built by Alaeddin Keykubad in 1232, contains the caravan museum, mosque, church, water supply and bath. Located 35 kilometers from Alanya town center near the Alara River, the caravanserai was built nine kilometers north of the Alara stream, which forms the Alanya-Manavgat border. The caravanserai, built of cut stone on an area of two thousand kilometers, has a guard hut, a fountain which even preserves all its feature today, a mosque and a bath.
Alanya Castles
Sinek Castle
The castle located within the borders of Alanya’s Eliseki village is reached through a dirt road. The castle, which has no archaeological excavation undergone around it, has a breathtaking view.
Red Tower (Kızılkule)
The tower, which has an ancient history, has an octagonal architecture and a height of 33 meters, was built in 1226. At the bottom floor of the five-story tower, there are handicrafts, old weapons and artifacts from the Seljuk period. The tower, which was built by Alaaddin Keykubat in order to protect Alanya shipyard, is the symbol of Alanya.
Alara Castle
The castle was built in 1231 on a hill built with an average elevation of 500 meters by Alaaddin Keykubat along with the conquest of Alanya and in addition to having a magnificent structure and being regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of Turkish construction art, it is a historical and touristic excursion area.
Beaches
İncekum Beach
İncekum Beach, which is twenty-sixth kilometer from Antalya-Alanya Kara highway, is within the boundaries of Avsallar Town. İncekum, where blue and green are intertwined with sea and forest, is also a recreation spot. It is one of the most popular beaches in Alanya, with its clean shallow sea and its thin sand that gives the beach its name.
Damlataş Beach
Damlataş Beach located in front of Damlataş cave, at the slopes of Alanya Castle, has fine sand and crystal-clear sea unique to Alanya. There are many touristic facilities behind the sprawling beach.
Cleopatra Beach
The Blue Flagged Damlataş and Cleopatra beaches are located side by side on the western side of Alanya Castle on the historical peninsula at the entrance to Alanya.
Damlataş Beach, Damlataş is the beach located in front of Damlataş Cave. It leaned on the western slopes of the historical peninsula. The beach is famous for its Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen, and Antonius, the Roman Emperor, swimming here. The small bay of the beach extending towards the peninsula, consisting of large stones, is called Cleopatra. Cleopatra Bay’s characteristic is the clarity of its water. It is possible to watch the fish and the natural beauty of the sea bottom when swimming with swimming glasses.
Cleopatra Beach, which starts right next to Damlataş Beach, is one of the most famous and popular beaches of Alanya. It has a length of about 2 km. Both beaches are open free of charge to the public, but sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented with a fee. Many beach facilities also charge reasonable rates.
Koru Beach Natural Pools Bay
The Bay, located in the Gazipasa District of Alanya, is one of the preferred holiday resorts with its diverse formed rocks and pools, but is considered to be at the appropriate temperature in the months of May, June and September. Especially with its crystal-clear water in the mornings, the bay gives visitors a feeling of swimming in an aquarium. In addition, the beach is especially preferred because of its being Caretta Caretta’s egg-laying area.
Alanya West Beach
The beach between Alanya Peninsula and Gazipasa is also known as Keykubat Beach.
Ulaş Beach
Located in the 5th kilometer of the Antalya-Alanya Road, Ulaş Beach is a small beach preferred not only for being a sea-sun-sand pleasure but also relaxation place, restaurants and picnic places.
Alanya Caves
Damlataş Cave
which is located three kilometers from Alanya city center, was found in 1948 during the opening of the quarries for the stone to be used in harbor construction. The cave, which takes its name Damlataş due to the dripping water drops and thousands of beautiful stalactites, is home to the columns formed in 15,000 years. The cave is located on the west coast of the historic Alanya Castle and its ground is passed through a cylindrical gap at the entrance of after a 50-meter pass. Damlataş cave, which has a constant temperature of 22.3 °C during the summer and winter, is determined to have four qualities that are good for asthma. It is known that the first two of the elements such as carbon dioxide and high humidity in the environment are good for asthma and the other two are considered helpful factors.
Dim Cave
Dim Cave, 11 km from Alanya, is located on the western slope of Cebeli Reis Mountain at a height of 232 meters above sea level. The cave, consisting of four galleries, can be reached via Kestel district from Alanya, through Dim Stream valley and Tosmur District by road. There are rich stalactites, stalagmites and travertine formations in Dim cave, which is 360 meters long and 10-15 meters wide. At the end of the cave, there is a small lake 17 meters deep from the entrance.
Fosforlu Cave
Fosforlu Cave, located on the side of Damlataş cave and can be accessed by a small boat, is a unique natural beauty with its geological value. The cave, which is lit at night, is named after this characteristic, where its phosphorous glittering can be seen during the day. The outstanding light effects of the cave, which is known to be an ancient time seas cave, is worth seeing.
Kadıini Cave
Kadıini Cave, also known as Çatak Çave, is located at Çatak district on the border of Oba town and Bademagaci Villages, 15 kilometers from Alanya city center. Picnic areas around the cave give the district a distinct vitality.
Korsanlar Cave
Thought to be an ancient sea cave, Korsanlar Cave, according to legend, is the place where terrorizing pirates kept the goods they had obtained from the robberies and kidnapped the girls. Approximately 10 meters wide and 5 meters high, the cave allows the passage of boats from the mouth part of the cave, with colored stones covering the passengers like a mosque dome.
Aşıklar Cave
Aşıklar Cave, which is a cave with two entrances on the slope of the historical Alanya Peninsula near the sea, is reached by climbing the rocks towards Cilvarda Cape. The entrance on 75 meters long side of Damlataş, is located about 15 meters high from the sea.
Hasbahçe Cave
Hasbahçe Cave, located in the Küçük Hasbahçe District is four kilometers from Alanya Town Center and is larger than Damlataş Cave. The cave, thanks to its cool and constant temperature, is used to store citrus products.
Alanya Museums
Alanya Archeology Museum
The Alanya Archaeology Museum, which was opened in 1967 with artifacts from the Bronze Age, Urartu, Phrygian and Lydian period brought from the Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara, was expanded and enriched with artifacts from excavations in the region. In the museum consisting of two parts, Archaeology and Ethnography, the oldest historical monument, which is found in Alanya region, is a Phoenician inscription belonging to 625 BC. Its most important artifact is the bronze cast Heracles statue dating back to the 2nd century AD which has a dramatic history in mythology. In Alanya Archaeology Museum, artifacts from Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish-Islamic works from Seljuk and Ottoman Periods are exhibited. In the ethnography section, objects such as Yoruk kilims, Ala sacks, saddles, clothes, processing samples, weapons, daily use containers, jewelry, manuscripts and writing tools, reflecting folkloric characteristics of the region are exhibited and stone works from Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods can be visited in the museum garden.
Hüseyin Azakoğlu City Museum
Azakoğlu Mansion, which is located in Şekerhane district and donated to Alanya municipality for cultural use by its owners, welcomes visitors under the name of Alanya Azakoğlu City Museum as one of the most beautiful examples of traditional Alanya mansions. The building, which is registered as one of the surviving historical Alanya houses, contains information and documents that will contribute to the preservation of Alanya’s city memory and identity.
Atatürk House Museum
The house, which was estimated to have been constructed during the Second Constitutional Period and which Atatürk stayed in during his visit to Alanya on February 18, 1935, was donated to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism by its owner, Rıfat Azakoğlu. In the house converted to museums by the ministry, various documents and items from Atatürk and that period are exhibited.
Sports Activities in Alanya
Alanya Triathlon
Alanya Triathlon, known as mountain biking races organized by Alanya Municipality and Turkish Cycling Federation every year in October, contains three elements: swimming, cycling and jogging. Alanya triathlon, an international sporting event, has been organized since 1991. This sports branch, which requires exceptional strength and endurance skills, can be affected by environmental conditions such as wind, rain and wave, is broadcast to the world by Eurosport TV.
Rafting
Alraft Facilities located on the Dimcay River, which is one of Alanya’s most favorable areas for rafting, six kilometers east of Alanya, is a cut out location for rafting. Located 20 kilometers from Alanya’s town center, the facilities host many local and foreign visitors and athletes every year.
Climbing
Akdağ and Cebelireis Mountains have areas suitable for trekking and amateur climbing. Akdağ, which was declared as Winter Sports Tourism Center by the Ministry of Tourism for this purpose, is a preferred region.
Activities (Things to do in Alanya)
Alanya Observation Deck
Alanya Observation Deck Park Area established by Alanya municipality is 650 meters high from the sea. Transportation is easy and comfortable by the asphalt road. This area is a beautiful park, picnic and recreation area where you can have a panoramic view of Alanya at the bird’s eye.
The deck has a signpost at the entrance on Keykubat Boulevard (Antalya-Mersin highway) in Alanya. After you cross the road, go straight to the Old Road (Highland Road) and switch to the double road from the first right, you will reach the deck after 3 km from the new road.
There are seating areas, picnic tables, buffet and tea gardens in the area of the observation deck. Breakfast in this area is very good. Breakfast is very good in this area.
Alanya Boat Tour
Boat tours are organized regularly during the tourism season in Alanya. Boat tours in Alanya start in April and continue until the end of October. Alanya boat tours are one of the most popular tours in Alanya. Boat tours are carried out by special (pirate) boats built and decorated for this purpose. Alanya yacht tours are among the things to do for those who want to swim in the blue waters of the Mediterranean, cool down and have fun with animation shows.
Alanya Boat Tour Programme
The companies that provide boat tour services provide transfer from your hotel to the port. The all-inclusive Alanya boat tour departs from the port between 9am and 10am in the morning and gives the first swimming break near the historical Kızılkule, known as the Dockyard beach, in colorful and crystal-clear water in front of the Seljuk Shipyard. Here, you enjoy swimming intertwined with history. Then, the boat, which hoists anchor on the side of Antalya, stops at Korsanlar, Aşıklar and Fosforlu caves around the peninsula where Alanya Castle was built and offers all the beauty of the Mediterranean to its guests. Swimming breaks on the open of Damlataş and Cleopatra beaches is a must to give a try!
Alanya boat tours, which offer unlimited soft drinks during lunch time and during the day, take the entertainment to the highest level with animation and foam parties in the afternoon. The swimming break given at Ulaş Park/Beach is enjoyed greatly by the visitors. Alanya’s new marina is another stop for boat trips.
At nights, Alanya boat tours organize disco party tours. There are lot of options and a variety of businesses to consider in Alanya boat tour to-do lists, so, it’s important to consider a few options and make choices accordingly. Don’t forget to take your swimwear, sunscreen, towel and slippers with you and leave the rest to tour boats and experienced staff for a pleasant trip and fun.
Boat trips that travel along the coast of Alanya’s enormous coastline, caves and beaches offer the opportunity to see and live Alanya from different perspectives. Starting from the ancient tower walls and stopping by the ancient sea caves such as the Korsanlar Cave, fascinating Cleopatra Beach with its extraordinary sand, the tours give lunch and swimming break at İncekum Bay. The tour, where you can even see dolphins, offers a unique view of charming bays and emerald green nature.
Sapadere Canyon
The Saphadere Canyon, which is a beautiful experience for those who like nature Sports, has a breathtaking nature without the need for climbing equipment. In the canyon that you will cross through the mountain roads with curved and cliffs, you will take a nice break when you reach the Serde River, which reaches up to 12°C even in the hottest season of the year. The most attractive spot at the end of the 600-meter long hiking is the waterfall. Here you can swim and enjoy the rest of the day within the green plants and wildlife.
You can not only enjoy jeep safari, quadricycle safari in the unique nature of Alanya and rafting sports in Dimçay River, but also go on a yacht tour on Manavgat River. You make the most fun of the water in the Aqua Park Water Planet at Okudzalar District, 30 kilometers away from Alanya, and take a dive to see the colorful fish and underwater creatures and visit Dolphinarium, 18 kilometers away from Alanya, and watch the unforgettable shows of dolphins and seals with your children. If you prefer, you can make use of camping and auto-caravan facilities in areas within Alanya and fish in freshwater.
While you are in Alanya, you can also visit Antalya, the capital of Turkey’s sea, sand and sun, and continue to enjoy the coasts.
Alanya Map
