Among all Turkish resorts, Alanya can rightfully be called the most extraordinary, charming, memorable and amazing. Here you will find the cleanest beaches, azure waters of the sea, gentle rays of the sun and, of course, mind-blowing diving, wonderful underwater caves, archaeological and historical values in the form of ancient cities built by the Greeks, and a lot of other entertainment. If you dream of a fabulous vacation that can give you an unforgettable experience, then do not even doubt that you are making the right choice. Don’t know what to see in Alanya? Especially for you, we have compiled a list of popular places in this Turkish city, which includes the most interesting sights of Alanya.
The sights of Alanya: what to see first
Alanya with sights on the map of Turkey can be found in Antalya province, on the Mediterranean coast. Today it is one of the largest resorts in the country, which is at the same time a seaport. It is directly separated from the city of Antalya by 138 km in a south-easterly direction.
Summers are hot and long, rains are rare, but at the same time the climate remains mild and favorable for a great holiday. Winters are rainy and windy, but quite short.
Panorama of Alanya Killikundak
The town has a well-developed resort infrastructure, many hotels of different levels, well-maintained beaches, entertainment and, of course, Alanya in Turkey offers an abundance of attractions and souvenir shops, and the recommendations of tourists will help you make a vacation plan so that you spend every minute of your time exciting and usefully.
Fortress
Medieval fortress in Alanya Seleonov
One of the mandatory places to visit during your vacation is the medieval fortress, which at one time served as a protection for the city. At one time, the total length of its walls was 8 km, and there were 160 observation towers along their length. Inside there was a mint, the sultan’s palace, a mosque, but, unfortunately, they did not survive, but the fortress walls show their reliability, preserved to the present day. Also, in all its splendor, the Red Tower, which is part of the historical complex of the fortress, will appear before you.
Official website: https://alanya.bel.tr
The Red Tower
Tapico Red Tower in Alanya
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The Red Tower is a real historical value, which was built in 1225 in order to protect the city from pirate raids, and today it is a large open museum, which is a monument of medieval architecture. The height of the structure, which has been preserved for several centuries, is 33 meters, at the top there is an observation deck from which you can take a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding beauty and take amazing photos in memory of this Alanya landmark in Turkey. Going up, you will have to overcome 85 steps, but throughout the route you will be able to get a better look at the observation windows and loopholes. Be sure to take a look at the Museum of Ethnography located on the ground floor. This fortress can be safely attributed to the best sights of Turkey.
Official website: https://alanya.bel.tr
Lighthouse
Lighthouse – a snow-white building in Alanya Kallerna
There is another interesting structure nearby – the lighthouse, which is a monument to the powerful Ottoman Empire. The snow-white building was originally made in France (in 1880), then dismantled and transported to the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the fact that the lighthouse itself is small, the light from it spreads over a distance of 200 miles.
Feel the atmosphere of Alanya in this beautiful video!
Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum of Alanya Gmihail
The list of the most valuable sights of Alanya will not be complete if the local Archaeological Museum is not included in it. There are so many unique finds and objects in it that some of the exhibits do not fit in the building and are therefore located in the courtyard. There are many artifacts, ancient writings (including the handwritten text of the Koran), objects and clothes, coins and weapons. Among the exhibits are a Phoenician stone, the inscriptions on which date back to 625 BC, as well as a tombstone dating back to the first century BC.
Official website: http://alanya.bel.t
Suleymaniye Mosque
Suleymaniye Mosque on the Castle Hill of Alanya Rene MT
The architectural value is called the Suleymaniye Mosque, which you will find near the Byzantine fortress. This building is made of stone with wooden windows and gates, which are decorated with very beautiful carvings, it has a square shape and consists of only one minaret. The uniqueness of the structure is that in order to provide first-class acoustics (which was too difficult to obtain in the Middle Ages), 15 balls are suspended under the dome itself. This mosque is active, it begins its history in 1231, although the first building was destroyed and had to be restored only in the 16th century, but here it is, it has safely survived to the present day.
Official website: https://alanya.bel.tr
The shipyard
Tersane – medieval shipyard in Alanya Bestalex
Exploring popular attractions and what is worth seeing in Alanya in Turkey, tourists always choose the shipyard (Tersane), whose history goes back to 1228, during the reign of Sultan Aladdin Keykubat. Ships have been moored here for centuries, their repairs have been carried out, and today the shipyard, which measures 56×44 meters, accepts small vessels and boats. Tersane is especially beautiful at dusk, when it is illuminated by bright lights.
Caves
Not a single photo or description of the sights in Alanya in Turkey will be able to convey to you even a fraction of the impression that a visit to the mysterious caves will bring:
- Damlatash Magaras (its name translates into Russian as “stone in drops”); Karain Magaras; Dim Magaras.
Damlatash Magarasy Cave in Alanya BillBl
Damlatash is the most famous and most visited of all, it has an unusual, healing microclimate, therefore it is useful for people with respiratory diseases. Inside, you will see stalagmites and stalactites, the estimated age of which is about 15 thousand years.
Official website: https://alanya.bel.tr
Karain Magarasy is the largest of the country’s natural caves, it is also attractive because ancient people lived here, about 25 thousand years ago. There is a small salt lake in Dim Magarasy.
Dim Magaras Cave in Alanya Alexostrov
If you decide to leave the territory of the resort town for a short time, then just seven kilometers away, near the village of Elekesik, you will find the ancient city of Hamaksia. It has a stone pool with a century-old history. The pool is replenished with water exclusively from mountain streams, and real historical monuments of the Roman and Byzantine period, represented by unique structures.
The reservoir on the Dim Chai river in Alanya HylgeriaK
You can diversify the recreation program by visiting the valley of the Dim Chai mountain river. Despite the fact that swimming in the reservoir is not allowed, a sufficient number of impressions will be left by the natural beauty, which can also be admired even from a height, climbing to the observation deck.
What attractions are there in Alanya in Turkey for children
The Turkish resort offers holidays for every taste, and it will be interesting not only for adults, but also for children. After going on vacation with the whole family, take time for a trip to Sealanya Park. They are waiting for you here:
- a water park, in which, in addition to slides, there is an amazing entertainment in the form of diving to the seabed (you will see grottoes, shells unseen anywhere else and not only); an exciting water attraction called “Slow River”; a dolphinarium, where daily performances with sea lions and seals take place, and you can also swim with dolphins.
Water Park in Alanya Christine und David Schmitt
Official website: https://www.sealanya.com
Official website: https://www.sealanya.com
A visit to the Viking yacht will give a lot of pleasure to the little guests of the resort – this is a real pirate ship, on which professional animators have prepared an unforgettable adventure for the kids. But the show can only be booked through a tour operator.
Just like adults, children are interested in routes with visits to caves, fortresses, shipyards and, of course, water activities.
In fact, the resort is amazing, and it can be safely called the “Turkish pearl”. It is unlike Istanbul or other cities, offers a huge selection of tourist routes, impresses with the beauty of nature and the gentle sea. There are many attractions and hotels in Alanya, from the Green Garden, which has 4 stars, to small cozy two-star beaches and entertainment. This is exactly the place on the map that cannot be missed! Read also about the best sights of Kemer and be inspired to travel further in Turkey.
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