Alanya Beach

Alanya is about 115 km (72 miles) east of Antalya and backed by the pine forested Taurus Mountains. It was favored as a seaside resort by Turks almost 800 years ago, because of its mild climate and good harbor. Even today, visitors flock in from all parts of the world for the long stretches of sandy beach and warm waters of the Mediterranean coast.

Over the years, Alanya has grown incredibly and today has a population of more than 250,000, which often doubles during the summer tourist season. The easiest way to get to Analya is to fly into Antalya and take the bus service to Analya.

According to popular legend, the famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra used to swim and sunbathe on the Alanya beach. Historically, Alanya has plenty to offer with the dockyard and the Seldjuk castle which is covered by sea from three sides. There are the Damlatas caves famous for stalactites and stalagmites and covers hundreds of meters. The atmosphere inside two rooms in the cave has been proved to be a perfect cure for asthma. Other attractions include the Alara inn and castle and also the phosphorous caves. Apart from these, there is also a water park, mountain biking, bungee jumping and river rafting on the Alara river.

Alanya has a good range of shops and offers some excellent jewellery, clothing and leather stores. It has good restaurants catering to all tastes and offering an authentic Turkish experience.