Alanya: Mediterranean Coastal City
A few weeks back we took a road trip to Alanya—a coastal city known for its beautiful beaches and high tourist traffic. The weather was just starting to heat up in Adana, and it seemed like the perfect time to check out this place we had heard so much about.
Our road trip was an adventure in itself. We started with smooth coastal interstate, continued with precarious mountain passes, and ended up surrounded by banana trees, all the while passing by numerous old castles and ruins.
Driving into Alanya we noticed a couple of things right away. One was the city’s overall attractiveness. It was obvious that the local government took great care with landscaping, city planning, and even building design to create a uniform, pleasing look.
The other thing we noticed was the number of foreign tourists. Everywhere we went it seemed we heard a different language, and all of the shop-owners and restauranteurs spoke great English.
When visiting a new city in Turkey, it is a good idea to check out the local Tourist Information office. Here you can find maps, brochures, books, and people to answer your questions. Generally these are located in the downtown area, and they look like this.
The man at the Alanya office was very helpful and loaded us up with different resources for our visit. With typical Turkish hospitality he warned us against fraudulent tourist traps and recommended the best restaurant for local food. As he walked us out he offered his help for anything we might need during our stay.
The main thing we wanted to see in Alanya was the castle. It sits up on a rocky bluff that juts out into the sea. As we wound our way upwards, we passed the outer walls of the castle and drove through several neighborhoods. We wondered at the people who lived in these villas. After all, their front balcony afforded a spectacular view of the sea, while their back yard was filled with scattered pieces of ancient buildings. Quite a unique situation!
Alanya Castle at night. Here you can see the outer wall lit up across the hill.
At the top of the hill was a small parking lot. We thought the 5 lira fee was well worth not having to hike up the steep roads. Another alternative for reaching the castle is a cable car system leaving from Atatürk Park next to Cleopatra Beach. If you do choose to ascend on foot, know you are committing to a long, steep hike with little shade. The entrance fee for the inner citadel is 15 Lira. We found these explanatory boards just before entering.
The inside of the citadel was a bit disappointing. Half of it was roped off for some sort of restoration project, and the other half was pretty empty. We did, however, find this old church, which was cool.
Also, the views were incredible.
This is a famous beach in Alanya, called "Cleopatra Beach." Some people say that it was a gift to the queen from Marc Antony.
Also, we met a parrot named Casanova, and I couldn’t resist getting a picture with him. The picture quality wasn’t the best, but Casanova gave me a kiss on the cheek, so it was still a good memory!
From the top of the bluff we spotted a rocky outcropping below with some ruins on it. Our map told us this was an old monastery, so we decided to try to get down to it if we could.
We walked along the outer wall until we came to an iron gate blocking the path we were sure led to the monastery. We contemplated hopping the gate—it would have been easy enough—but decided against it as the path beyond looked steep and long. Besides, we were getting some pretty serious sunburns.
Besides exploring the castle we visited a local cave, found a cat park (you can read more about that here), strolled through a local handicrafts market and ate at the restaurant our new friend had recommended, but the other major highlight of our visit was Dim Çayı. This is a river that flows down to the Mediterranean from the mountains surrounding Alanya.
The forestry and cliffs surrounding the river make one forget that the sea is only a few kilometers in the rearview mirror.
Along the edge of the water are restaurants serving fresh fish. These are constructed in such a way that they span the river, creating a unique experience for their customers. We picked a place called Beyaz Saray (Literally, “White House”) to grab a bite to eat. Sitting on the cushions, with the sound of running water all around us, we felt truly peaceful.
After getting some good beach time in, we decided Alanya is a thoroughly enjoyable destination for anyone looking for a little recreation, a little exploration, and a little relaxation.
On the way back, we stopped to check out the ancient city of Antiochia ad Cragum. You can read about that experience here.
Have you ever taken a vacation in Turkey? What was your experience like?
TO OUR FRIENDS IN THE WEST, KEEP LOOKING EAST!
Ginny Lou Henley
Ginny Lou is a co-founder of West2East. Originally from Alabama, Ginny Lou has called Turkey home for the past nine years. To read more about her, click here.