Alanya, Turkey

Alanya Castle.

With its vast beaches, historic sites, the innumerable fish restaurants of its modern hotel and motels and its cafes and bars, Alanya, is an outstanding holiday getaway. The first thing that greets the visitor is the 13th century Seljuk Castle, which sits like a crown atop the Alanya Peninsula. Besides the impressive castle, there is the shipyard and the Red Tower (Kizil Kule) with monumental beauty. All along the road which runs beside the port are late night cafes and bars and boutiques selling handicrafts, leather clothing, jewelry, handbags and local gourds painted with extraordinary colours. If you like to explore caves, then you must see Damlatas Cave. Near the cave is the Ethnography Museum. You can reach the other three caves by boat; the Phosphorous Cave with its phosphoric rocks, Girls Cave (Kizlar Cave), where pirates held their women prisoners, and Lovers Cave (Asiklar Cave). The cool shade of Dim Brook Valley, 15 km east of Alanya, is an ideal place to get away and relax. The sea all around Alanya is excellent for swimming. Alanya is a paradise of sun, sea and sand.