The large bustling beach resort of Alanya is located on the Antalya Coast of south west Turkey and is famous as the gift that Mark Anthony gave to Cleopatra. Alanya is split in two by a large rocky peninsula, with beautiful sandy beaches to the east and to the west. Backed by the Taurus Mountains, this popular beach resort offers a mix of the old and the new with modern hotels, lively nightclubs, restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, ancient ruins and captivating minarets. Alanya offers a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets. From self catering accommodation to all inclusive hotels, Alanya has something to suit everyone.
The fortress district on the rocky promontory is home to Alanya’s old town which is a stark contrast to the main resort. Here you will find a waterside harbour area, tiny winding streets, interesting hillside cafes, ancient towers and ruins, mosques and castles. Around the harbour area you will find tea-houses, restaurants serving delicious seafood dishes and relaxing bars.
Sitting at the eastern end of the Turkish Riviera, also known as the Turquoise Coast, Alanya is close to some of Turkeys most beautiful beaches. With over 600 miles of amazing coastline and crystal clear warm Mediterranean waters, most of the beaches along this stretch have been awarded the EU Blue Flag for cleanliness. To the east of the peninsula is Keykubat beach which is popular to tourists and local people. This large bay is close to the town centre and offers plenty of beach bars, sun beds, parasols and shops. The beach has its own lifeguards and a variety of water sports including jet-skis and parasailing. There are two popular beaches to the west of the peninsula, Cleopatra beach and adjoining Damlatas beach. Cleopatra beach is excellent for families with children as the fine sandy beach here shelves gently into the beautiful clear water. As with Kykubat beach, there are cafes, beach bars, lifeguards, sunloungers, parasols and water sports on offer here. Adjoining Cleopatra beach is Damlatas beach where you will find the huge Damlatas Caves. These caves are one of Alanya’s biggest attractions with stalactites, stalagmites and columns that are thousands of years old. You will also find sun beds, parasols and sandwich bars along the beach. For a quieter day out you will need to visit the Dim Valley and river where you can enjoy great swimming conditions.
Alanya is a great choice of holiday destination, not just for its beautiful beaches but also for its culture. There is so much to do and see here including excursions to the ancient amphitheatre in Aspendos, scuba diving in the warm crystal clear sea, jeep safaris and boat trips to the nearby sea caves.
Many festivals are held in Alanya throughout the year. The beginning of the tourist season is marked by the Tourism and Art Festival which takes place at the end of May or beginning of June. This is a great event for the whole family with Whirling Dervish shows, folk dances and lots of music including traditional Turkish, pop and classical. Visit during September and October for the Alanya Days festival with live jazz shows throughout the city.
Alanya enjoys a typically Mediterranean climate with long hot summers with temperatures peaking at 31C and short mild winters. If you are looking for warm weather and cheap accommodation then the best time to visit is in April or May when temperatures are around 21C-24C or in September and October when temperatures are around the 26C mark. June, July and August are when the resort sees the hottest temperatures, is more crowded and hotel prices are higher. The winter months from November to March are not such a good time to visit as during these months the weather deteriorates with temperatures averaging between 16C and 21C. The chance of rain is greatly increased during the winter months.