Sightseeing in Alanya

Sightseeing in Alanya gathers around the rocky headland that splits the town beach in two. On top stands the Seljuk fortress with roughly six kilometres of wall, holding the Süleymaniye mosque and the remains of residential quarters inside; you get up by cable car from Cleopatra beach or by bus along the switchbacks. At the foot sit the octagonal Red Tower of 1226 and the Tersane shipyard with its five stone bays, where the Seljuks built their fleet. The Damlataş cave nearby keeps its stalactites at a steady twenty-two degrees or so.

City tours usually run half a day and finish at a viewpoint above the bay; the evening version adds a boat ride and dinner. Longer routes leave Alanya too: the Demre, Myra and Kekova trip starts at dawn and takes in Lycian rock tombs, the church of Saint Nicholas and the sunken town seen through a glass-bottomed boat. The drive runs about four hours each way, which makes for a long day.

The longest route is the two-day Cappadocia trip with an overnight stay: departure in the evening or early morning, the road through Konya, then the Göreme valleys, an underground city and the dawn balloon launch as a separate option. With less time to spare, the Green Canyon and Manavgat safaris lie closer and combine views with a boat and lunch. Practical notes: dress with covered shoulders and knees for the fortress and the mosque, and set out early in summer, because the stone on the upper terrace bakes by midday.