- Alanya parks
- Attractions of the resort
- Suleymaniye Mosque
- Children's rest in Alanya
- Natural beauties of Alanya
- Note to shopaholics
- Delicious points on the map
In the list of popular beach resorts in Turkey, Alanya is rightfully one of the leading places. Despite the relative distance from Antalya International Airport, Alanya is popular with a wide variety of tourist groups. The reason is that the resort has hotels, restaurants and entertainment for every taste and budget, and on the contrary, there is no shortage of addresses where you can have a good time and where to go.
Among the points on the map most visited by the guests of the resort are water parks and museums, architectural medieval sights and parks, restaurants and children's entertainment centers. In short, a beach holiday on the Antalya Riviera was and remains the ideal plan to spend a vacation with the benefit of both soul and body.
Alanya parks
The Turkish resort, despite the hot climate, manages to maintain its green fresh flavor throughout the summer season. Many elegant lawns, flower beds and small squares adorn the city and delight its guests. There are also a couple of large parks in Alanya, one of which is worth visiting for all cat lovers.
"Cat" is the name of the city park, laid out near the port of Alanya, where excursion pirate ships are stationed in the roadstead. Nearby there is also the Red Tower, and opposite the entrance to the park there is a monument to Ataturk. The park is quite spacious, green, with lots of flower beds and neat lawns. In the well-groomed area, you will find small ponds, benches, gazebos and bridges, and part of the green space is fenced especially for cats. Houses for homeless animals, playgrounds and climbing frames, scratching posts - in a word, all the amenities for a full life of four-legged animals left without a roof over their heads were built here.
The second famous city park in Alanya is named after the founding father of the Republic of Ataturk. It stretches along the Cleopatra beach and you can get here right from the embankment. The park is planted with many palms, araucaria and other southern trees. The territory is equipped with a system of artificial reservoirs with bridges, fountains and benches for relaxation. Flower beds delight the eye, and from the observation deck a view of the mountain and the fortress of Alanya opens up. It is convenient to get to the park by bus N101.
Attractions of the resort
When making a list of addresses where you should go in Alanya, do not forget about the historical sights and architectural monuments of the city. At the resort and in its surroundings, you will find many interesting objects worthy of the attention of a person who prefers to spend his vacation in a varied and informative way:
- Kyzyl Kule is called the visiting card of Alanya. It may sound like a tourist cliché, but the photo of the Red Tower really adorns all guides to Alanya, and local guides include it in any excursion route. The tower was built in the 13th century. Sultan of the Seljuk Ala-ad-din Kei-Kubad, under whom the Kony Sultanate reached a special prosperity and power in the region. The tower was designed by Ebu Ali Reha el-Kettani, an Arab engineer who created a striking example of a fortification typical of the Middle Ages. For centuries, Kyzyl Kule defended the port of Alanya from enemy claims, and today it houses the Ethnographic Museum of the city.
- Another architectural structure has become a kind of monument to the same sultan. Alanya fortress rises on a rocky cliff protruding into the sea for several tens of meters. The citadel was built on the site of ancient Byzantine and Roman fortifications, and some of the ancient ruins have survived and are accessible for tourists.
- Since the XII century. Alanya is known as a major Mediterranean port. For the needs of the sultanate, many ships were required, which were built at the Tersane shipyard. The building itself appeared in the XIII century and to this day is a monument of medieval architecture. Outwardly, the attraction is an example of the Seljuk building art. Powerful stonework and powerful pillars allowed the shipyard to exist for about 800 years unchanged. In the evening, the architectural monument is illuminated with special illumination and looks very picturesque.
The list of attractions in Alanya invariably includes the Archaeological Museum. It is constantly replenished with new exhibits, which the Turkish land, rich in historical discoveries, continues to give to people. The museum has a half dozen halls, where ancient coins, ceramics, handwritten books, weapons and jewelry are displayed. An exhibition of handmade carpets and national dress of residents of the Antalya region is displayed in the courtyard of the museum.
Top 10 attractions in Alanya
Suleymaniye Mosque
During the reign of Sultan Ala-ad-din Key-Kubad, the most beautiful and significant religious building of the city appeared in Alanya - the main mosque. Its feature was amazing acoustics, which the architects were able to achieve with the help of an engineering trick: fifteen balls were suspended from the ceiling of the mosque, conducting and reflecting sound.
The original building, erected in 1231, has not survived to this day. A new one was built to replace the one that collapsed in the 16th century. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who ruled at that time, also tried his best, and the Suleymaniye Mosque is famous today for its elegant carvings decorating door and window openings, and all the same ideal acoustics. The peculiarity of the building is the only minaret.
Children's rest in Alanya
To start the section dedicated to family vacations, it is worthwhile to say that in the resort you will find many hotels and restaurants "tailored" for the needs of young tourists. The hotels have special family rooms, services for large guests, animators and entertainment programs for young guests. Cafes and restaurants in Antalya offer, among other things, a children's menu, and therefore tourists do not have problems where to go for lunch or dinner.
The employees and inhabitants of the Sea Alania Park will gladly undertake to entertain little ones and older children. The Marine Park on the outskirts of the resort boasts one of the best dolphin shows. The park hosts daily performances with seals and fur seals. Divers will have the opportunity to dive to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea and observe the life of its inhabitants.
The second must-see for the whole family in Alanya is the local water park Water Planet. It is open 30 km from the city on the high seashore. The arsenal of the water park includes slides and attractions of varying degrees of difficulty, pools with artificial waves, turbulent rivers and fountains. The Water Planet has a hotel where you can stay overnight.
More about holidays with a child in Alanya
Natural beauties of Alanya
The list of natural attractions of the resort usually includes three objects worthy of a tourist's attention:
- Dim Cave is 12 km away. northeast of the city, it is located at an altitude of more than one and a half thousand meters on Mount Jebi-Reis in the Western Taurus massif. The length of the main "hall" of the cave is about 400 m, the side one - 200 m. The decoration of the underground space is the purest lake.
- Dim Chay Valley is another natural attraction of the Antalya Riviera. The river of the same name, which formed the valley, was dammed up and valuable species of fish are now bred in the reservoir that appears on the map. In the valley, there are restaurants serving the best Turkish cuisine, bungees and fishing spots.
- You can improve your health, heal your lungs and just enjoy the unique microclimate in the Damlatash cave. It was discovered in the very center of Alanya during construction work. The height of the main underground room is more than 15 m. A certain temperature is always held here, and high humidity, combined with a high content of negative ions, provide a healing effect of the air in the grotto.
There are other amazing natural sites in the vicinity of the resort. For example, the Phosphoric Cave, the walls of which are luminescent, or the Pirate Cave, which can only be accessed from the sea.
Note to shopaholics
It is no coincidence that Turkey is so popular with tourists from different countries, because in addition to a beach holiday, the guest is also guaranteed a varied and profitable shopping.
The main street with dozens of shops and shops is called Ataturk Boulevard. You will find leather shoes and accessories, fur coats and jewelry, souvenirs and Turkish sweets on the local counters.
In the Oriental Bazaar, in addition to local delicacies, the buyer will be offered handmade carpets, leather clothes, knitwear, hookahs and other Turkish traditional consumer goods.
It is best to buy jewelry in shopping centers that can give a stone certificate, and authentic souvenirs and items of local craftsmen - in small villages and towns in the vicinity of Alanya.
Delicious points on the map
Turkish cuisine is a very broad concept. In the menu of local restaurants, you will definitely find meat and fish, seafood and vegetables, fruits and traditional oriental sweets. Regular guests of Alanya recommend several secret addresses where you should go in search of authentic food and national flavor:
- The restaurant at the entrance to the Alanya Fish Market is a cult place for lovers of local fish soup and fresh grilled shrimp. Be sure to try the seasonal herb salad.
- Gourmet cuisine awaits you at Emerald Garden. In addition to traditional Turkish dishes of lamb and fish, you will be offered dumplings and borscht. They are prepared by the Russian wife of the restaurant owner. The service here is quite European and the place is ideal even for single girls.
- Live music, authentic interior and old-fashioned dishes - this is Ev Restaurant in the center next to the LC Waikiki store.
- You can drink and hang out with rockers at Harry's Pub. Live music and understanding of like-minded people are guaranteed.
An inexpensive and tasty meal is best in the Alanium shopping center, where amazing shawarma and other excellent quality Turkish fast food are prepared at the food court on the third floor. If you're hungry at Cleopatra Beach, be sure to check out the local dining room located next to Luna Park. The food there is excellent, the portions are large, and the prices are very pleasant, especially for family tourists or those who are not used to spending too much money on trips.
Popular restaurants in Alanya
