Worth seeing by day and night

With over 100.000 inhabitants, the city of Alanya is one of the largest and most beautiful cities in southern Turkey and forms the eastern end of the Turkish Riviera. Since 1993 it has been a sister city to the North Rhine-Westphalian city of Gladbeck.

The coast of Alanya is known for its many and long beaches. The townscape of Alanya is characterized by a 250 meter high rocky ridge that protrudes about two kilometers into the sea. On the rock there is a Seljuk castle from the 13th century. From here you have a breathtaking view of Alanya, the Taurus Mountains and the sea.

In the center of the citadel there are two cisterns and at the southern gate there is a small Byzantine church and the ruins of an old Seljuk palace. Also hidden in the rock are the three famous caves that are worth seeing: the love cave, the phosphorus cave and the pirate cave. All of them can only be reached by sea.

Below the rock lies the port with the almost 35 meter high Red Tower and the Seljuk shipyard. The Red Tower is an octagonal building with five floors. Today it serves as a museum and, along with the citadel, is one of the most important buildings in Alanya. The shipyard is 150 meters south of it and opens onto the sea with its five arched docks. The shipyard dates back to the Middle Ages and is very well preserved.

A visit to the two important stalactite caves in Alanya – the Damlatas Cave near Cleopatra Beach and the Dim Cave – should not be missed. The latter was only opened to the public in 1998 and is the third largest cave in Turkey. The lively life in the city center, the bazaar, the market and the numerous shopping opportunities that Alanya has to offer should not go unmentioned. Night owls get their money's worth in the port, because there are numerous discotheques, bars and cozy pubs. With good music and a cool drink, night can quickly turn into day. Nightlife is very important in Alanya!