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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Alanya
Give Alanya 3 nights: one for the castle headland and Red Tower, one for a boat day and beach, one for Dim Çayı or Sapadere. Skip it if you want ruins over resorts.
Alanya is a beach resort built around a Seljuk citadel on a crag that splits two long sandy bays. The old headland, harbour and Red Tower are walkable in a day; the rest of the town is hotels, bars and package tourism. It works as a 3-night coast stop, or as a base for the Taurus-side gorges and caves.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and crowded), plus the two Bayram holidays
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid ₺2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High ₺3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Tourist police 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Turkish coffee or tea | ₺40–90 |
| Pide or kebab plate | ₺150–300 |
| Draught beer / supermarket can | ₺100–180 / ₺50–90 |
| Dolmuş ride in town | ₺20–40 |
| Boat trip round the headland, half day | ₺600–1,200 |
| İç Kale inner castle entry | €12 |
| Red Tower entry | ₺100 |
| Damlataş Cave entry | ₺150 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GZP · Gazipaşa–Alanya Airport
- 30 km (19 mi) southeast; Havaş shuttle meets arriving flights, about 45 min19 mi (30 km) southeast; Havaş shuttle meets arriving flights, about 45 min
- AYT · Antalya Airport
- 125 km (78 mi) west; the usual arrival point for international visitors, then bus or transfer78 mi (125 km) west; the usual arrival point for international visitors, then bus or transfer
Typical fares
- Havaş shuttle GZP → Alanya
- about 45 min; fare rises with inflation, budget ₺250+ (2026 estimate)
- Bus Antalya → Alanya
- 2 h; fare rises with inflation, budget ₺250+ (2026 estimate)
- Alanya Teleferik round trip
- 500 TL, 5 min each way, daily 09:30–23:00500 TL, 5 min each way, daily 9:30 AM–11:00 PM
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk the centre: harbour, Red Tower, shipyard and Kale Cd are all on foot. Dolmuşes run the main streets and you flag them anywhere. The Alanya Teleferik gondola links the Damlataş beach station to the citadel top in about 5 minutes, daily 09:30–23:00, round trip 500 TL. Taxis wait at the foot of the castle road.Walk the centre: harbour, Red Tower, shipyard and Kale Cd are all on foot. Dolmuşes run the main streets and you flag them anywhere. The Alanya Teleferik gondola links the Damlataş beach station to the citadel top in about 5 minutes, daily 9:30 AM–11:00 PM, round trip 500 TL. Taxis wait at the foot of the castle road.
See and do
Known for
- Alanya Castle (Kale) and İç Kale
- Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) and the 1221 shipyard
- Cleopatra and Damlataş beaches
- Damlataş and Dim caves
- Boat trips around the sea caves
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Side | Bus or dolmuş west along the D400 via Manavgat, about 1 h 30 min | About 2 h |
| Manavgat | Bus west on the D400, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Antalya | Bus every 30 min from Alanya Otogar, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Dim Cave and Dim Çayı | Dolmuş or taxi east, then local transport up the valley | About 1 h |
| Sapadere Canyon | Tour minibus or taxi east, about 45 km (28 mi)Tour minibus or taxi east, about 28 mi (45 km) | About 1 h |
| Alara Castle | Drive west on the D400, 37 km (23 mi)Drive west on the D400, 23 mi (37 km) | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Harbour and old town (Iskele Cd, Kale foot)
- Walk to Red Tower, shipyard and the cable car; small hotels, some street noise.
- Cleopatra / Damlataş beach strip
- Atatürk Blv hotels a block from the sand; the busiest, most convenient resort zone.
- Tosmur and Kestel (east)
- Bigger resort and all-inclusive hotels 5–10 km (3.1–6.2 mi) east; quieter, needs a dolmuş or taxi for the centre.Bigger resort and all-inclusive hotels 3.1–6.2 mi (5–10 km) east; quieter, needs a dolmuş or taxi for the centre.
- Oba and west beach
- Long beach west of the headland; cheaper beds, 20–30 min walk or dolmuş to the harbour.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamer-hah-BAH |
| Thank you | Teşekkürlerteh-shek-kewr-LER |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?neh kah-DAR |
| The bill, please | Hesap, lütfenheh-SAP lewt-FEN |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?KART-lah ur-deh-yeh-bee-LEER mee-yim |
| Where is the toilet? | Tuvalet nerede?too-vah-LET NEH-reh-deh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Kale Cd up to the citadel is a 3 km zigzag; take the cable car or a taxi rather than walking it in summer heat.
- Atatürk House Museum has been closed; check before you go.
- Shops quote euros and Nordic currencies at poor rates: pay in lira or check the rate first.
- Beachfront shops sell fake branded goods; haggling does not make them good value.
- Boat-trip and jeep-safari touts sell on the harbour; agree the price and inclusions in writing before boarding.
Alanya is a busy resort and generally safe for tourists; the real risks are summer heat, sea riptides, and bar or shop bills with no posted prices — agree the total before you sit or order.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Alanya yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Alanya Castle (Kale) and İç Kale
- Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) and the 1221 shipyard
- Cleopatra and Damlataş beaches
- Damlataş and Dim caves
- Boat trips around the sea caves
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Alanya Teleferik: alanyateleferik.com.tr/
- Havaş airport shuttle: havas.net/en/bus-services
- Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism — Alanya Archaeological Museum: www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/antalya/gezilecekyer/alanya-arkeoloji-muzesi
- Wikivoyage: Alanya, revision 5289115 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5289115
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Alanya
Bu adrese, lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Alanya; the US, UK and most others keep embassies in Ankara and consulates in Istanbul or Antalya — check before you travel.
Prices are 2026 estimates in lira; carry small notes for dolmuşes and small cafés.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/alanya). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.