Introducing Alanya

In just a few short decades, Alanya has mushroomed from a sparsely populated highway town fronting a sandy beach to a densely populated tourist haven for predominantly Dutch and Scandinavian visitors. At night, the city can resemble 'Vegas by the Sea', and aside from taking a boat cruise or stroll along the waterfront, many visitors shuffle only between their hotel's pool and all-inclusive buffet restaurant, and then frequent the laser-shooting nightclubs after dark.

However, Alanya has something up its ancient sleeve: looming high above the promontory to the south of the modern centre is an impressive fortress complex, with the remains of a fine Seljuk castle, some atmospheric ruins, and even something of a small traditional village.