When we decided to put some information about the Turkish Riveria on our web page I did some research and found many excellent sites with clear descriptive information on Alanya & surronding areas.
As there are only so many ways to describe something and not wanting to plagiarize I decided to advise those who wish to know more, to use their search engines & explore some of the exciting sites I found when I did this.
After living here for over 8 years I thought I would share some of my views of Alanya.
 My very first sight of Alanya was of the castle as the sun arose behind it, a view I never tire of. This ancient monument with its 7 km of walls & over 100 towers has some stunning views of both sides of Alanya and I still can not decide which is more superb daytime or night time views.
In the day I could be sitting eating a gozleme (Turkish pancake) surrounded by old olive trees, smelling the wild oregano, looking at the harbour with its sailing boats, or along the long sandy beaches, the backdrop to all this the magnificent Taurus Mountains.
In the evening the castle is illuminated and I will sit with a glass of wine or a raki (Turkish national drink) looking down to where Alanya looks like a sparking necklace.
Wherever you look you can see the Taurus Mountains . There you can find stunning gorges where the rivers are lined with restaurants selling fresh trout, delicious. You can swim in the cold (and I mean cold, even in August) river, relax Turkish style on cushions in rafts or in tree houses, a thoroughly delightful day.
The beaches – well what can one say, they stretch for what seems forever. You can find a variety of water activities, you can find secluded areas, and you may even be tempted to explore the Mediterranean as a diver – an experience not to be missed.
The town is a mixture of old & new, from modern shops to the famous bazaars.You can find the exotic; herbs & spices, pungent & evocotive; vegetables & fruit so fresh & tasty, leather, gold, bags, shoes the list is endless… so are the shops. Try out your bargining skills!
Exploring is easy, on foot or use the local transport, a dolmuş is cheap and they run frequently all over the area. Be aware dolmuş in Turkish means stuffed!!!
Leaving Alanya you can go in any direction and find something new & delightful. Go west to the ancient town of Side , the glorious Kursunu waterfalls & the Aspendos amphitheatre. Here you can watch ballet, opera even a pop concert. To sit under a starry sky, on the stone seats just like the Romans did, drinking a glass of wine (plastic glass unfortunately) while music surrounds you is magical– you really have to try it for yourself.
Further west you reach the large city of Antalya , with its ancient harbour, whilst this is where your airport is the city itself deserves some of your time to uncover all of its interesting areas ands there are many. From Antalya you can carry on up the coast to the holiday resorts of Marmaris, Bodrum & Kuşadasi & all the way to Istanbul – where east meets west.
To go east first brings you to the small town of Gazipaşa where you can find sumptuous strawberries and bad tempered ostriches– they peck! Further on well the road is endless, you can visit the walled fortress of Anamur, the mosaic museum of Antakya and many more wonders & beauty in the land where “east meets west”.
Turkey in general & The Turkish Riviera especially is an open, friendly, country. Adjusting to the pace of life is quite a pleasant challenge – come & try it :)
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Lynda Dagdeviren
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