Best Alanya holiday tips & reviews
A holiday in Alanya has been very popular with the Dutch for years. The affordable port city with luxury all-inclusive resorts has been number one for tourists from the Netherlands, England, Scandinavia and Germany for years. Besides the luxury resorts, the historic port city itself also has plenty to offer. More than 100,000 inhabitants live in the port city and the rich history of the city immediately provides various attractions. Enjoy the bustling harbor with its many restaurants, bars and shops. Of course you get the slightly too pushy sellers for free. Do you want an affordable sun holiday with a luxury all inclusive resort? Then a holiday in Alanya is ideal for you!
- You can read this about Alanya
- Sightseeing holiday Alanya
- The most beautiful beaches in Alanya
- Activities around Alanya
- Vibrant nightlife in Alanya
- Best time to visit Alanya
- Travel to Alanya
- Practical tips Alanya
- Alanya experiences & reviews
Sightseeing holiday Alanya
Due to the rich history of the city, there are still several old buildings to be found. It is of course wonderful to stroll through the old streets, but there is also plenty to see.
The port of Alyana is definitely the liveliest part of the center. Here are all the boats of the city from tour boats, sailing ships to pirate boats. If you want to have a nice trip on the water, this is the place to be. Here you will also find the boulevard of the city and it is very cozy in the evening because of all the restaurants, bars and nightlife.
The most impressive sight of the city is definitely Alanya Castle. The castle stands on top of a hill and has a beautiful view over the city and the sea. With a cable car it is possible to reach the castle and enjoy the view. Another important ancient symbol is the Red Tower. The tower is located by the sea and dates from the 13th century and used to be the start of the harbor.
In the middle of the city near the old port you will find the Damlatas cave. This is the Turkish word for dripstone cave. The cave was discovered during the construction of the harbor and is 30 meters long and 15 meters high. It is absolutely impressive and cooling to visit here.
The most beautiful beaches in Alanya
Most Dutch people book a holiday in Alanya for sun, sea and beach. Of course this is possible like no other at one of the two large beaches. Cleopatra beach is the most popular beach and is almost 3.5 km long. If we are to believe the stories, Cleopatra VII once received this beach from her Roman lover to bathe here. Nowadays it is mainly an incredibly popular beach which is close to the center. We must make a side note and that is that in some parts the water can drain into the sea fairly quickly.
A good second place is Keykubat beach (east beach). This beach continues for kilometers towards the city of Gazipasa and is actually divided up from all kinds of other beaches (Kestel Beach, Kargıcak Beach, etc.). Actually it is all the same beach and is located right next to the peninsula of Alanya. The beach consists mainly of sand with some fine pebbles in some places. On the beach there are an incredible number of hotels, restaurants and beach bars, which means that many stretches of beach are well cared for. The sea disappears much less quickly here than Cleopatra beach, so many families can be found here.
Incekum Beach is half an hour's drive away and is considered the most beautiful beach on the Turkish Riviera. This is mainly due to the beautiful sand bed that lies here. No annoying pebbles in between, just a fine sandy beach. At the beach there are several hotels and two beach bars to welcome their guests. Beds and umbrellas are therefore available in abundance.
Activities around Alanya
If you have planned a long holiday in Alanya, it is also nice to leave the city. Just outside the center you discover truly beautiful nature in the mountains behind. For example, visit the Dimcay river. In the summer months there are several restaurants here and you can take a dip in the fresh water. Or take a multi-day trip through the beautiful landscape of Cappadocia. This is indeed the place with the fairytale landscape and where you can make special hot air balloon rides.
Vibrant nightlife in Alanya
Most young people like to choose Alanya as a holiday destination. The nightlife area is lively and there is a party every day in the city until 3am. Almost the entire entertainment area is located around the city's harbor. Robin Hood is the largest open-air disco. This is great during the warm summer months, of course. But the Murphys disco is also incredibly popular with the Dutch. A lot smaller than Robin Hood, but here you have Dutch cosiness all evening long.
Best time to visit Alanya
Although it is never really cold in Alanya, it can be a lot less in the winter months. Often the temperatures here are around 14 to 16 degrees and there is the necessary rainfall. It is therefore better not to take a sun holiday in the winter months. From April the temperature starts to rise again and the mercury will go back towards 20 degrees. April, May, October and November are therefore wonderful months if you mainly want to do something in the area. If you are coming for a real sun holiday, it is best to do this from May to October. July and August are absolutely top months in terms of crowds, so if you want it a bit quieter, we recommend the other months. The temperatures in the summer months will be around 30 degrees.
Travel to Alanya
Flying is definitely the easiest way to travel to Alanya. You are at your destination within 4 hours of flying. Many budget airlines fly to Alanya, which makes the tickets generally affordable. You do have to make sure that there are two airports to choose from. Alayna airport was the first airport, but is a two-hour drive away. The newer Gazipasa airport is much closer at just 30 minutes from the city. It is also a lot smaller so you get through the airport faster.
Practical tips Alanya
You pay in Turkey with the Turkish lira. At the time of writing, a Turkish Lira is approximately € 0.11. That has been three times lower since 2015 and this is why it is, among other things, cheap to spend a holiday here.
As of March 2, 2020, as a Dutch citizen you no longer need a visa! You do need to have a passport or ID that is valid for more than 6 months.
Like many other seaside resorts in Turkey, you will find many rental companies here. Make sure you take out good insurance when renting a car or scooter. I'd rather choose a well-known party than the cheapest
Do you want to go by Taxi in Alanya? Then you can take the yellow taxi and you just have to make sure the meter is on. The taxi is affordable, making it an excellent means of transport. Make sure that you agree on an amount for long distances.
If you are going to do an excursion in the interior, make sure that you are in an Islamic country. For example, too much exposure in women is often something they have more trouble with.
Do you want to sunbathe naked in Alanya? Do not do this, because it is simply prohibited!
Alanya experiences & reviews
The Alanya reviews are generally very positive. Actually, a holiday to Alanya is recommended for everyone. This way, the youth can go out crazy until the wee hours here. Families, on the other hand, will likely prefer to stay at a child-friendly hotel where they have direct access to the beach. The Alanya experiences are therefore fine for almost all target groups.
The trips that you can do in Alanya are generally rated well. If there is a small side note to be made, it is the pushy salespeople. They are very intrusive with goods that are often not very good. So be careful with sellers and do not let yourself be put under pressure. This is a small percentage, because in general the Turkish people are very friendly and helpful.
Airport transfer prices differs from company to company. As Number One Transfer family, we offer you solutions with affordable prices. Here are the popular transfer routes and their prices:
* Antalya Airport Alanya Transfer: £ 20
* Antalya Airport Kemer Transfer: £ 32
* Antalya Airport Belek Transfer: £ 23
* Antalya Airport Side Transfer: £ 30
* Antalya Airport Olympos Transfer: £ 51
* Antalya Airport Lara Transfer: £ 18
* Antalya Airport Beldibi Transfer: £ 30
* Antalya Airport Avsallar Transfer: £ 50
Please click here to see our full price list and make a reservation.
