Alanya Holidays

Old and new

Alanya on Turkey’s south-west coast is a real mix of old and new. You can start at the city’s huge hill-top fortress, follow the crumbling castle walls all the way through the old town, and then find yourself in the thick of the trendy bars and restaurants in the new town. The 2 Blue Flag beaches round it all off nicely.

Blue Flag beaches

You get a nifty 2-for-1 deal with Alanya’s beaches. You can take your pick from Cleopatra Beach on the western side or go for the Eastern Beach on the other side of a rocky outcrop. Either way you’ll get a long stretch of sand with lots of prom-side eating spots.

Night life

Alanya’s nightlife is loud and proud. You’ll find plenty of disco bars pumping out rock, pop, reggae, hip-hop and Turkish hits. And the city majors in nightclubs, which edge the harbour. These places don’t mess about – most of them have multiple bars and dance floors so you can switch between music styles. Themes are big here, too – check out the Robin Hood club with its Sherwood Forest decor.

Close to Side

In day-tripping distance you’ve got pretty Side – a sort of Whitstable to Alanya’s Brighton. The big draws here are the Roman amphitheatre and vast temples of Apollo and Athena – though the boutiquey shops are well worth a look, too. Just beyond Side, there’s the double act of Perge and Aspendos, which lay on Gladiator-style stadiums and Roman baths