All about holidays in Alanya (Turkey)

The spring has come that pleases the Russians with long sunny days and the first long-awaited warmth, which the endless winter lacked so much. In addition to funny babbling brooks and snowdrops on forest glades, April can please the beginning of the holiday season in Turkey. Alanya, the warmest place on the coast, hospitably throws open the doors of hotels for the first tourists who are hungry for sea and golden sand on the beaches.

This resort has long been the most beloved among our compatriots due to its location, a long holiday season, an abundance of attractions for every taste and budget, as well as a wide selection of hotels of different stars and rental houses. Reviews of Alanya (Turkey) always mention the fact that even the budget options for hotels stand out with excellent service and infrastructure. Therefore, this place is very popular from April to November. If you also plan to have a vacation in Turkey this year, Alanya may become just that resort, about the time spent at which you will remember the whole family for more than one month after returning home.

Description of the resort area

By the standards of Turkey, Alanya is a comparatively small town located on the coast, divided by a cliff protruding into the sea. Its population varies within a hundred thousand people, but in the high season this amount sometimes doubles.

A feature of Alanya is its location. On the one hand, the city is protected by the sea, and on the other, the Taurus Mountains protect it from the winds. In addition, there are no cold sea currents in the resort area, therefore already in early spring the water temperature at the coast can reach 17 degrees Celsius.

The holiday season in the city lasts from April to the end of October. Many Russians come here even at the end of November, because the air temperature during this period usually does not fall below +15 degrees. In Alanya, there are almost never winds, so the resort is comfortable at any time of the year.

Most families with children go to rest in this heavenly place. They are attracted to cheap hotels, the opportunity to rent an apartment or a house right in the center of Alanya (Turkey), and most importantly - gently sloping and sandy beaches. They are covered with white or golden sand and delight mothers with a gentle entry into the water. Tourists can always choose any of a huge number of beach areas, while some of them even awarded the Blue Flag for their cleanliness, which not every resort in the world can boast of.

Alanya territorially includes not only the city itself, but also the surrounding areas. Hotels are also located in them, so tourists should know their differences from each other. In the article we give only the main characteristics of the resort areas of Alanya:

• Incekum (Turkey). From the center of the resort this place is separated by approximately 23 kilometers, which seems to tourists an insignificant distance. This area is the oldest on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, therefore, it has a very developed infrastructure. Everyone who has visited here will never forget the unusual air of Incekum saturated with pine resin (Turkey, Alanya). Rest in this place is suitable for families with small children, as the resort prides itself on wide beach areas and stands out for the lack of night parties.
• Avsallar. If you expect an abundance of nightly entertainment, chic boutiques and a visit to a real Turkish bath from a vacation, then you definitely need to come here. The local coast is mostly covered with sand, and only in some places pebbles are found. Many tourists believe that the most fun holiday in Turkey will await you at this resort.
• Mahmutlar. In Alanya, this area is considered suitable for tourists who want to be alone away from the kids. Holidays here belong to the budget category, since most of the hotels are located across the road from the sea. Experienced travelers are advised to rent apartments at the resort, which will be much cheaper than booking a hotel room. Thanks to affordable housing prices, tourists get the opportunity to live in Mahmutlar throughout the season. The water on the beaches of the resort area is clean, but entering the sea is inconvenient for children - it is littered with sharp boulders in many places.
• Okurcalar (Turkey / Alanya). Rest here can be characterized by three adjectives - “calm”, “lazy” and “comfortable”. The resort area has excellent sand and pebble beaches, cozy restaurants and low housing prices.
• Karaburun. You need to come here first of all to those who consider diving to be their favorite hobby. The bays of the resort are ideal for this activity, there are also a large number of yachts. Experienced yachtsmen teach tourists how to sail, which attracts many lovers of sea adventures in this resort area of ​​Alanya.
• Konakli (Turkey). The compact settlement is suitable for a measured beach holiday. The beaches are pebbled, but for the kids on the coast there is plenty of entertainment. The water in the sea is very clean, and the village itself is surprisingly similar to a picture from a postcard.

As you can see, the choice of places to stay in Alanya is very wide. Therefore, every tourist will be well and comfortable here.

When is the best time to go to the resort?

Holidays in Turkey in Alanya are possible all year round, because this place is attractive in its own way in each of the seasons. However, tourists prefer to come here in the summer, when the weather allows you to fully enjoy all the possibilities of the resort.

The first vacationers appear in Alanya in April. At this time, the water temperature does not exceed twenty degrees, so basically only big lovers of water procedures bathe. The rest of the tourists prefer to swim in the heated pools. April and May attract Russians primarily due to the low price of tours, while their choice is extremely wide, and hotels even offer discounts. In addition, the absence of scorching heat in the daytime makes it possible to visit all the historical sights of the country. It is in such weather that it is comfortable to walk through the ruins and just wander through the beautiful streets of the resort. Many tourists specifically purchase tours to Alanya in the spring to take excursions to the mountains.

If you plan to relax with your children, then June is perfect for you. At this time, the cost of tours is just starting to rise, and the water temperature in Alanya (Turkey) warms up to 22-25 degrees. In the afternoon, the weather is already quite summer, but in the evenings a fresh breeze is possible, which will make you throw a light windbreaker or jacket over your shoulders.

High season in Alanya falls on July and August. The cost of living at the hotel during this period is quite high, but tours can be bought at a reduced price. This is due to the fact that representatives of street agencies experience fierce competition and try to attract vacationers by all possible means. Air temperature in summer often exceeds a record mark of 40 degrees Celsius, and the sea warms up to 30 degrees. All this attracts mothers with children to the resort, however, in July and August the percentage of visits to the doctor with complaints of heart pain, burns and sunstroke is high. Parents need to ensure that the body and head of the little traveler are covered all the time.

Experienced tourists are advised to relax in Alanya from September to October. In these months, prices for permits again begin to decline, vacationers on the beaches become less, as the school year makes parents with children return home, but the weather continues to please with high temperatures and lack of rain. Usually the air in the first autumn months warms up to 30 degrees in the afternoon, approximately the same temperature is maintained in the sea.

Tourists often come to Alanya in November. This month is still quite warm, but there is a chance of falling into a period of prolonged rains. After them, the temperature usually drops sharply, as a cool wind starts to blow from the mountains. However, it becomes more comfortable to go on long excursions. They are carried out no more than twice a week due to a decrease in the number of vacationers.

The period from December to March is considered almost a dead season. During these months, most of the hotels are closed for reconstruction, but still in large hotels, some of the rooms remain available for booking. The average air temperature in winter ranges from 20 degrees Celsius, the water does not warm above 15-17 degrees Celsius.

As you can see, you can relax in Alanya at any time of the year. But to make it easier for you to plan your trip, here is a table of average temperatures of water and air in the resort.

Resort beaches

Many of our compatriots believe that Alanya is a single beach with a length equal to the city and the surrounding areas. This statement is not far from the truth, because once this settlement was laid as a seaport, and new buildings were built only along the coast.

The beaches of the resort, covered with fine sand, are rightfully considered one of the best in the country and definitely the cleanest. For this, they are assigned the “Blue Flag”, symbolizing purity. If we talk about the beaches of Alanya in general terms, it can be noted that they are suitable for swimming with children due to the gentle entry into the sea. In almost all places of the resort, the bottom is clean and sandy, so the kids are very comfortable splashing around in shallow water for days. Fans of solitude can find amazingly beautiful bays hidden from prying eyes by picturesque cliffs. About 90% of the beach areas are well equipped, there are cafes, toilets, changing rooms and sun loungers.

Almost all hotels in Alanya (in Turkey this is a common practice) have their own beaches, but the resort can also find municipal beach areas. They are located both in the eastern and western parts of the city. Entrance to them is absolutely free, but for sun loungers and umbrellas you will need to pay about five lire. However, some tourists argue that no one will drive vacationers who are settled on an ordinary towel directly on the sand.

Four beaches deserve the attention of tourists:

• Cleopatra's Beach. In Alanya and Turkey, this beach is the most famous. Some tourists are attracted by legends told by locals, while others are attracted by the incredible beauty of these places. The beach stretches for almost three kilometers and is covered with sand mixed with small pebbles. The sea is very rarely worried, but even in a strong storm the water will remain clear. Despite the fact that there are always many tourists with small children, the beach area is not quite suitable for bathing kids. The Cleopatra has a rather sharp approach to the sea, and the depth even at the coast is already considerable. Therefore, it is better to come here for adults, and for young tourists to look for another place.
• Keycubat. Here, kids can frolic without fear of getting to the depths. The sea in this part of the coast is clean and calm, and the shallow water stretches for several tens of meters. The beach is located in the eastern part of the resort.
• "Damlatash". His visit can be combined with an excursion to the famous cave located here. There are always a lot of tourists on the beach, they are attracted by its arrangement and the abundance of cafes nearby. "Damlatash" has a significant length and width, which allows you to simultaneously accommodate a large number of vacationers who will not even interfere with each other.
• Portacal. This beach is municipal and has sand and gravel cover. It is well equipped, so tourists can not only sunbathe and swim, but also engage in water sports.

In reviews of Alanya (Turkey), vacationers often mention that any local beach will delight with beauty and comfort. However, it should be borne in mind that prices in coastal cafes are much higher than in urban ones. And for visiting the toilet on the beach you will have to pay from two to four lire.

General characteristics of Alanya hotels

In Turkey, hotel complexes are a real city in the city, from where you can not even go out during the whole vacation. Tourists write that even a three-star hotel can amaze the imagination with an abundance of entertainment on site, a wide range of dishes in restaurants and high-class service. In addition, almost all hotel complexes operate on an all-inclusive basis. Alanya (Turkey) is also not an exception to the general rule, here vacationers will not have to get bored in hotels and feel anything in need. However, in order not to be mistaken, it is worth considering some features of accommodation at this resort.

If you want to live in the city center and have shops, discos and restaurants within walking distance, then be prepared for some restrictions in comfort. The fact is that in Alanya itself, hotels are mostly small and are located on the second coastline. They offer a minimum of services, but you will always be in the very center of spa life.

For those for whom comfort is more important, hotel complexes in various adjacent areas are suitable. All of them are located in vast territories, have several restaurants and pools and offer a high class service. We will tell readers about some hotels in more detail.

Five Star Hotels

There are a lot of them in Alanya, and each hotel complex has its own distinctive features to attract tourists. The best hotels with five stars, our compatriots consider the following:

• White Gold Hotel. It stands out for its beautiful private beach area, and from almost all the buildings an incredibly breathtaking view of the sea opens.
• Alantur Hotel. The hotel complex has a very beautiful tropical garden, where it is so pleasant to spend time in the midday summer heat.
• Club Paradiso. The hotel is located away from the beach, but this is offset by the magnificent view from the hill on which the buildings are erected.
• Sealife Buket Resort & Beach Hotel. Families with children like to relax here, as the hotel infrastructure fully meets the needs of small guests.
• Saphir Resort & Spa. Our compatriots also come here with great pleasure. The hotel is ideal for a measured family vacation, often retirees also tend to get into it.

Cost of living in a five star hotel

When looking at housing prices in Alanya, you should always consider the season for which you plan to travel. However, on average, a double room costs at least 70 euros. Of course, if you upgrade the room category, the price will increase.

For example, a week in the excellent hotel Delphin Delux Resort 5 * will cost one vacationer about 980 dollars, for two - 1300 dollars. And if a couple with a child gets a tour, then they will need to pay $ 1,700 for accommodation. If such prices seem unreasonably high to you, just imagine seven days in paradise with three pools, a huge tropical garden, a water park and an amusement park, as well as other entertainment, and your opinion will change.

Four Star Hotels

Good hotels in this category are:

• Xperia Grand Bali Hotel. It is located next to the famous Cleopatra beach, where tourists enjoy going every day.
• Panorama Hotel. This hotel always attracts only rave reviews from tourists, so it is almost impossible to book a room here in season.
• Sunny Hill Alya Hotel. This hotel has its own highlight - a beautiful rooftop pool. In Turkey, a similar arrangement of pools is rare, so the hotel complex is popular.

Room rates

In Turkey, Alanya, four-star hotel prices start at 50 euros. For this amount, tourists receive not only a comfortable room, but also a lot of pleasant bonuses in the form of service, infrastructure and entertainment. But if you can’t afford such a price, and you certainly want to live in a four-star hotel, then consider options on the second coastline. They can also book a room for 20 euros. Of course, the level of service in such hotels is not too high, but budget travelers are quite satisfied.

For 30 euros per day on the second coastline, you can rent a room in the apartment hotel. These rooms have their own kitchen with everything necessary for cooking. This option will be very convenient for families with small children.

Three Star Hotel Complexes

There are a lot of excellent hotels of this class in Alanya. Among them you can always find something suitable for any category of tourists:

• Kleopatra Fatih Hotel. The hotel has a good location and is famous for its excellent cuisine.
• Aska Kleopatra Beste Hotel. This hotel is mainly chosen by those who prefer Russian-speaking staff.
• Kleopatra Melissa Hotel. Russians always speak well of this hotel. They praise the kitchen and its convenient location, and also note the low cost of the rooms.

Alanya Attractions

For our contemporaries, Alanya is associated only with entertainment and other pleasures of resort life. But in fact, this place has a very ancient history, which today you can touch, visiting the sights of these places.

Alanya was founded on a rocky cape around the 2nd century BC. Since then, the city has changed its name and owners more than once. You can trace the entire historical path of Alanya in the archaeological museum. In fourteen halls collected exhibits from different eras. Here you can see art objects of the Byzantine and Roman times, letters, statues, sarcophagi, devices to facilitate life and much more. The museum is located in the city center, so it is very convenient to get to it.

Tourists are greatly impressed by the excursion to the Tersane shipyard. It was erected by the Seljuks in the first half of the 13th century in just one year. The 56 x 44 meter structure has several arches and walkways. The shipyard is best seen from the sea, so her visit is often included in a boat trip on a yacht.

The Red Tower is considered a symbol of Alanya, and curious tourists come here. This building in Turkish is called Kyzylkule and at the beginning of the 13th century it was the most impressive building in the city. Built of red brick 33 meters high, it makes it possible to see the entire resort from almost a bird's eye view.

In addition to the attractions already listed, travelers will be interested in visiting the fortress of Alanya, the Suleymaniye Mosque, caves (Damlatash, phosphoric) and a restaurant in the Dim Chai Valley. Holidays in Alanya can be not only interesting, informative and comfortable, but also inexpensive. And therefore, this is where our compatriots will go next summer for a tan and adventure.