Travel tours and holiday tricks and tips in Side Alanya 2023: Seven kilometers east of Aspendos, and about 70 kilometers northwest of Side, a long Seljuk-era hump-back bridge, with Roman foundations, crosses the Köprü River. Farther north, behind the village of Alabalik, the river narrows, marking the point where the mountainous and impressive Köprülü Canyon National Park (Köprülü Kanyon Milli Parkı) begins. This is the top spot in the region for white-water rafting trips, and half-day rafting trips are easy to arrange in both Side and Antalya. If you’re not fond of getting wet, the national park area has plenty of hiking options or, if you just want to admire the dramatic gorge scenery, there are cafés scattered along the riverside where you can relax and enjoy the views.
Our tour that we have organized bringing the Jeep safari and the rafting tour together takes you to the climax of adrenaline and enjoyment. While watching village life in the Taurus mountains in Jeeps on one side, see the wild nature along the Köprülü canyon river on the other side. Have a meal in a restaurant in the forest with a spectacular view on this tour lasting 8 hours. Don’t miss out on this adrenaline-filled activity organized for those who want to go on the Side Jeep safari and the rafting tour on the same day. The one-of-a-kind naturality of the Taurus mountains which is visited by thousands of people every year and the Köprülü canyon national park is waiting for you on this tour. We will pick you up in the morning from your hotel in the Side and Belek regions in 4×4 Jeeps. You will be able to see wildlife in its unique beauty as we begin our journey into the Taurus mountains.
Lonely Travel is a professional licensed travel agency in Alanya & Side. We organize travel tours services since 1997. We let our customers to save their time and money also providing them a high quality service. In our Travel Agency employees highly trained specialists that are licensed by the Ministry of Tourism of Turkey. We work 7 days a week to provide the best service to our guests. We organize more than 50 tours around Alanya and Side, each and every single excursion of ours is fully insured and maintained by our professional tour guides. Read even more information at Side boat trip.
The Alanya Seljuk Shipyard stands south of the Red Tower. You can easily reach it on foot by following the 300 meter path. The Alanya Seljuk Shipyard was built by the Seljuks in 13th century. If you are into maritime history and medieval buildings, make time to visit the only remaining shipyard in Turkey from the Seljuk Period. The Alanya Seljuk Shipyard (Tersane) has been used for trade and protection purposes throughout history. Today, it stands upright back to back with Red Tower. The Alanya shipyard is the only shipyard that remains from the Seljuk reign, built in the first half of 13th century.
To those in the know, the best panorama in Alanya can be had from this belvedere in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains. By car or cab you can get up to the Seyir Terasi in under 15 minutes, and once you’re there you may not want to leave. From this leafy vantage point you’ve got the best view of the castle’s peninsula, the tessellated white blocks of modern Alanya, as well as the harbour and the aqua-blue expanse of the Mediterranean. There’s a telescope on the terrace and a cafe-restaurant above, and in the evening families will come to the park to light barbecues. Of the many views to cherish in Alanya, some of the very best are from the water. On a cruise departing the old harbour, you’ll see the castle, shipyard, Kızılkule and the Taurus Mountains through the eyes of a Medieval sailor. The coastline in the Antalya Province is also fabulous, and there are three sets of caves within a short sail Alanya. Occasionally on this six-hour voyage the boat will drop anchor and you can lie back on deck or plunge into the cool turquoise sea. Cold drinks are provided and there’s also a barbecued lunch on board.
It’s impossible not to be awed by Taurus Mountains, and if you want to break out and experience this stirring landscape your best bet is the Sapadere Canyon, about 40 kilometres northeast of Alanya. The temperature is a few degrees lower in the mountains, and something that will strike you right away is the lack of humidity. In 1948 when Alanya’s peninsula was being quarried for stone for the harbour, workers stumbled upon a cave brimming with stalagmites and stalactites. At the foot of a stairway, the Damlataş Cave is 50 metres long and up to 15 metres high, and those bizarre concretions are carefully illuminated. Now, something to note about the chamber is its high humidity (96%), elevated carbon dioxide and constant temperature of 22°C. This might put off some visitors, but since it was first discovered the Damlataş Cave has been hailed for its therapeutic effects for people with respiratory complaints.
Laodicea is located right across the ancient city of Hierapolis. It was once a trade city which was known with glossy black wool and eye salve trade. Mentioned in the Book of Revelation as the luke warm city. Recently Turkish archaeologists excavated a church dating to the time of Constantine. This is thought to be one of the earliest churches of the world. This site is recommended for biblical history lovers. Aphrodisias is 3 hours drive from Kusadasi town. Aphrodisias is derived from the goddess named as Aphrodite, the goddess of love. An artisan city known with sculpturors who made sculptures and sarcaphaguses with the local white marble. You can see the best examples of marble works in this city. The site has the most well preserved ancient stadium in the world which has a capacity of 30.000 people. The huge pool at the south agora is breathtaking.
Alanya is a worldwide center of attention with a large number of beach resorts. The İncekum region is sought by those who do not like the crowd of Alanya city center and want to have a relaxing holiday. Here, facilities are lined up along the beach like a set. Avsallar has a unique 10 km long sandy beach where you can find various forms of accommodation, from all inclusive hotels to boutique hotels and homestays. Konaklı and Türkler (Fuğla) are some of the places close to entertainment and are the liveliest spots in Alanya.
The bathhouse was built by Skolastika, a wealthy Roman woman living in Ephesus, and therefore the bath complex is mostly known as the Skolastika bath. Another name for this bath complex is Varius Bath. It consists of 4 main sections: Calderium (hot water room), Tepidarium (warm water room), frigidarium (cold water room) and apodyterium (dressing room), which we are used to seeing in all ancient baths.The bath is heated by a central heating system and the bath has a capacity of one thousand people. The use of the baths is free and consists of 3 floors. Baths in antiquity are also known as places where people can socialize and establish good friendships because they were used not only for cleaning but also for socializing and having fun. Among the surviving remains of the bath complex, only the ground floor is suitable for sightseeing. See additional information on https://www.sideexcursion.com/.
When the Seljuk’s took control of this region in the 13th century, they built on the foundations of previous rulers. Much of the remaining building works still standing today in the castle area date from this period, when Alanya became a commercial hub. The lower castle area, nearest to the entrance gate, is known as the Ehmedek neighborhood. Wander the alleyways of red-roofed Ottoman-era houses and historical buildings here, then follow the winding lanes up to the Iç Kale (the castle’s inner fortress) for older Seljuk and Byzantine ruins plus views that soar across the sea, the coastal plateau, and the peaks of the Taurus Mountains beyond.
Cleopatra Beach very rightly gets all the glory, but if you want a change of beach scene, Alanya does have another strip of sand. Running southeast from Alanya harbor is the long shingle and sand shoreline of Portakal Beach, which trails along the city edge for around four kilometers, becoming known as Tosmur Beach at the very southeast end of Alanya, where the Dim River exits out into the sea. Portakal and Tosmur are backed by plenty of hotels and restaurants, and some beach clubs have also staked a patch along the beach length, offering sun loungers with shades, and waiter service for refreshments and food on the beach. Other facilities here include changing cabins and freshwater showers, and lifeguards patrol the sand during the summer season. Because of the beach’s length, even in the height of summer there’s always plenty of space for everyone, but if you’re seeking peace and quiet on this strip, head to the southeast end, which always has fewer beachgoers.