Destinations and vacation recommendations in Side 2023: While you’re in the Köprülü Canyon National Park area, don’t miss the ruins of Selge, which sit high up in the Taurus Mountains, 74 kilometers northwest from Side Kemer, scattered amid the village of Altinkaya Köyü. It’s said that the town was founded by the blind prophet Kalchas of the Trojan War with the rest of his army from Troy. Until the Roman period, the settlement’s remote location protected the town from foreign rule, yet trade flourished thanks to good relations with the towns of coastal Pamphylia. The extensive ruins contain many interesting remains, and history buffs could easily spend all day poking about here. For those with a little less time, the principal attraction not to miss is the Roman theater, with its 10,000 seats, and the adjacent stadium. Some distance to the southwest are the remnants of the Temple of Zeus and Temple of Artemis while scattered farther east are the ruins of the agora. Read extra information at Alanya excursions.

The word cini is used to define pottery art during Ottoman period. It became popular in 15th century. The word Cini is derived from the word Cin, which stands for China. The porcelaine that are introduced by Chineese tradesmen were combined with traditional Ottoman arabesque with Chinese patterns. Cini art started in the town called Iznik with cobalt blue under a colourless lead glaze tile and pottery products. In the 16th century the decoration of the pottery changed in style, Additional colours like Turqoise, Green, Purple and Red were added. Ephesus and nearby ancient cities like Miletus have been known with pottery making for many centuries. This art from is trying to be continued by a local entrepreneur nearby Ephesus Ancient City. Today cini is one of the dying art forms of Turkey. A visit to Efes Cini workshop can be added to your private tour of Ephesus.

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 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.

The parts of the aqueducts starting from the east of the Saint John Pursuit Gate within the district, especially around the station, have managed to remain intact. Byzantine aqueducts passing through the district continue northward through the Şirince Strait. These arches supply the drinking water supplied from the water sources in the east of Pranga locality between Belevi and Selçuk, the Byzantine Period settlement in Selçuk Ayasuluk Hill and St. It was used to deliver it to the St. Jean Church. You can see reused marble blocks brought from Ephesus and Artemision at the feet of these arches, which reach a height of 15 meters around the station. Among these, Ionic capitals from the Archaic period are standing out.

Harbor-side, both the Red Tower (Kızılkule) and Seljuk Shipyard (Tersane) are extensions of Alanya castle fortifications, built in the 13th century. The octagonal, 30-meter-high Red Tower served as the harbor’s defense tower in the Seljuk era. Inside, there are exhibits on the Red Tower’s and Alanya’s history, but you’re really here to climb up to the roof for great views across the harbor front. From the tower, a pretty walkway runs along the harbor’s original fortification walls to Turkey’s only remaining example of a Seljuk-era shipyard. The arched halls here, built into the shorefront, are open to the sea, so that waves constantly pummel the stone. The walkway continues from here for a short length along the coastline to a small Seljuk-era watchtower building. See even more information at https://www.tourmoni.com/.

The city’s steep peninsula, protected on three sides by the Mediterranean, is topped by a 13th-century castle with 6.5 kilometres of fortified walls. This rocky mass is a natural defence, and today’s castle was built on earlier Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine enclosures. In all there are 83 towers and 140 towers in the walls, and many of the 1,200 original cisterns continue to fulfil their original role. Alanya Castle is one massive archaeological site that warrants hours of exploration. The starting point has to be the citadel or Kale on the southwest side, where you’ll come to the Byzantine Church of St George, later adapted as a mosque. The north side of the promontory is the scene of the Seljuk Ehmedek Fortress, built on Hellenistic vestiges and holding a military garrison, arsenal and Sultan’s treasury for hundreds of years. Here you’ll discover countless ruins, together with historic 19th-century houses that went up after the castle had lost its defensive purpose.

Waterfall and swimming hole in Sapadere Canyon: Sapadere Canyon, on the outskirts of the small village of Sapadere, is an easy trip from Alanya, sitting just 20 kilometers inland from the city. From May to October, plenty of tour operators in Alanya run daily jeep tours to Sapadere Canyon, which are good for travelers who want to sit back and enjoy the scenery. Although small, only stretching for 800 meters in length, Sapadere Canyon is squeezed between high walls that reach up to 400 meters high. This gives the canyon a cooler climate than along the coast and makes it an extremely popular destination in the height of summer. A walkway leads through the canyon, passing a few shady cafés, where you can relax and enjoy the canyon environment. At the bottom of the canyon is a small lagoon and waterfall. Most people come to swim here in the cold, blue-green water of the lagoon and enjoy the cooler temperatures.

In ancient times, the surrounding region known as Pamphylia had a cluster of cities, many of which are compelling archaeological sites today. So while you’re on the Turkish Riviera a visit to an archaeological museum will always be worthwhile. Alanya’s is famed for a bronze statue of Hercules, dating from the 2nd century CE and just over half a metre tall. Also on show are intact amphorae from the 2nd century BCE, coins going back as far as 700 BCE, an inscribed Phoenician tablet from 625 BCE and a 46-line letter by the Roman emperor Septimus Severus. The museum also has an ethnographic section detailing local ways of life down the years, as well as an outdoor space showing ancient agriculture techniques, and funeral customs from ancient times through the Islamic era.