Alanya, Turkey

One of Turkey's most popular cities

With its strategic position on a small peninsula, Alanya was once a stronghold for a multitude of empires over the centuries. You’ll experience this at the 13th century Alanya Castle, with walls that overlook the city and split the town’s sandy beach into two—Cleopatra Beach on one side and the Eastern Beach on the other.

Today, Alanya is one of Turkey’s most popular destinations, offering outdoor experiences like scuba diving and Jeep safari tours, historic sites like The Red Tower and Tersane, plus beachfront restaurants, cafés, and bars, and renowned nightlife. (Starting to see why locals love it?)

If you want to do a little more exploring, popular day trips include the Roman ruins of Side, which features the 2nd century temples of Athena and Apollo, and the famous waterfalls, minarets, and mosque of Manavgat. Marvelous!

Then again, you might just want to take a bath—a traditional Turkish bath or hamam, to be precise. With a hararet (hot room), a soğukluk (cooling down room), and an attendant to take care of you, time spent in Alanya feels like a new beginning.