Alanya's main draw is the fortress and the coastline, but there is enough here to fill several days without repeating yourself. The Seljuk castle complex dominates the town and deserves a half-day at least. Below it, caves, museums, and boat trips round out the cultural side. The beaches and water sports take care of the rest.
The 13th-century Alanya Castle sits at 250 metres above the sea, with walls stretching down the promontory. Inside the fortifications you will find the Suleymaniye Mosque, a ruined Byzantine church with traces of frescoes, and a lighthouse dating from 1720. The citadel at the southern end offers panoramic views over the entire coast.
Down at harbour level, the Red Tower (Kizil Kule) is the town's most recognizable landmark -- an octagonal Seljuk defensive tower from 1226 that now houses a small ethnographic museum. Nearby, the old Seljuk shipyard (Tersane) is one of the few surviving medieval shipyards in the Mediterranean.
Damlatas Cave, at the western base of the promontory, is filled with stalactites and stalagmites and has a warm, humid atmosphere that is said to help asthma sufferers. Boat trips from the harbour run along the cliffs to visit the Phosphorescent Cave, Lovers' Cave, and Pirates' Cave.
The Alanya Archaeological Museum has a solid collection of local finds, from Bronze Age artefacts to Ottoman-era items. The Alanya Jazz Festival, held each autumn, brings international performers to the castle grounds and waterfront venues.