Small Mediterranean town at Turkey's southern point, near Mamure Castle and the ruins of Anemurium.
Anamur is a small coastal town on Turkey's southernmost point, tucked between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean. It sits roughly halfway between Alanya and Silifke, about 150 km east of Alanya, and sees far fewer tourists than the resorts to the west — which is a large part of its appeal.
The area's standout sight is Mamure Castle, a massive sea fortress just 7 km southeast of town. Built by the Romans around the 3rd century AD, expanded by the Byzantines, and later reinforced by the Karamanids and Ottomans, it is one of the best-preserved castles in Turkey — 39 towers and a 13th-century mosque survive largely intact, with the Mediterranean lapping at the outer walls.
Beyond the castle, Anamur has the ruins of ancient Anemurium just west of town: a Roman and Byzantine city abandoned in the 7th century, with intact streets, mosaics, and a necropolis. The combination of two significant ancient sites within walking distance of the beach is unusual even by Turkish standards.
The town itself is a working agricultural centre — bananas are grown here, benefiting from the sheltered, near-tropical microclimate — rather than a resort. Accommodation is simple, and that suits the kind of traveler who ends up here.
Guide
Getting There
Anamur is not on a main train line and has no commercial airport. The practical options are bus or private car.
By bus, Anamur is served by several companies running along the D400 coastal highway. From Alanya the journey takes around three to four hours depending on stops; from Silifke it is about two hours. Ankara is connected by overnight coach, a journey of roughly nine hours. The otogar (bus station) is on the eastern edge of town, walkable to central accommodation. There are frequent minibus connections from Anamur to Mamure Castle (7 km east) throughout the day, though service becomes less frequent in the late afternoon.
Coming by car, Anamur is roughly 150 km east of Alanya and 140 km west of Silifke along the coastal road. The D400 here is winding and spectacular, running through the mountains for stretches and offering views over the Mediterranean — but it is slow going; allow more time than the distance suggests.
Guide
When to Go
Anamur is warm enough for swimming from May through October, with sea temperatures peaking in August. The sheltered position between the Taurus Mountains and the coast gives it a more temperate winter than the broader Mediterranean norm — frosts are rare — but most facilities outside the town centre close between November and April.
The shoulder months of May, June, and September are the best time to visit. Temperatures are comfortable for walking archaeological sites (Anemurium and Mamure Castle both involve significant time in exposed sun), the sea is warm, and the town has not filled with the Turkish domestic tourists who arrive in July and August. The beach stays busy with local families through August, which is loud but convivial; the ancient sites get more crowded but never oppressively so.
July and August bring the banana harvest — if you are interested in seeing the fruit collected and sold, the market days at the bazaar in those months are worth timing your visit around. Winter travel is possible but pointless unless you are specifically here for the archaeology, in which case the empty sites and cool temperatures are actually ideal.