Alanya and its surroundings in short!
In Alanya you can find the most! In a city with approximately 130 000 inhabitants there is something to offer for every age and taste, culture, shopping, sports and pleasure. There are 4 hospitals, whereof one university hospital and 2 private, several numbers of private doctors and dentists and a few aesthetical surgery and dialysis centre. When it comes to shopping and pleasure the numbers are uncountable.
During high season Alanya is a city that never sleeps, as it grows with several hundred thousand inhabitants. Shops and restaurants are open from early morning ‘til early night. The city is surrounded by two beaches, which totally are approximately 6 km long and divided by the famous castle. During the hottest months, July-August, a trip to the mountains and a dip in the river can be a cooling thing to do. In the city you can also find an aqua-park, Leisure Park and a smaller Happy land for the kids. If you would like to experience cultural history you may do that in some of the museums of the city or take a trip to the close ancient cities Leartes and Sydra, or why not making a longer trip to other historical sites in the country. During the winter period the city regains a normal rhythm and peace and quiet is to be found. Many Europeans prefer to spend the winter period in Alanya owing to the agreeable climate. The city is also host of some international athletic contests like triathlon and beach volley.
As a city, Alanya is known since the antique era. Romans, pirates and seljucks have reigned here. During centuries Alanya has had many names but finally became Alanya in 1933, when the founder of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, gave the city its name. Until the first half of the 20th century the primary livelihood consisted of citrus- and banana farming but went later into national tourism because of the healthy air in the Damlatas cave, which is made of limestone. Gradually the tourism turned international and a big reason for that are the historical background and the beautiful nature surrounding the city. Today Alanya is one of the largest tourism resorts on the Turkish Riviera and is by UNESCO nominated status of one of the world heritages, because of its rich history and well preserved historical monuments.
Within the Alanya region there are 18 municipalities, Alanya included, and one of them is Mahmutlar. If you are looking for peace and quite and wanting to get away from the beat of the city Mahmutlar is the place to go. Mahmutlar is about 15 km east from the lively city Alanya. During the years Mahmutlar has become a popular resort among tourists and also for those wanting a residence in a peaceful area. There are approximately 25 000 inhabitants whereof the majority is living on tourism. It’s a town that is growing and many Europeans have bought their property there. In the surroundings there are banana plantations and other fruit farming’s, a 5 km long beach and a city centre which has the most. There are a number of small shops, restaurants, bars and a weekly market Here you may find the traditional Turkish life and hospitality and the costs of living are lower than in Alanya. If you still are looking for crowds and nightlife there are buses taking you to Alanya every ten minutes. Close to Mahmutlar you can find the antique city of Syedra.
