Alanya Castle (Alanya Kalesi)

Looming over the sparkling Mediterranean, the 820-foot (250-meter) promontory where Alanya Castle stands has been home to a seafaring community for more than 2,000 years. Much of the castle dates to the 13th century, when Seljuk Sultan Ala’al-Din Kay-Qubadh (Kaikobad) captured Alanya. Visit Alanya Castle for sweeping ocean views, accessible via the Alanya Teleferik cable car or by hiking. You can also admire it from a cruise or as part of an Alanya city tour.

• The larger castle area is free to enter, but you need tickets to explore the Inner Fortress and Ehmedek Castle.

• There are shops, food options, and bathrooms at the castle.

• The Alanya Teleferik is not suitable for travelers who use wheelchairs. Walkways have been added to key areas of the castle to make it more accessible.

• Medieval cannons and rugged fortress walls make Alanya Castle a good choice with historically (or militarily) minded kids. The walkways are stroller-friendly.

Alanya Castle sits in the heart of Alanya. The 2,953-foot-long (900-meter-long) Alanya Teleferik cable car runs from Damlatas at the eastern end of Cleopatra Beach to the Ehmedek Castle area. Bus No. 4 runs directly from the main bus station to the Inner Fortress area, although you might prefer the convenience of a tour with door-to-door transfers.

The Ehmedek and Inner Fortress areas are open until early evening in summer, closing in the late afternoon for winter. If you plan to hike down the hill in summer, visit in the afternoon to avoid the heat of the day; if you plan to hike up, start early.

While you might be drawn to Alanya for a relaxing, sunny vacation, you can also dive into its history. As well as building the castle, Sultan Kaikobad developed the harbor, adding the octagonal Red Tower fortress and Alanya Shipyard with its vaulted tunnels. Ottoman-era highlights include the bazaar, historic homes, and 16th-century Suleymaniye Mosque (Suleymaniye Camii) near Ehmedek Castle.