FORTRESS

Its imposing walls sheltered the Seljuk town of Alanya. To get there, you can take a dolmuş which leaves every hour in front of the tourist information office (Kuyularönü Meydanı). Otherwise, it takes more than an hour on foot (3 km at 250 m altitude) and the ascent can be exhausting in the middle of summer. There are two paths, one from the square, the other from the cave Damlataş. The second is preferred by walkers, the first by vehicles. Prefer the morning or the end of the day for the ascent. Restaurants and cafes on the road to rest and enjoy the panorama. On the way, McGhee's school, named after a former American ambassador to whom the house belonged. It's from a school that specializes in the Middle East. We pass the ruined fortress of Ehdemek, then the Süleymaniye, a 17th-century mosque, and the Aksebe Türbesi, a 13th-century tomb, before reaching the rectangular tower that gives access to the Içkale, the inner fortress (paying entrance), built during the reign of Keykubad in 1226. A small church dedicated to St. George bears witness to the city's Byzantine past. When you reach the great platform (Adam Atacağı) from where the prisoners were thrown into the void 235 m high, you will have an extraordinary view. It is said that prisoners in Byzantine times were given 3 stones. If one of them reached the sea, the captive gained his freedom. As a result, there are no more stones left around. Remember to bring some!