Eastern Mediterranean

Ride or walk up the castle peninsula for the Seljuk walls and the views on three sides, then come down to the cool dripstone cave at the foot of the rock, just behind Cleopatra Beach. Sunset from the top is the classic moment.

1. 
   Alanya Castle

   Seljuk walls winding over a rocky peninsula above Alanya, with the inner citadel at the top and sea views on three sides.

   €12~1.5–2.5 h
2. 
   Damlataş Cave

   A small dripstone cave at the foot of Alanya's castle rock, just behind Cleopatra Beach — Türkiye's first cave opened to visitors.

   Not verified~20–40 min

A short trip up the Dim valley east of Alanya for the stalactites and the small pool at the back of Dim Cave, then the afternoon on the beach.

1. 
   Dim Cave

   A dry cave on the slopes of Cebel-i Reis above the Dim river valley east of Alanya, with stalactites, stalagmites and a small pool at its far end.

   Not verified~45 min–1.3 h

   Hours and closing days not verified — check on the place page

Optional: a boat trip round the castle peninsula from Alanya harbour (sold by private operators; no place page).

The long day: east along the coast road, with the sea below on one side and the Taurus on the other. Stop near Aydıncık for Gilindire Cave, where giant dripstones lead down to a clear underground lake, and arrive on the coast between Silifke and Kızkalesi for the evening.

1. 
   Gilindire Cave (Aynalıgöl)

   A cave above the sea near Aydıncık, found by a shepherd in 1999, where giant dripstones lead down to a clear underground lake.

   65 TL~1–1.5 h

   Hours and closing days not verified — check on the place page

Early to the sinkholes in the hills above Narlıkuyu: the long stairway down into Heaven to the chapel at the cave mouth, and a look into the sheer pit of Hell. The afternoon is for Kızkalesi: the castle on its islet and its twin on the shore at Korykos.

1. 
   Heaven and Hell sinkholes

   Two collapsed limestone chasms in the hills above the coast: one you descend by a long stairway to a Byzantine chapel at a cave mouth, the other a sheer pit you only look into.

   €12~1.3–2 h
2. 
   Kızkalesi (Maiden's Castle)

   A medieval castle standing on an islet just off a sandy beach, facing its twin fortress on the shore at Korykos.

   €3~1.5–2.5 h

East to Tarsus in the morning: St Paul's Well, the stretch of Roman street and Cleopatra's Gate, then the broad waterfall on the Berdan river at the edge of town before the trip home.

1. 
   Tarsus and St Paul's Well

   The old city where St Paul was born, with a well said to stand in the courtyard of his family's house, a stretch of Roman street and a gate linked with Cleopatra.

   €3~1.5–3 h
2. 
   Tarsus Waterfall

   A wide waterfall on the Berdan river right in Tarsus, born when Byzantine engineers diverted the river to protect the city from floods.

   Not verified~30–45 min

   Hours and closing days not verified — check on the place page