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Alarahan is
situated between the villages of Incekum and Okurcalar about 38km
north-west of Alanya. It lies on the banks of the Alara river and is
only a short 8 or 9 km drive inland from the D400, the main
Antalya-Alanya road.
The remains of
Alara Castle can be seen in the photo below. The castle is built on
a very steep cone shaped rock and must have been very intimidating
to potential invaders in the past. The entrance to Alara castle must
be approached via secret tunnels in the rock. If you plan to visit
it, wear sensible shoes or boots since it takes around 45 minutes to
climb to the top. The tunnels can be dark in places, so it is
recommended that you take a torch with you.
Alara Castle
Once you reach the
top, there are beautiful views of the Alara river and the Alarahan
Caravansary (Alarahan Caravanserai) below.
Alara River Alarahan Caravansary
Built in 1231, the
Alarahan Caravansary served traders and merchants for hundreds of
years. This continued until the decline of the Silk Road, a once
popular trading route of an ancient Chinese civilization that linked
Europe and Asia. After this decline, the Alarahan Caravansary was
abandoned and later used as sleeping quarters by members of the
Mevlevi Order also known as Whirling Dervishes.
Today, the Alarahan
Caravansary is now an important tourist attraction and is probably
one of the best preserved caravansaries in Turkey. It is also the
first restored caravansary in the world under the Silk Road scheme.
The restoration has led to Alarahan being included in the world
heritage list by the world tourism organization.
As well as the
castle and the caravansary, there are a number of other amenities in
the area including fishing, swimming, mud baths, specialized massage
and aromatherapy.
Mudbath in Alarahan
Alarahan Spa
Kids Play Area
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