Alanya Castle and cave summer tour with cable car, lunch and boat trip

It's not just pristine beaches and azure waters that make Alanya so special. The city's packed with historic monuments and natural attractions. You'll start with a cable car ride up to Alanya Castle, delve into the depths of Dim Cave and have lunch on the banks of the River Dim. Ahmet, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘Every region in Turkey has a tradition of its own but in Alanya, we have a pretty special one – and it makes for a great souvenir. We dry out butternut squash skins and carve them into unique hand-painted lamps and lampshades.'

We'll start off with an exhilarating cable car journey up the cliffside and back in time at Alanya Castle. Dating from the 13th century, this citadel boasts defensive walls, panoramic vistas over land and sea, and a splendid clifftop location. Next, we'll find out more about local customs and watch a butternut squash being turned into a lantern, before heading to the banks of the River Dim for a picnic lunch. Ahmet says, ‘The Dim is a popular destination for family outings in summer as the water's always chilly – perfect for a paddle on a hot day.'

After lunch, you'll journey deep into Dim Cave, where you'll enter a world of dramatic stalactites and stalagmites. We'll end the tour with a boat trip along the shore to get a new perspective on Alanya's clifftop castle. The rocky promontory on which the castle sits is surrounded on three sides by water, and its crenelated walls seem to grow from the rock itself.

The itinerary for this experience is...

- 8:00am to 8:45am – pick‑up from your hotel

- 8:45am to 9:45am – bus transfer to Alanya

- 10:00am to 10:15am – cable car ride to Alanya Castle

- 10:15am to 10:45am – free time to explore Alanya Castle

- 11:15am to 12:00pm – visit the fruit garden and squash lamp workshop

- 12:15pm to 1:45pm – lunch near the Dim River

- 2:15pm to 3:15pm – visit Dim Cave

- 4:15pm to 5:30pm – boat trip around Alanya Castle

- 5:45pm – return transfer to your hotel

Please note, the times and schedule may vary on the day