Alanya → Aspendos Transfer

Alanya to Aspendos private transfer

Alanya's own history is medieval: the Seljuk walls climbing the headland, the Red Tower guarding the harbour, the vaulted dockyard cut into the cliff beside it. For a classical theatre, guests head west to Aspendos, where the stage building still rises to its full height and the curve of seating is complete. The two places share a thread, because the same Seljuk state that fortified Alanya also repaired the theatre and used it as a caravanserai. Distance is what makes it a full day: well over two hours go to the road out and back, so the theatre works best as the centre of the day, with Side added on the return, its old town lying just off the same highway.

The leg is 94 km, about 80 minutes, and the D400 carries nearly all of it, heading west from start to finish. Past the western hotel belt of Konaklı and Avsallar the highway runs above a string of small coves, crosses the Alara river at Okurcalar and comes down into the Manavgat plain. The Side turnings go by on the seaward side, followed by mile after mile of greenhouses and orchards. At the Köprüçay bridge, before Serik, the car leaves the highway and follows the river north to the village of Belkıs, and the tall outer wall of the stage building comes into view on the approach.

• If Side is part of the plan, say so when booking: the driver can wait at Aspendos and then stop at Side's old town on the way back, with the waiting time agreed in advance.
• Set off soon after breakfast with hats and water, because after a drive of this length a late start puts you on the unshaded stone seating in the hottest part of the day.
• From Mahmutlar or Kestel the car first has to cross Alanya itself, so give the full apartment address and allow extra time before the westbound run properly begins.
• The aqueduct, with its two tall pressure towers, stands in the fields north of the theatre and is a few minutes on by car; ask for it as a separate short stop instead of planning to walk there.