Alanya a port town to see!

Alanya is a sea side resort town located on Mediterranean side of the country of Turkey. However since this is a strategically located town this whole area has been under rule of many governments over the years. The Roman, Byzantine an d Ottoman empires have all at one time or another claimed this area as part of their own. This makes for a very interesting and diverse area to visit when on vacation. With all the cruise ships offering various shore excursions tourism has become the predominant industry for this town.

Sine this town has changed hands many times over the years the name of the city has changed with each passing empire. During the Roman times this place was called Coracesium and during the Byzantine Empire it was known as Kalon Oros.

Alanya is part of the Turkish Riviera and is situated between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea which makes for great weather and beautiful scenery. One of the more striking features of the city is the rocky peninsula that separates the city into two.

There are many cultural events in this area due to the high amount ot tourism which attracts a wealthy population. Notably is the Jazz festival that occurs here each year. When I think of Turkey I never think of Jazz so this kind of caught me by surprise.

Many tourists frequently visit this area from areas like Scandinavia, Germany, Russia and Norway. The main attraction for these tourists is the relatively cheap housing and warm climate which makes this area idea for the budget conscious tourist. However recently this area has suffered from a economic downturn since some outbreaks of the bird flu virus as well as some violent outbreaks due to the Mohammad cartoon published in the western world.