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."

If you choose the tour option that includes the cable car ride, you'll start off with an exhilarating 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.

What is the itinerary for this experience?

The itinerary for this experience is...

- 8:00am to 8:45am – pick‑up from Side hotels

- 8:45am to 9:15am – pick up from Alanya hotels

- 09:45am to 11:30am – cable car ride to Alanya Castle (if you book the tour option that includes the cable car ride) and free time to explore

- 11:45am to 12:15pm – Squash lamp making workshop

- 12:30pm 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 to 6:45pm – return transfer to your hotel

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

Why you’ll love this…

There's a tour option that includes a scenic cable car to the clifftop castle of Alanya
The impressive stalagmites and stalactites of Dim Cave create a natural wonderland
A short boat trip around the castle promontory offers a new perspective of Alanya
A peaceful picnic lunch by the River Dim provides the perfect midday break
Your expert local guide shares unrivaled knowledge of Alanya and its heritage

Important to know

In case of inclement weather, the boat trip will be replaced with a visit to the Red Tower
There's a donation per guest to the local authorities for the upkeep of monuments
There may be an initial, unaccompanied pick-up from your hotel to a meeting point from which the tour proper departs
Please note that this is our summer season tour, only available between May 1 and October 31
If you are travelling in winter, please choose our full-day winter tour of Alanya with castle and cave visits
You can book this tour with or without the cable car ride
There are 100 steps to reach Dim cave entrance, and slippery steps inside the cave. The tour in general involves a lot of walking
Not suitable for wheelchairs
Bring suitable footwear
Not suitable for those with reduced mobility due to uneven paths or steps

What people say about this experience

4.1/5

All reviews are verified

Based on 880 reviews

Review categories

Safety

4.6/5

Service

4.2/5

Staff

4.6/5

Value for money

4.6/5

All ratings (880)

5 stars (398)

45%

4 stars (284)

32%

3 stars (132)

15%

2 stars (49)

1 star (17)

R
Rebecca
Travelled with family
2 November 2026
5
United Kingdom
The whole day was great. The fort, the boat trip and the cave were all brilliant. If anything we could have skipped the visit to the place where they sold oils and Turkish food. But that was only a very short visit so ok after all.
T
Tomasz
Travelled with a group of friends
29 October 2026
5
Poland
Bardzo fajna wycieczka , brakowało mi przewodnika na zamku , w jaskini który będzie opowiadał i oprowadzał na co warto zwrócić uwagę. Powiedział coś w autokarze i to tyle , powinien podczas jazdy opowiadać o kraju , kulturze, ciekawostki itp.
B
Bogumiła
Solo traveller
15 October 2026
5
Poland
Przewodnik Beata cudownie opiekowała się turystami.Przekazala wiele istotnych informacji o Turcji,zwyczajach,miejscach które oglądaliśmy.Bardzo kontaktowa i sympatyczna osoba.Nie pominęła również pokazania nam na żywo rosnących tam owoców.Wycieczka na ruiny zamku i przejazd gondolą świetna atrakcją, łącznie z wejściem do meczetu.Jaskinia przeżycia niesamowite.Cena mogła być trochę niższa,ale jestem bardzo zadowolona i polecam👍
M
Maciej
Travelled with a group of friends
15 October 2026
5
Poland
Przewodnik super profesjonalny, ogromna wiedza i łatwość przekazania tej wiedzy. Bardzo miło spędzony dzień
J
Julie L.
Travelled as a couple
3 October 2026
5
United Kingdom
We didn't do the cable car ride so didn't see the top of the castle. However, was told that entrance to the castle at the top would cost a fee to view. I think they said around 12€. We just went for a local coffee and shopping in the area waiting for the party to return. The full trip was excellent and can recommend.
K
Kerri
Travelled with family
1 October 2026
5
United Kingdom
Everything was great, easy to book, we got collected right outside the hotel, our tour guide (Becco?) was absolutely amazing and was great at giving information about the places we were going to. He was very helpful and made the whole experience fantastic! The cable car, castle tour, cave tour, lunch, boat trip, and veggie garden were all 10/10 and I'd highly recommend this experience!!