Why Cleopatra’s city Alanya is taking off

A new airport will open up Alanya inTurkey to more British buyers reports U.K's Leading Sunday Newspaper The Mail on Sunday 6th January 2008

The resort of Alanya, on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast, has been capturing hearts for more than 2,000 years. In fact the Roman commander Mark Anthony loved the place so much that he married Queen Cleopatra there in 32BC and then gave it to her as a wedding gift. Hardly surprising then that hungry British property hunters have already fallen for its charms, and that many more are expected to do so with the opening of an international airport this summer.

Currently visitors fly to Antalya, a 90-minute drive away, but the new airport at Gazipasa will cut the journey time to 25 minutes.

Presently around 2,500 to 3,000 Britons and Irish own a place in Alanya and this figure is set to rise with news of the new airport. The opening of Gazipasa airport will boost the town’s economy and infrastructure, which under the guiding hand of mayor Hasan Sipahioglu has improved considerably since 2000.

Roads leading to the sea and forttop headland that divides the city into two sweeping bays have been tarmacked, street lighting installed, pavements surfaced and electricity cables put underground. The pavements are clean and street crime is virtually unheard of.

Several streets in the modern centre which run adjacent to the sea have been pedestrianised. Lined with cafes, restaurants, bazaarstyle shops as well as contemporary glass- fronted stores, the effect is a promenade culture reminiscent of a Spanish seaside resort.

There are 13,000 foreign homeowners in Alanya, which is almost ten per cent of the population total population of Alanya. 

Noel and Heather Hogan, from Newport, Shropshire, paid €125,000 (£86,500) for a four-bedroom apartment last year, ‘We visited Alanya on a holiday and liked the area and the locals very much,’ says Noel. ‘So much so we decided to buy a place out there. We wanted somewhere that was a real home from home and we’ve found that in Alanya.

‘The way of life is so relaxing. My wife can lie by the pool and enjoy spa treatments and there’s plenty of local attractions, shops and restaurants to explore when we head out into the town.’