Alanya, Turkey

Alanya rose to prominence during the Middle Ages under the Seljuks, a tribe from central Asia that built the fortress and protective wall that still dominate the city. Several other buildings from that time also remain, including the octagonal Red Tower and the Seljuk Shipyard. Thousands of archaeological pieces in the Alanya Museum attest to the city's importance through the ages. But history only touches on Alanya's considerable allure. The city sits on a lovely gulf, backed by the pine-forested Taurus Mountains on Turkey's beautiful Mediterranean coast.