Damlataş Cave, Alanya

Overview

On the west side of Alanya’s castle hill, a door in the rock leads from the bright beach into a cool, dripping cave. This is Damlataş Cave, the “dripping stone”.

The Story of Damlataş Cave

Workers found the cave in 1948, while they were opening a quarry for stone to build the harbor. Its name comes from the water that still drips from the stalactites. The stalactites are believed to have formed between about 20,000 and 15,000 BC.

Inside the Cave

A passage leads in from the entrance, then a round hollow opens and steps go down to the floor. The temperature stays around 22 °C all year. So on a hot July afternoon, the cave feels cool; in winter, it feels warm. Its air is known to help people with asthma, and some patients follow supervised courses inside.

The Alanya Museum and the Red Tower

The entrance passage of Damlataş Cave runs about 50 m (165 ft) and rises up to 15 m (50 ft) before the round hollow opens. Inside, the humidity stays at about 95 percent along with the steady 22 °C (72 °F). Outside, the cave opens onto Cleopatra Beach, and a few minutes away, the Alanya Museum keeps its garden entrance on Damlataş Avenue. It opened in 1967 and shows a bronze Heracles of the 2nd century AD. Then, along the harbor, the Red Tower, the Kızıl Kule, carries an inscription of 1226 naming Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad.

How to Visit Damlataş Cave

The cave is on Damlataş Caddesi, at the foot of the castle hill. Entry is paid; opening hours change with the season, so check locally. Combine it with Alanya Castle, the Red Tower and Cleopatra Beach. We add Damlataş Cave to your Alanya day. All of it fits into our Alanya castle tour.

Would you like to see Alanya with a private guide and driver? Our Alanya city and castle tour pairs the cave with the castle, the Red Tower and the shipyard, and the rest of the coast is in our Alanya guide.