Antalya has become the undisputed leader in housing sales to foreigners and has held this title for several months. Mersin has also steadily gained a foothold in "TOP-3 winners."
Europeans usually buy real estate in Turkey not only as an "investment option" (for example, as many buyers from China and the Middle East: such often buy apartments in Turkey and keep it empty until better times or until it becomes more expensive). Our compatriots purchase housing in Turkey primarily to live there or at least spend time for months within the framework of visa-free days, especially when it comes to coastal regions: enjoy nature, weather, three hundred sunny days a year, etc.
So, the population in both provinces is increasing. As a result, the transport and social infrastructure is developing. Great changes in this sense are observed in Alanya – the most popular "city for moving" among European citizens.
Let's tell you what has recently appeared in Alanya and Mersin in terms of convenience and comfort for everyday life all year round. Moreover, Alanya has every chance of separating from Antalya in the very near future and becoming an independent province. After the presidential elections, this issue was again put on the agenda.
Let's clarify that the creation of 19 new provinces is being discussed at once, but Alanya is the first among the districts that meet the required criteria, including population.
ALANYA
Medicine and health
Of course, one of the most important news of the last month was that in Turkey in general, and in Antalya-Alanya in particular, a mechanism for providing medical care at home for elderly citizens is being worked out. This will affect those who are 80 or more, but in the presence of chronic diseases from 65 years. So, the arrival of a medical team, if a person has Turkish citizenship, will be available. We want to remind you that the citizenship can be obtained either "for investment," or after living for 5 years in Turkey on a residence permit based on real estate purchase, if you do not leave for too long.
Two new medical facilities are also being built here at once: Hüsnü Gönüllü Sağlık Ocağı is being built at the expense of a benefactor. The Mayor's office reported on the successful laying of the foundation and the start of work a few months ago. The hospital will appear in Mahmutlar, one of the most popular areas among Europeans.
The second medical facility is also a long-awaited project. The foundation of the second public hospital of Alanya was laid back in May, in Payallar. There will be a hospital with 300 beds, with 25 beds in the intensive care unit. There are also 7 operating rooms and 67 polyclinic offices. Plus, there will be a diagnostic center. What’s more, even the "diabetes center" and "sleep laboratory" are voiced.
Health is not only treatment but also prevention. A unique "therapeutic park" has opened at the resort. "With its help, we hope to raise awareness of the population about the positive and healing effects of such an environment on the health and emotional state of people," the mayor said.
Moreover, it takes care not only of the health of people but also of our smaller brothers. First, a "Dog Garden" has been added to the already existing "Cat Park." In the last weeks of this spring, a special playground for walking pets, which is equipped "with the latest technology," began to operate. The same situation is in Mahmutlar, which in some sense becomes almost an alternative "heart of the city" in terms of convenience and saturation of social infrastructure.
Transport and roads
Gazipaşa Airport is expanding and improving. You can fly directly to Alanya. The need for this arose a long time ago. Only in Q1 2023 (January – March), 106,382 passengers used Gazipaşa’s services. Now, due to the new runway, it will become even more convenient. By the way, the terminal areas will also increase.
As for highways, it was discussed that Antalya and Alanya will be connected by an updated broadband highway. But, according to unofficial sources, at the moment the development of this project has been temporarily paused. Although no one is going to abandon it. It's just that the tender, which was supposed to take place in June, has been postponed so far to autumn.
Theoretically, there is talk of "including" Alanya in the railway network, but these are still rather distant plans.
There are also the smaller in terms of scale, but also critical for the city transport news. For example, the laying of asphalt continues on many important routes for the city, where there was no asphalt before. In particular, it is on the primer along the beach. Also, the roads of Chiplakly are equipped. Yunus Emre Avenue has been refreshed.
As part of the road infrastructure improvement program, traffic light activation buttons appeared at the most "congested" intersections, allowing pedestrians to activate the green light for themselves. This is especially critical on the very busy D-400 highway.
Education and culture
Pleasant news for local residents has been appearing one after another for the last year. First, a new female student dormitory was opened at the university. In May, a contract was signed for the organization of its own solar power plant on the university's territory. As a result, solar panels will be installed on the roofs of buildings and parking lots with a total area of 90,000 m². It will provide electricity not only to the needs of the educational institution itself, but also to direct the surplus thereof to neighboring residential areas, which is very convenient.
A new public school was opened in Avsallar. Its name is "The School of the 100th Anniversary of the Republic in Avsallar" (Avsallar 100 Yil Cumhuriyet Ortaokulu). It concerns secondary education. As for pre-school, the chairman of the Alanya branch of AK Parti political party informed the public about the upcoming construction of two new kindergartens in Demirtas, where school preparation classes (anaokul) are provided, among other things.
A private kindergarten is supposed to be opened in Aliefendi Mahallesi. Of course, it is not the first. There are a lot of private kindergartens in Alanya.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports announced the upcoming construction of an indoor sports youth center in Mahmutlar. The project has already been developed, approved and approved. The infrastructure of the complex will include gyms and other areas for sports, as well as the necessary training and office rooms, conference rooms, etc.
A building of a cultural center is also being built in Alanya. You won't believe it, but it is back in Mahmutlar. So, Mahmutlar is also becoming a kind of alternative cultural center of the resort.
State institutions
The Municipality of Alanya is moving to a new 4-storey building, more convenient for both employees and visitors. Thus, a new premises of the Alanian government house will appear in the city, where the governor's office, as well as the offices of related structures, will be relocated There will also be a police station and a disaster crisis center. Perhaps, there will be enough space for offices of some other institutions.
The design project was developed and approved long ago. Both districts were chosen as the location.
Social infrastructure
Large-scale work has started on the organization of a radically new beach, walking and entertainment zone in Oba-Tosmur. This is a very impressive stretch of coast in length (2.5 kilometers). There will be bicycle, pedestrian paths, playgrounds for sports, areas with exercise equipment, gazebos for recreation, and so on.
A new farmer's market has opened in Turkler. Its area is 17,500 m². Well, the "Friday Market" in Alanya is planned to open before the end of June 2023 (let's clarify that as a format, the "Friday Market" has always worked in the city, as in other cities; now a special large room with its own parking has been organized for it).
Finally, there is one of the most important news. Despite the fact that Alanya is located in a very calm zone from a tectonic point of view and for this reason, it is not subject to strong earthquakes in principle (local residents are used to small shakes), the authorities have taken care to make Alanya more earthquake-resistant.